Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[Tyce]

Quick checkin, spent a lot of headspace on keeping my wrist more straight. Had a few minor niggles but it feels like I didn't overdo it. Gotta keep it up for a while now

 

[dingyibvs]

Just got back from my latest trip. 10 days in Maui was quite relaxing, but spent quite a bit of time doing mental training still! The focus was on the FH, since I knew that was gonna be a really tough transition to the new form. It actually made a pretty solid difference.

Then I had a practice yesterday with my training partner. My new FH form is coming along nicely, pretty pleased with that. A lot of improvement over the past few weeks, but still not quite there yet. The BH unsurprisingly is coming along much, much quicker. The lower elbow form is pretty much finished in training, and I even used it a few times in training matches. That's gonna be the focus for my BH then, applying it in game situations. For the FH it's still gonna be training to get the form down.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

Just got back from my latest trip. 10 days in Maui was quite relaxing, but spent quite a bit of time doing mental training still! The focus was on the FH, since I knew that was gonna be a really tough transition to the new form. It actually made a pretty solid difference.

Then I had a practice yesterday with my training partner. My new FH form is coming along nicely, pretty pleased with that. A lot of improvement over the past few weeks, but still not quite there yet. The BH unsurprisingly is coming along much, much quicker. The lower elbow form is pretty much finished in training, and I even used it a few times in training matches. That's gonna be the focus for my BH then, applying it in game situations. For the FH it's still gonna be training to get the form down.

Wen chu-gunna show us sum real match veedeo? Still camera shy?

 

[dingyibvs]

Wen chu-gunna show us sum real match veedeo? Still camera shy?

I posted some a couple months ago I think, I can post some of yesterday's when I get it edited tomorrow!

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

I posted some a couple months ago I think, I can post some of yesterday's when I get it edited tomorrow!

playing with robotpong doesn't qualify...

 

[dingyibvs]

playing with robotpong doesn't qualify...

You must be getting old Gozo this was my last post with videos!

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/daily-table-tennis-chit-chat.13168/post-522137

 

[NextLevel]

Lots of great TT channels on YouTube now translating Chinese coaches explaining the nuances of how thry think about technique. The biggest help it has given me is to validate some of my ideas that I used to test out and want to use but departed from because I didn't have coaching validation on whether they were correct. Hearing Fang Bo firmly stress the importance of outer curve on the forehand has let me back to one of my older contact points and finishing positions, though it also means I have to contact the ball after turning sideways on the backswing more often. My confidence in my universal backhand swing technique both for blocking and counterspinning has been enhanced. The problem is finding a time and place to practice vs good players that isn't 100 miles away.

Testing the Harimoto SALC next to my Viscaria SALC. I attack backspin better with the Harimoto but I already attack backspin pretty well, so I haven't found any reason to switch though I will continue to try it.

 

[dingyibvs]

Lots of great TT channels on YouTube now translating Chinese coaches explaining the nuances of how thry think about technique. The biggest help it has given me is to validate some of my ideas that I used to test out and want to use but departed from because I didn't have coaching validation on whether they were correct. Hearing Fang Bo firmly stress the importance of outer curve on the forehand has let me back to one of my older contact points and finishing positions, though it also means I have to contact the ball after turning sideways on the backswing more often. My confidence in my universal backhand swing technique both for blocking and counterspinning has been enhanced. The problem is finding a time and place to practice vs good players that isn't 100 miles away.

Testing the Harimoto SALC next to my Viscaria SALC. I attack backspin better with the Harimoto but I already attack backspin pretty well, so I haven't found any reason to switch though I will continue to try it.

Part of the reason I'm really liking the lower elbow form right now is that now I can use a similar motion for blocking and countering.

 

[Der_Echte]

@dingyibvs maybe you show me at Pleasonton next week, I am back at San Ramon Freemont TTA 1-3 times a week coaching.

 

[dingyibvs]

@dingyibvs maybe you show me at Pleasonton next week, I am back at San Ramon Freemont TTA 1-3 times a week coaching.

Yes certainly! It's interesting that what the motion feels like is completely different from what it looks like on video. It feels like I'm dropping my elbow a lot more, that I'm simply hitting the ball forward with the top of the racket like I'm playing a badminton BH, but on video it looks like I'm only dropping my elbow a bit and brushing the ball a lot.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

You must be getting old Gozo this was my last post with videos!

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/daily-table-tennis-chit-chat.13168/post-522137

Now you are officially a garage player!

 

[Der_Echte]

Yes certainly! It's interesting that what the motion feels like is completely different from what it looks like on video. It feels like I'm dropping my elbow a lot more, that I'm simply hitting the ball forward with the top of the racket like I'm playing a badminton BH, but on video it looks like I'm only dropping my elbow a bit and brushing the ball a lot.

There is no single correct answer in TT, but laws of physics, age, and body certainly do apply.

You might show me something, don't discount it.

 

[dingyibvs]

There is no single correct answer in TT, but laws of physics, age, and body certainly do apply.

You might show me something, don't discount it.

It's really weird how different it feels, but it doesn't look too different.

