Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[Archosaurus]

Suga, thanks for your feedback. You spoil me.

I don't like the jeans either: but this is filmed at my school. There are logistical issues with shorts. Once I hit up a club, I will go in shorts. I am not savage enough to enter a table tennis club in jeans. I don't have enough style to do that.

However, have you seen my newer videos? I think I am maybe 1% better than in those older ones. Not much has changed, though. I am catching onto some important things lately, but it will take time.

I will repost the videos so you don't need to search:

Any thought you have about these will be truly valuable.

 

[Jirrex]

I'm using my new racket (with Rakza 7 Soft) for a few months now and I noticed that the rubbers got some stains on them. I take really good care of my equipment, I clean it everytime after I've used it and put protection foil on the rubbers before I put it in my bat case. I use both demineralized water and Tibhar Bio rubber cleaner. Is this normal with this (kind of) rubber? The Mark V rubbers on my old racket only show wear, no stains.

Here's a picture:

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Yeah, it has dawned on me a while ago that, since Archo is playing in a school recreation room, access to a changing room would probably be the first challenge. Wearing TT gear while everyone else is wearing clothing suitable for class and the social areas of school would probably be more than just awkward. And being in a room with a temperature suitable for pants, a shirt and a sweater might make it a bit cold for TT attire in that room.

So, long ago I realized, Archo's situation limits him to wearing clothing that actually restricts his ability to move and play.

My guess is that room is probably 58-60-degrees Fahrenheit (14.44-15.55-degrees Celsius) during the winter months. I would not stand around and wait for next in that either. So, I personally won't bother him about the fact that he plays in conditions that are not great for TT development.


Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

 

[NextLevel]

Yeah, it has dawned on me a while ago that, since Archo is playing in a school recreation room, access to a changing room would probably be the first challenge. Wearing TT gear while everyone else is wearing clothing suitable for class and the social areas of school would probably be more than just awkward. And being in a room with a temperature suitable for pants, a shirt and a sweater might make it a bit cold for TT attire in that room.

So, long ago I realized, Archo's situation limits him to wearing clothing that actually restricts his ability to move and play.

My guess is that room is probably 58-60-degrees Fahrenheit (14.44-15.55-degrees Celsius) during the winter months. I would not stand around and wait for next in that either. So, I personally won't bother him about the fact that he plays in conditions that are not great for TT development.


Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

His only real excuse is that he is a broke student. While I like to say shorts, what I really mean is sportswear of some sort. Even if it is cold, there are jump suits and sports shoes he could still wear.

 

[NextLevel]

Any good way of unsealing a sealed blade?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Any good way of unsealing a sealed blade?

I think mineral spirits is a solvent that should work.


Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

 

[songdavid98]

Suga, thanks for your feedback. You spoil me.

I don't like the jeans either: but this is filmed at my school. There are logistical issues with shorts. Once I hit up a club, I will go in shorts. I am not savage enough to enter a table tennis club in jeans. I don't have enough style to do that.

However, have you seen my newer videos? I think I am maybe 1% better than in those older ones. Not much has changed, though. I am catching onto some important things lately, but it will take time.

I will repost the videos so you don't need to search:

Any thought you have about these will be truly valuable.

HEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY,

Your forehand is able to topspin now! Congrats for reaching that milestone!
Also, your serve looks way more legit now.
To be honest, I haven't been looking at your past videos too much, but these few videos here show that you are learning.

********

You still have a long way to go though.

Some things that jump out at me that need some work is the backhand.
Your forearm on the backhand swing doesn't seem to be able to ACTUALLY swing forward. It seemed like your backhand just drags the ball upwards, or you just tap the ball.
In order to learn, you gotta take a leap of faith and try swinging. If you don't swing, then there won't be a swing that we can diagnose and help you with.
More forearm and less wrist. That's how you swing.

Also, your pushes are killing me man. They suck Too high, slow, and not spinny. Read the spin and act accordingly. If it's no spin or little spin, push it down.

Same with basic footwork. Not those fancy footwork drills that you see online, but like moving out of the way when the ball goes to your elbow. I see a lot of poor shots when balls go to your elbow.

However, that comes with time and practice and it is not hard to learn. You will learn. I believe in you.

 

[songdavid98]

On the side note:

I've been looking at myself lately and I realize, I hate watching myself play, and I hate watching Wong Chun Ting play. It turns out, our strokes are pretty similar. And so it hit me...

We both stick our butts out when we play and we both have the same weird looking backhand. Also, we both have the forehand that is mostly arm, which looks wrong.


Is it too late for me? Should I accept my fate and not change?

