Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[NextLevel]

Long to BH serve and coincidentally in my coaching session my coach emphasizes a lot of aggressively attack ( open-up or drive ) using BH against these serves.

It seems he knows that these serves are a useful tactics and he prepares his students against such serve.

Yes attacking long serves is the proper way to play. Don't confuse that with whether a specific player's long serves will be easy or hard for you to return, especially as part of a match strategy with various spins, placements and deceptions.

 

[Der_Echte]

Looks like there were sum seriously under-rated talented players in your divisions NL.

 

[JeffM]

Congratulations, what a great win - sounds like you had to fight for it but got through.

Thanks Wrighty! Yeah, I had to persevere, and luckily at the key moments, I didn't crumble. I didn't realise how tiring it is, and as such, I tried to rush to finish all my games as fast as possible for time constraints and also energy preservation, and luckily it worked out

 

[NextLevel]

Looks like there were sum seriously under-rated talented players in your divisions NL.

Yeah. I struggled with a lot of underrated players. But it is good to be back under 2000 again so I can play more events. It is just unfortunate that I am travelling out of the country during Nationals or I would have played.

 

[Jslick89]

@Jslick89

I mentioned two things about your stance to coach to relay to you, should add points to your total.

Awesome! Thanks Der..... i'm always looking for ways to improve. I think when you saw me i was at 100% exhaustion point from 2 nights in a row of only sleeping 5 hours....but I know my footwork/stance still needs a lot of work.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

I am becoming a sadomasochist so I will spot you 9 points any time you want it! So that it will make you happier!

*Prints post out and keeps in TT racket case for the next time NL is in NYC in case NL forgets*

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Thank you for your update OSPH.

Indeed. Such is life. Make do with what you have and what you can.

I will spot you 9 points too if we meet and play TT.

*Prints this out after deleting "Then after we can play a proper match after " and puts into TT racket case for proof when i get to Australia and/or HK*

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

View attachment 25338
This is just a short sample of one the drill that I do with my coach very often. He emphasizes this drill for me actually. It is a BH transition to FH drive ( random practice ).

How has this drill benefited me?
Nowadays, I can hit FH / BH efficiently in games. By this I mean sometimes I amazed myself that I did not use my brain / cognitive function and my body just move automatically. This is an amazing effect of doing such a drill.

In sports psychology, 'flow'. Layman term = "in the zone" and 'muscle memory'

In Japanese martial arts, they call this state, "mushin".

Congratulations Sir!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Comp tmr.. I am feeling quite nervous/restless.
Anyone has any tips how to stay calm / perform the best?
I am trying to maintain a more neutral attitude and not put too much pressure on myself. I feel I have the ability to win it but depends on my performance as well, since it will be best of 3s, so things can swing quick.

Si-hing,

CONGRATULATIONS on you winning it all!!!

Belated tips:

1. Trust yourself. Trust your training. Trust your coach. Positive self-talk. "If you face just one opponent, and you doubt yourself, you're out-numbered." ~Dan Millman
2. Do not overthink it. Be yourself and be natural. Don't force things.
3. You hopefully will get into what sports psychology calls a 'flow state'. In Japanese martial arts, they call it "mushin"/無心 ... the Japanese kanji is the same as the Chinese characters for 'mou sam' (no heart) in Canto and wuxin in Mando but meant as 'no mind' ... no thinking... you are on autopilot. A few posts above Gozo mentioned he was in this flow state.
4. Meditation and visualization. Play a movie in your mind of you winning effortlessly. Visualize you winning the games, the whole tournament. Again, belated tip.
5. Watch highlight clips of your winning shots. Recall the happiness after winning the point. Recall the feelings after your winning shot. Try to get back into those feelings.
6. Listen to music. Some prefer light music, some hard music. You know you. You do you.
7. Tame your Ego. It looks cool for video highlights for you to loop 5x and then win the point, however, you may win simply by returning the ball with a block to where the opponent is not. Think Waldner, the master of this.
8. You want to set up a 'trigger' as NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) calls it. You see Xu Xin, Ma Long, any player, before they serve, they go through a pre-serve routine. XX/ML will take a few seconds before they serve. They kind of stare into the ball or into space. They are focusing/visualizing. Ma Lin will always wipe his hand near the net before going to the corner of the table to serve or receive serve. I will bounce the ball 3x or so on the table as that is my trigger. Am looking to trigger the flow state. I visualize my serve and my 3rd ball attack. It calms me, prepares me mentally and physically. Some players will bounce the ball off their racket... IIRC Wang Hao or Ma Lin did this. You see this in Basketball when players shoot a foul shot... dribble the ball, stare at the net, dribble again, get ready and shoot. You see golfers before their putt, do a few practice swings, look at the hole, look at the ball and then get ready to putt. You see this in tennis, in baseball, etc. Same thing.

There are more tips, Others have posted their tips and some may be similar.

Find your Formula. Find what works for you. Do it. Be consistent and keep doing it.


CONGRATULATIONS again!!! OK, please spot me 1 game AND 9 points in a 3 out of 5!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Control your breathing. Look up breathing exercises on youtube from someone you trust, there are a lot and most of them are reasonable.

