I think I'll focus on the BH loop vs backspin first, need to land that more consistently to get a block back. One thing we didn't specifically talk about but I noticed is that you wait for the ball to come to you a bit more. Besides not moving back, I noticed also after watching some videos of high level players is that they actually sometimes move forward to meet the ball.
Judging from those things, I think I'm looping backspin from too far in front of my body, I'll need to either let it come to me a bit more, or if it's slow and floaty to even move in a bit.
That, and getting lower in my ready stance will be the specific things I'll be focusing on. I see why you and Bill's pushes to my BH are so much harder for me to handle than lower level players'. I don't know where you guys' pushes are going until the last second, and if I'm not already lower then I don't have enough time to get low then loop. It's not as essential on the FH side because you have extra time as you loop the ball from beside your body rather than in front of it. But even for the FH side it'd help because instead of a push I could be getting a faster shot like a flick.
but I noticed is that you wait for the ball to come to you a bit more.
Yes, If I let the ball come to me a little more, most of the time it will be at table height or a little less when I go for my heavy slow loop. It makes me get down and use leverage and kinetic energy generation to pass along my body and make the whip to transfer power to the ball in terms of speed and spin... here, mostly spin, but it is power as you saw the ball fly out on the block. I think anyone can make ridiculous spin on a BH loop, even with the ABS ball.
videos of high level players is that they actually sometimes move forward to meet the ball.
Pro trained players have it POUNDED into them to get to the ball as early as practical. There are obvious advantages with angles and at top of bounce there is more vertical room to work with to hit hard with direct path to land the ball.
The problem with adult learners is that were are never good enough to play that way on every ball, so we would make way too many errors trying to play that way by default. It is better to understand the physics and geometry involved... and take advantage given whatever ball the player is facing and what they want to do.
What is important (in every shot) is is setting your position and ready stance with LEVERAGE to make full use of your power generation, continuation, and transfer to ball... and STRIKING the ball IN YOUR EFFECTIVE STRIKE ZONE. There is not much leverage outside the strike zone and many errors or poor quality striking outside the zone.
My personal view is that so long as you can see opponent's impact and within the first foot know what happened, know where the ball is going with what when which 3d coordinate, which vector of travel with which spins... and decide what you want to do, it is a matter of getting to position ready with leverage... then executing the shot gets a lot simpler and consistent with good quality.
At our amateur levels, I would easily consider THAT to be much more big time important. I can still make pressure shots or winning shots at my level and several levels above me (if that higher level opponent decides not to control the rally) and still make a quality ball with spin and placement to win the point or lead to it next ball.
I also advocate BH looping at all three speeds... and to do that it benefits a play to know the height of impact... lower for the slow heavy spin, half to net height for the medium and fast loops. The strike zone for BH is way smaller, so getting a good position is crucial.
The strike zone for the BH is a little to the right of belly button (for righties) and a foot in front of upper abdomen. This effective center of strike zone is adjustable to a small degree both horizontal and forward... vertical to a small degree as well.
There is also SLIDING the strike zone side to side some inches... if a right handed player slides his arm/elbow to the right so tip of bat is at belly button or a couple inches to the right... then when a ball comes not to BH corner, but a foot towards the center T of table, then you have an easy angle to hit that ball down the short side of table by the FH line of opponent before he realizes what happened. If ball comes to BH corner, one can pivot on the ankles to rotate waist so now you are facing the short side line with your strike. No one sees that coming either.
It is also possible to extend the strike zone forward maybe as much as a foot... so long as it is not a reach, but an extension, there is still leverage. Sometimes one does not see the ball well enough to step forward enough to get natural position, so there is about a foot of wiggle room to extend strike zone forward.
Another aspect of getting pace on the BH is FIRMING the GRIP at IMPACT. I mean RIGHT AT IMPACT. This delivers maximum force to the ball. There are SO MANY BALLS you can put away on BH wing with a short arm BH and a firming at impact... You can literally make FH smash pace if you strike it right... and you get a couple of these chances each game... so why not take the free cheese opponent is giving you when offered.
Judging from those things, I think I'm looping backspin from too far in front of my body, I'll need to either let it come to me a bit more, or if it's slow and floaty to even move in a bit.
Yes, I tell players who are positioned a little too far back facing those slower underspin balls that they need to get down a little more and wait... or take a small step forward. Doing neither of these ensures you hit out of zone and make too many errors, or very poor quality shots. One must use leverage to make power and consistency... and that comes form being in position with leverage... that means a small step forward to get that position, or wait for ball to come to the strike zone (IF that ball will make it there)
That, and getting lower in my ready stance will be the specific things I'll be focusing on. I see why you and Bill's pushes to my BH are so much harder for me to handle than lower level players'.
I did practice with Dingyibvs on looping underspin and he made a lot of progress getting down and up with the ball, but I also gave him some fast deep spinny pushes, which he struggled to loop. It was because his base stance for BH was too upright. If he was crouched a little, it would be a matter of a quick dip in hips as ball is going down, and after bounce as ball goes up, a matter of quickly exploding up and forward to strike the ball.
Crouch in stance and being ready for that fast push are usually enough to handle that ball. You see that a lot in doubles as it is harder to predict opponent's receive... often a fast deep push to the doubles serving team after serve is declined for attack, pushed back, and now your team can go on attack first.
The arm alone is strong enough to overcome a weak spin... but with a heavy push, you REALLY need a lot of bat speed and one simply cannot do that standing up like a statue. You must get hips down some and explode up to generate the needed energy to continue along the chain and transfer it to the ball in terms of spin and speed, depending on path and impact and grip.
I don't know where you guys' pushes are going until the last second, and if I'm not already lower then I don't have enough time to get low then loop.
There are few things going on to get opponent to not know until you strike or after... You strike the ball on the rise 1/2 to net height or net height... you are taking ball very early, so there is little time between bounce, impact, and ball going back to point of bounce... it happens so damn quickly that alone pressures your opponent. If you wait for ball to bounce and impact ball 1-2 feet past bounce, now opponent has 2-4 feet of space and time to see what happened and take action. THAT ALONE IS HUGE.
Other things going on are deception in how you disguise your intent. You have to have control of body, arm and wrist joint. Using the opening or closing of wrist before impact WORKS at LOW POWER shots like a push or serve receive... there is leverage since there is practically zero body rotation etc forces upon you, so just planting foot is enough leverage to use open wrist at low impact. It is controllable. You can use different arm angle too, which is also very controllable.
How you sell it is that you show one thing and deliver another... and you do the showing before your step, and during your step to the ball you make your change... as late as possible, but you are stepping soon before bounce and impacting soon after bounce. There is very little time to see what happened and it is difficult to process with all the other things an opponent must be aware of in a point.
Being quick of the bounce and changing with suddenness your wrist and arm angle is how you complete the sales job of selling your opponent their own used underwear. If you are a good salesman, you can sell your opponent this same deal time and time again and make them pay full retail price.
It's not as essential on the FH side
It is essential to be ready on FH side and do the same prep and tasks... but you Dingyibvs, YOU have EXCEPTIONAL skill and quickness to cover your wide FH, so for you personally it is not as troubling, but I still got you to decline attacks if I sold the deal right.