 

[Shuki]

On the side note:

I've been looking at myself lately and I realize, I hate watching myself play, and I hate watching Wong Chun Ting play. It turns out, our strokes are pretty similar. And so it hit me...

We both stick our butts out when we play and we both have the same weird looking backhand. Also, we both have the forehand that is mostly arm, which looks wrong.


Is it too late for me? Should I accept my fate and not change?

play a game you enjoy. if looking cool while you play is important to make you enjoy the game more, go for change. We have a player who is over 2000, shakehand, forehand super looper. Never learned how to chop. He once said these exact words after losing to someone around 1900 he had no right losing to. "I would rather lose looking good than win looking bad".

we all enjoy the game differently.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

On the side note:

I've been looking at myself lately and I realize, I hate watching myself play, and I hate watching Wong Chun Ting play. It turns out, our strokes are pretty similar. And so it hit me...

We both stick our butts out when we play and we both have the same weird looking backhand. Also, we both have the forehand that is mostly arm, which looks wrong.


Is it too late for me? Should I accept my fate and not change?

When I was a pro ramp skater, we used to watch footage of ourselves all the time. We would go to a session and film while skating. At first you just see all your flaws and it is hard to watch.

Then you start improving the important things. Then you start feeling what you are actually doing more and some more of your flaws improve just from having seen footage and beginning to know things you would like to change.

So, the way NextLevel films and watches so many of his matches, this is really what we did and that really helps you improve.

And at a certain point your internal images of how you look during play starts being more in line with how you actually do look while you play.

And as those close their gap, it starts to be less painful to watch.


Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

 

[JeffM]

And at a certain point your internal images of how you look during play starts being more in line with how you actually do look while you play.

And as those close their gap, it starts to be less painful to watch.


Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

That would be the ideal outcome. Although, as often as I post my videos of my games here, I do not think I have changed for the better much.. but more like I am more accepting of my mistakes... As I pretty much films all my matches, I feel it is almost like my brain is telling me, that is you, stop fighting it!

Hence why I wanted other's opinion on my gameplay, because after a while, I think my own critical analysis of my gameplay starts to fade and blur out.

Perhaps there is a threshold of how often I should film myself and I have exceeded it.

 

[Yecats Encerwal]

Had my weekly league match last night, won 3/3 but had one pretty tough match.

Again, I found myself trailing 2-0, and 10-9, but somehow managed to secure the 3rd game, cruise the 4th and then close the 5th out in deuce...

Does anyone have any useful tips to help start matches better? I find myself playing too passively and don't know why!!

 

[SchemeSC]

Hypothetical question for those of you interested in the block versus random training issue:

Let"s say you have a player that displays fairly good technique in both his FH and BH topspin. Maybe it's not perfect in your mind, but reasonably good. The player has now reached the stage where he needs to learn to transition between these two shots, rather than just practicing them in isolation all the time. So my question is this: Would you as a coach do the FH/BH transition drill as a random drill from the very beginning? Or would you have the player alternate between 1 FH and 1 BH in a block type way until he proves he can perform the drill that way at a high level?

I see problems in my own transition that I would like to correct. I am trying to incorportate more random training into my game, but I have a hard time coming to grips with the idea that I should be training randomly when my problems are serious enough that my shots break down even in a block environment. I know that random training leads to better retention, but im not sure I WANT to be retaining some of the bad habits im displaying.

 

[Yecats Encerwal]

Hypothetical question for those of you interested in the block versus random training issue:

Let"s say you have a player that displays fairly good technique in both his FH and BH topspin. Maybe it's not perfect in your mind, but reasonably good. The player has now reached the stage where he needs to learn to transition between these two shots, rather than just practicing them in isolation all the time. So my question is this: Would you as a coach do the FH/BH transition drill as a random drill from the very beginning? Or would you have the player alternate between 1 FH and 1 BH in a block type way until he proves he can perform the drill that way at a high level?

I see problems in my own transition that I would like to correct. I am trying to incorportate more random training into my game, but I have a hard time coming to grips with the idea that I should be training randomly when my problems are serious enough that my shots break down even in a block environment. I know that random training leads to better retention, but im not sure I WANT to be retaining some of the bad habits im displaying.

Good question.

My opinion would be to start off doing 2 BH, 2 FH, before doing the random drill. A player needs to properly learn the transition first, before adding in the random element. Once the player is happy with the transition, I would suggest adding some randomness ,but not completely random. A good variation is to play 1, 2 or 3 BH's, then 1,2 or 3 FH's (the blocker chooses when to switch). This will give the attacker the chance to cement his transition, without completely throwing him out. Once this is done consistently, then move on to completely random drills if you wish, or continue to gradually add in more random elements.