One breathing method is called 'Box Breathing', also known as "Combat Breathing". The US Military uses this method.

To calm oneself, inhale for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 4... repeat cycle as needed.

If you cannot do 4, do 3, if you cannot do 3, do 2. Baby steps. Work up to 4.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

@Takkyu_wa_inochi

NL posted this vid on Waldner

~1:44-1:49

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Generally, Tuesdays and Thursdays after work during Fall/Winter, I walk 30 minutes to Chinatown and play at the NYC Dept of Parks Smith Recreation Center. As Spring has sprung, started to play in Columbus Park again. However today it is very windy!!

Called Smith Center and found out they changed their TT schedule. TT is not open tonight. Will walk to the park after work and hope it is not THAT windy.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

@Gozo

Regarding exhaling as you hit your shots... you will find that boxers exhale as they punch, you will find that karatekas will 'kiai' as they punch ... a little extra added 'oomph' to help exert force.

 

[Der_Echte]

I joked to coach that I could tell coach to let you know or bust you out on TTD, so I took the middle ground. No one knows what it is, but when you can fix this consistently in your points (and win moar points) then you will prolly teach TTD and anyone in Sac area who is not a fool and willing to listen.

You have a lot of credibility when you have been there and done that... and overcome.

 

[Der_Echte]

Awesome! Thanks Der..... i'm always looking for ways to improve. I think when you saw me i was at 100% exhaustion point from 2 nights in a row of only sleeping 5 hours....but I know my footwork/stance still needs a lot of work.

FIVE HOURS SLEEP ???!!!

That is almost a luxury for me to average 5 hrs sleep in a week. Maybe I get a day or 2 with 6-7.

I think even when my wife was gone a month in Korea I was getting under 5.

 

[Der_Echte]

Hmm... Exhaustion and footwork issues.

You ought to try out my "William looks too exhausted (or too damn big, old-azz and heavy at 110 Kg) to move to FH stumble cross step"

On a ball hit say 1.5 meters to my FH when I am a little off the table, I take a tiny small step with right foot towards ball and LEAN heavily towards ball, like I get what looks like about to be off balance falling sideways and should miss getting to the ball by 2-3 feet... then as I fall sideways towards ball, I bring my left foot accross to my right, plant it and push off... now I am suddenly in position with leverage and energy striking the ball. Then, when my right foot strikes ground, I can push off and get back to middle nice and easy.

It is hilarious. You should see Pastor Roman's face every time when I do this Mondays/Fridays at 1st Slavic Baptist. He smashes what looks like a "By-Ya" ball, he KNOWS I can get to balls on my FH, but it LOOKS like I am not gunna make it... then BAM, I am there striking it with interest given.

 

[JeffM]

Although it is only 3 days after the comp, I am missing TT already!
That recent week where I get to play 5 times in 8 days is causing me to have withdraws now...

I might use the prize money to get myself a Rakza x for my bh. Hoping it will be more helpful for me than the dignics 05, which I really liked the top sheet, but I don't feel I am able to hit through it.

 

[Jslick89]

FIVE HOURS SLEEP ???!!!

That is almost a luxury for me to average 5 hrs sleep in a week. Maybe I get a day or 2 with 6-7.

I think even when my wife was gone a month in Korea I was getting under 5.

I guess it's a common theme that wives lead to lack of sleep? They never told me this when i giving my oaths lol.

Hmm... Exhaustion and footwork issues.

You ought to try out my "William looks too exhausted (or too damn big, old-azz and heavy at 110 Kg) to move to FH stumble cross step"

On a ball hit say 1.5 meters to my FH when I am a little off the table, I take a tiny small step with right foot towards ball and LEAN heavily towards ball, like I get what looks like about to be off balance falling sideways and should miss getting to the ball by 2-3 feet... then as I fall sideways towards ball, I bring my left foot accross to my right, plant it and push off... now I am suddenly in position with leverage and energy striking the ball. Then, when my right foot strikes ground, I can push off and get back to middle nice and easy.

It is hilarious. You should see Pastor Roman's face every time when I do this Mondays/Fridays at 1st Slavic Baptist. He smashes what looks like a "By-Ya" ball, he KNOWS I can get to balls on my FH, but it LOOKS like I am not gunna make it... then BAM, I am there striking it with interest given.

I need to see this. and learn it so that I can use it at James tournament where I signed up for 5 events lol.

 

[JeffM]

This is my finals..
I was feeling rather hungry and tired even before the match, but here it is. A rather short match, and I sort of rushed through the serves as I am trying to finish it on time.

The opponent said he missed the first 2-3 forehands then he lost the confidence to use his fh to attack.
I missed a few bh open up but then I tried again later and they landed.

Feedback / comment welcome.

 

[blahness]

Played a few hours with friends after a long episode of cold/cough. I'm now pissed off with Hurricanes on my FH. Just too much work for too little reward. My BH was my main point winner today and my FH loop was just so easily blocked except for looping serves that drift long. Life's too short to torture myself with unboosted Hurricanes. Imma just gonna go full Gozo and go double D05 on my Viscaria. Easy power and spin ftw! I will deal with the bounciness on the short receive. Easier to improve touch than to torture my body with full power shots all the time.