Here's a video from this week's BH practice, the actual practice portion where I'm more focused on technique starts at 3:54. We changed up the practice order, and we're doing warm-ups then straight to practice matches before drills. This is so the practice matches don't do any damage to any changes to form. Anyhow, see how the two forms don't look that different, but it feels quite different. I'm still working on it though. Around midway through the practice we worked on a bit more relaxed form and letting the ball come to the body a bit more, resulting in a lot of errors at first but then much more powerful shots once we got going.

Here's the video I posted a few weeks ago of my old form for comparison:

 

[Tyce]

looks pretty different to me

nice changes, your elbow looks a lot more stable in particular.

 

[NextLevel]

It's really weird how different it feels, but it doesn't look too different.

Here's a video from this week's BH practice, the actual practice portion where I'm more focused on technique starts at 3:54. We changed up the practice order, and we're doing warm-ups then straight to practice matches before drills. This is so the practice matches don't do any damage to any changes to form. Anyhow, see how the two forms don't look that different, but it feels quite different. I'm still working on it though. Around midway through the practice we worked on a bit more relaxed form and letting the ball come to the body a bit more, resulting in a lot of errors at first but then much more powerful shots once we got going.

Here's the video I posted a few weeks ago of my old form for comparison:

Keeping contact closer to the body enables you to swing into the shot with the body and to lean over the ball to swing with more power. You still have room for more power with more lean so you can backswing more towards yourself but the new shot is definitely an improvement.

 

[blahness]

It's really weird how different it feels, but it doesn't look too different.

Here's a video from this week's BH practice, the actual practice portion where I'm more focused on technique starts at 3:54. We changed up the practice order, and we're doing warm-ups then straight to practice matches before drills. This is so the practice matches don't do any damage to any changes to form. Anyhow, see how the two forms don't look that different, but it feels quite different. I'm still working on it though. Around midway through the practice we worked on a bit more relaxed form and letting the ball come to the body a bit more, resulting in a lot of errors at first but then much more powerful shots once we got going.

Here's the video I posted a few weeks ago of my old form for comparison:

The new one is a lot more body powered which makes it more consistent and powerful. But i feel like the right foot is slightly a bit too forward - it is a quite BH dominant stance which would make it fairly difficult to switch to FH quickly or even getting out of jams on elbow balls.

 

[dingyibvs]

The new one is a lot more body powered which makes it more consistent and powerful. But i feel like the right foot is slightly a bit too forward - it is a quite BH dominant stance which would make it fairly difficult to switch to FH quickly or even getting out of jams on elbow balls.

Apparently I play with a pretty neutral stance now. When I do FH practices at the coaching session the coach has told me multiple times that I have to have a bit more of a FH stance. That used to be the extreme opposite lol where I would keep myself in a heavy FH stance. I also play with my elbow a lot closer to my body now whereas I used to play with a very straight arm, to the point where the coach has to tell me to extend my arm out a bit more!

I need to get some good rest tonight. Played soccer yesterday under almost 100 degree heat, then had a coaching session today where I really worked on using my legs/hips to drive my FH shots, including incorporating footwork into it. My FH form is as good as it's ever looked though. I feel like I've made a good bit of progress. Here's my current form in practice:

 

[dingyibvs]

Had a solid day at the club today. I'm running on fumes at this point, very exhausted after 4 straight days and 5 out of 6 days of heavy activities. Started with some good practice shots, the hip movement thing is getting more and more natural and I don't need to place as much of my attention to it. That allowed me to work a bit on my arm, which per the coach needs to have my forearm raised a bit more and extended a bit farther away from my body. At the beginning of my stroke I also need to keep my racket angle a bit more closed, but at the same time flared out a bit more (i.e. head of racket pointing further back). When I was able to execute it, the shot felt really, really good. That really helped cut down on the number of weird racket angle changes around contact.

On the BH side I continued some of the work I did with @Der_Echte yesterday, tried some shots a bit further back from the table (maybe 3-4 feet) and finding my strike zone from there, which obviously requires a later timing. The ball drops a bit more as well so I had to get a bit lower. I played some singles and doubles afterwards, made some progress in applying the new forms, but a lot more work is still needed. I need a break day soon, but the progress I've been making has been very exciting which also compels me to work on it more often. Quite the dilemma!

 

[Der_Echte]

@dingyibvs is balling out hehe. I get caught up like that a lot too and have to hit the stop button even if I want to keep going.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

Apparently I play with a pretty neutral stance now. When I do FH practices at the coaching session the coach has told me multiple times that I have to have a bit more of a FH stance. That used to be the extreme opposite lol where I would keep myself in a heavy FH stance. I also play with my elbow a lot closer to my body now whereas I used to play with a very straight arm, to the point where the coach has to tell me to extend my arm out a bit more!

I need to get some good rest tonight. Played soccer yesterday under almost 100 degree heat, then had a coaching session today where I really worked on using my legs/hips to drive my FH shots, including incorporating footwork into it. My FH form is as good as it's ever looked though. I feel like I've made a good bit of progress. Here's my current form in practice:

I think there is good coordination of the whole body and nice wide stance

Personally I think the arm looks a bit stiff, the grip is not enough FH. I prefer to open the wrist more so I can make a small move with it at impact to add more spin.

I think you could try also to be more on your toes to feel more leg power .

Just my 2cents