Hope this helps

 

[NextLevel]

Had my weekly league match last night, won 3/3 but had one pretty tough match.

Again, I found myself trailing 2-0, and 10-9, but somehow managed to secure the 3rd game, cruise the 4th and then close the 5th out in deuce...

Does anyone have any useful tips to help start matches better? I find myself playing too passively and don't know why!!

Good win . As for the advice on slow starts, that is your own cross to bear. Zhang Jike had that issue, so it is not unique to players who are the second best players on their Islands . It's really best to develop a routine that brings you into the mindset to give your best on each point. The results don't matter close to as much as those are in part determined by your opponent.

On Tuesday, my first match, I was down 8-4 and 10-6 in the first two games and won each game. In the second match, I was down 9-4 and 10-7 in the 5th game against the lowest rated player (a lefty, hahahaha) in the group and pulled it out at 14-12 - on not one but two(!) of the match points, I popped up his serve and he missed (at 10-10, I knew I was too pumped and called a time out, came back to the table, and missed a kill shot to go down 11-10 - like I said, you have to accept your routine and forget the results). In the third match, I must have been down 1-0, 10-4 or something like that even if not exactly that and won game 2 and the match in 5 games. In the 4th match, I lost the second game 11-1 (mercy point) but still won in 4. After all that, the #2 player rightly bashed me 3-0 and I really couldn't complain (I did blame the blade though .)

But yes, find a routine that gets you into the right mindset for every point. Review how much time you are taking between points and what your routine is when you win and lose points. The rest is really not in your control.

 

[NextLevel]

Hypothetical question for those of you interested in the block versus random training issue:

Let"s say you have a player that displays fairly good technique in both his FH and BH topspin. Maybe it's not perfect in your mind, but reasonably good. The player has now reached the stage where he needs to learn to transition between these two shots, rather than just practicing them in isolation all the time. So my question is this: Would you as a coach do the FH/BH transition drill as a random drill from the very beginning? Or would you have the player alternate between 1 FH and 1 BH in a block type way until he proves he can perform the drill that way at a high level?

I see problems in my own transition that I would like to correct. I am trying to incorportate more random training into my game, but I have a hard time coming to grips with the idea that I should be training randomly when my problems are serious enough that my shots break down even in a block environment. I know that random training leads to better retention, but im not sure I WANT to be retaining some of the bad habits im displaying.

Yecats nailed it, and you highlighted the important point. The technical training is important to do the right thing, it just might not show up in a match as quickly as the random training would, as that will reflect your truer level under a certain kind of pressure.

Random training is not so important that you should devalue technique, you should just use the idea to understand why technical (block) training may not show up in matches as quickly as you would like it to (and it might for all you know). It should also get you more comfortable with doing the right thing in random training even if you are making errors while trying to do so, as one of the reasons people hate random training is that it hurts their ego to make mistakes when those mistakes are required for the brain to calibrate and learn.

 

[Brs]

Can't you just do the random training with really slow balls at first? So you have time to do the stroke properly, but still have to read and transition. There is no law that you have to train at game speed.

 

[NextLevel]

Can't you just do the random training with really slow balls at first? So you have time to do the stroke properly, but still have to read and transition. There is no law that you have to train at game speed.

I guess random could refer to the ball placement or to the nature of the drill compared to a match. You are right that there is no need to do all drills at competitive game speed.

 

[Yecats Encerwal]

It should also get you more comfortable with doing the right thing in random training even if you are making errors while trying to do so, as one of the reasons people hate random training is that it hurts their ego to make mistakes when those mistakes are required for the brain to calibrate and learn.

What NL has said here is important. You cannot learn anything in table tennis unless your ego gets hurt



If you think you are perfect at everything, you won't get very far!

 

[SchemeSC]

Thanks to Yecats and Nextlevel for the responses and to BRS for asking a really good question.

Let me give another concrete example:

Recently I've added a forearm snap to my FH topspin technique which has helped me tremendously. After spending many years of only being able to hit a maximum of 20 topspins versus block in a row (and in most cases I would miss at less than 10), I suddenly whipped out more than 50 forehand topspins in a row. I was pretty excited about this, and I just loved how the shot felt.

But then when I switched to trying to do a random transition between forehand and backhand, I suddenly lost the feeling for the forearm snap completely. It wasn't the fact that I was missing the table that was bothering me, but rather the fact that I had lost the feeling of the correct stroke. When I was doing the random training, I felt that I was doing nothing more than ingraining the incorrect stroke that I had been doing previously.

I guess that's why I need to gradually build towards random training as Yecats suggested, instead of diving into it head first