Do you teach or correct other people's techniques?

[XpingpingpongpongX]

In my club, there is one new guy who never plays matches. He doesn't talk to anyone, so I don't really know him. He looks new to the game. He brings his own robot to practice and seems serious to learn. But for at least a couple months, he only trains looping with another guy who never plays a game either. He can loop consistently now. If his goal is just to hit around and have fun, he's got it. But if he wants to learn and improve, his techniques are quite inefficient - little body movement, arm swing too big. And he has not touch serve, return, short game, etc.

I wanted to tell him that he's doing many things incorrectly and he should start working on other things than just looping. But then his partner was kind of coaching and training him, so I kept my mouth shut. When you see other people's bad techniques, do you voluntarily give advices and teach? Especially when someone else is already coaching him? I rarely give advices because I am not a coach and not a top player, but this one makes me feel bad because the harder he works, the deeper the bad habits stay.

 

[\_Kairos_/]

...When you see other people's bad techniques, do you voluntarily give advices and teach?

No, I don't. It's (generally) not my business. Although a few months ago an elderly lady showed up at practice. She asked me to hit some balls with her and later she wanted to know something, so I tried to explain it to her...
So unless these dudes actively ask you for advice, I would leave them be, if I were you.

 

[the-don]

in many places in the world it's like a training session with a coach so they would correct the technique.
in USA some clubs you are more on your own I think.
if you just come and start correcting it would look a bit off.
you can come introduce yourself and ask if they want to play.
go easy on them.
after the match/es you can start talking about technique.

 

[NextLevel]

In my club, there is one new guy who never plays matches. He doesn't talk to anyone, so I don't really know him. He looks new to the game. He brings his own robot to practice and seems serious to learn. But for at least a couple months, he only trains looping with another guy who never plays a game either. He can loop consistently now. If his goal is just to hit around and have fun, he's got it. But if he wants to learn and improve, his techniques are quite inefficient - little body movement, arm swing too big. And he has not touch serve, return, short game, etc.

I wanted to tell him that he's doing many things incorrectly and he should start working on other things than just looping. But then his partner was kind of coaching and training him, so I kept my mouth shut. When you see other people's bad techniques, do you voluntarily give advices and teach? Especially when someone else is already coaching him? I rarely give advices because I am not a coach and not a top player, but this one makes me feel bad because the harder he works, the deeper the bad habits stay.

My father taught me (and I also learned the hard way) not to offer unsolicited advice - if you do, accept that some people will tell you to shut up and mind your own business.

 

[GSpotSniper]

I think its all about the approach. I saw a couple practicing at the rec center, clearly trying to improve. They had a bucket of balls and were doing drills, but I saw glaring mistakes. I am pro coach worthy by any means, but very obvious mistakes that anyone 1200 USATT and above could say were wrong.

I asked to play with them(I had no explicit intention of wanting to give advice, I just wanted to play) and I beat them handedly multiple times. They commented how good I was and I simply told them what helped me improve.

Today, I meet with them regularly and help their technique all the time. They have improved massively and I believe what helped was the combination of:

1. Setting credibility through skill
2. Not directly pointing out their mistakes, but saying what helped me(which conveniently would also correct their most egregious mistakes)

 

[the-don]

I think its all about the approach. I saw a couple practicing at the rec center, clearly trying to improve. They had a bucket of balls and were doing drills, but I saw glaring mistakes. I am pro coach worthy by any means, but very obvious mistakes that anyone 1200 USATT and above could say were wrong.

I asked to play with them(I had no explicit intention of wanting to give advice, I just wanted to play) and I beat them handedly multiple times. They commented how good I was and I simply told them what helped me improve.

Today, I meet with them regularly and help their technique all the time. They have improved massively and I believe what helped was the combination of:

1. Setting credibility through skill
2. Not directly pointing out their mistakes, but saying what helped me(which conveniently would also correct their most egregious mistakes)

this is a copy of my message posted previously.

 

[lightspin]

If I am friends with their coach or they are someone I coach, I will say something. If I don't know them, then I won't say anything. If they ask me, I probably will offer some advice if I can.

Some people just go to the club to have fun and clear their mind. Maybe they don't want to be bothered and don't care about correct technique.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

i don't bother unless if that person is my doubles partner and if he messes up, I will curse his father, his mother up to the seventh generations prior. Then I will go to a corner and sulk...

 

[Lando]

I have no business giving people advice on technique lol

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Some people just go to the club to have fun and clear their mind. Maybe they don't want to be bothered and don't care about correct technique.

very true

 

[pedro.dantas]

in many places in the world it's like a training session with a coach so they would correct the technique.
in USA some clubs you are more on your own I think.
if you just come and start correcting it would look a bit off.
you can come introduce yourself and ask if they want to play.
go easy on them.
after the match/es you can start talking about technique.

You got the ultimate holy grail setup OMG

 

[JJ Ng]

I would also advise you not to give any advice.

At my club, at one point or another, a group of friends would go there just to socialize and have fun. If one of the players is better than others, he might teach other people some stuff. So let just them be. They are having fun. They tend to keep on coming back a certain weekday of each week.

 

[PhoenixTT]

i don't bother unless if that person is my doubles partner and if he messes up, I will curse his father, his mother up to the seventh generations prior. Then I will go to a corner and sulk...

What if CHO LEI! actually meant "curse your father, your mother, and seventh generations prior!"

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

What if CHO LEI! actually meant "curse your father, your mother, and seventh generations prior!"

U have much to learn young padawan. Cho lei is like may you be well and happy namaste compared to real cussing.

Behold and learn ver 1.0

Behold and learn ver 2.0

 

[andymagata]

Trying to learn tt is a hard journey. You never improve, because the ones that are better refuse to play you. And everybody laughs at the poor guys technique, but no one helps.

In my club, there is actually one guy, a ukrainian but where he is from has nothing to do with it, and is not important, but he gives tips and tricks when I mess up.

 

[blahness]

I get lots of unsolicited advice, and I learnt from some of them so I don't mind it. But I dont give it out unless we're just discussing stuff in a friendly way....

 

[PenHoldSandro]

You got the ultimate holy grail setup OMG

HOLY HELL 😭😭😭 THE MOST EXPENSIVE RACKET 💔

 

[XpingpingpongpongX]

All are good advices. Some players are just playing for fun, I can tell that obviously. So they don't bother me even if they do illegal serves. But this guy just seems serious, but he just doesn't talk or play with anyone else. His partner/coach has good techniques, not professionally good but above average in hobby players. I guess he's just not good at teaching. Anyway, I think I will keep my mouth shut for this one. I am pretty sure other people would give him advices too, if he eventually decides to play with someone else.

 

[sebi]

I do sometimes, I am doing a coaching license right now, but this is worth nothing if you can't back it up. And I am taking lessons my self.
At my club the people know me and appreciate it.
But I don't do it all the time. Just when its blatantly wrong and I don't train myself. I would just run around the training hall and correct people if I would correct everything not fun for me and everybody else.

 

[GSpotSniper]

this is a copy of my message posted previously.

Oh sorry just saying my personal experience