Heming Hu, 2xOlympian (Rio and Tokyo) in Table Tennis here to help your game and personal struggles in the game

[Der_Echte]

yes please

Takkyu,

Dude, you in Japan and not married and have a real job as far as I can tell...

...maybe I should write how to get a HAREM.

 

[Der_Echte]

Mr Hu,
What an offer!

The biggest question I have now and am trying to change but having a hard time is grip change between FH/BH.

Like most people, I mostly had a backhand grip with using mostly thumb index finger.

But my coach suggest I switch to atleast neutral grip for FH, and I find that neutral grip is hard to do with using only thumb/index finger pressure.

Curious on your opinion about how BH dominant grip tends to create too open angle for FH and more flat hitting FH style (as well as a hook style Fh loop with the way the wrist droops down).

It seems all the videos of pros I watch do switch grip almost after every shot, but am having a really hard time doing it.

For reference for others, this is what I mean by FH/Neutral/BH grip:

and

I will offer a simple option that may work.

Don't worry so much of grip, you can unconsciously change it... mush easier to do that if you make the BH to FH or FH to BH transition easier... to do that, have arm bent and elbow in front of body and to the side some inches.

 

[Der_Echte]

I won't ever have to worry about this if I have his looks and physique

Then maybe question should be How can I be in a position to afford 5 GFs...

 

[NetProphet]

@Heming Hu

There is one kind of content i'm interested in and I don't think i've ever seen it in videos from pros:

I follow a Chess channel where, even though the game is not live, the YouTuber shows his thinking process while commenting the game. it goes at the real clock pace. The YouTuber will show the moves he considers first but then he changes his mind because of this or that, he starts considering other possibilities, he finds moves etc... he expresses his emotions in all this. his excitement or panic...
he doesn't show the correct move first so we can also think of a position "together" with him
IMO its really a good viewing experience.

---
well for TT i'd like to see a player commenting his match in the same way. Between points: ok that serve didn't work, i'll try this one now. or... i must play more BH down the line or stuff...
of course, in the next point you don't necessarily play that BH down the line if the opponent played on your FH ... but i think its interesting to understand how (pro) players make a game plan, change it etc...

in match interviews, the player answers are always boring: "i just focused and played point by point and kept on fighting". They never say for example: i decided to serve long to her middle 50% of the time because i noticed some weakness there and then put a bit more sidespin to my FH drive

I don't know why. Maybe they want to keep silent their tactics so it might still work in the next match ??? but surely pros will watch the videos of their previous match in their preparation and they can understand what happened, or even remember every match they played so whats the point not talking about it ???

I think we'd learn a lot from that. Instead we watch match videos and see great shots and entertainement but we don't understand whats really going on in the match

thanks. btw watched a lot of videos of your channel. I like that it has original content such like mental issues... keep it on !

That would be awesome! 👍😎

 

[schrodingerskoalabear]

Hello and welcome! I have actually followed your channel for a while but good to actually see you here and give specific advice/suggestions to player questions. I am a low-intermediate player (probably around 1200-1300 USATT)

My biggest goal in table tennis is to reach 2000 by the time I can't physically play it anymore. If accidents don't happen, that should give me 40+ years to hit; I am willing to wait . Obstacles would include:

1. Lack of time; there are other pressing priorities in life right now so can only play for club games twice a weak
2. An old shoulder injury which requires maintenance especially I try to play every couple of days

I would love to see more serve receive based reviews of intermediate players as video content.

PS In your experience, how hard is it for early intermediate players to play and get good technique with H3Neos? I play with a hybrid and am hoping I can switch in the future. Good or bad idea?

Here is hoping success for your venture!

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Then maybe question should be How can I be in a position to afford 5 GFs...

well, the answer is, don't spend any more mins in TT... haha

 

[Heming Hu]

Hello and welcome! I have actually followed your channel for a while but good to actually see you here and give specific advice/suggestions to player questions. I am a low-intermediate player (probably around 1200-1300 USATT)

My biggest goal in table tennis is to reach 2000 by the time I can't physically play it anymore. If accidents don't happen, that should give me 40+ years to hit; I am willing to wait . Obstacles would include:

1. Lack of time; there are other pressing priorities in life right now so can only play for club games twice a weak
2. An old shoulder injury which requires maintenance especially I try to play every couple of days

I would love to see more serve receive based reviews of intermediate players as video content.

PS In your experience, how hard is it for early intermediate players to play and get good technique with H3Neos? I play with a hybrid and am hoping I can switch in the future. Good or bad idea?

Here is hoping success for your venture!

Thanks for Sharing man, love the username also haha.

H3 neo is really like a tight trampoline. Once you build up enough strength and ability to bounce well on that tight trampoline, it works well for you.

H3 neo feels good when your topspin becomes good enough. It's actually got nothing to do with chinese technique or not. If you spin the ball and get a reasonably good enough swing on it with your wrist and body, you will likely love it (provided you boosted it as it is unplayable without booster)

I've tried my clients' hybrid, its not bad but I'll always prefer hurricane. It's kind of one of those cases where if you were a good F1 driver, would you prefer to race with a ferrari? or with a toyota camry or mercedes amg? I mean, the camry and AMG can do great stuff, but if your driving skill is high enough, a ferrari is always going to be the stronger option. Thats more or less how I see Hurricane vs Tenergy vs cheap bats.

One very much can hate hurricane at the start, get a lot better in their game, then suddenly love hurricane.

Hope that answers your question

 

[Heming Hu]

after 35 years of playing TT, get better than i ever did !
win tournaments in my veteran category, sky is the limit !

2-3 things stopping me ?
- injuries (probably my body can't sustain all that practice anymore)
- waifu getting angry that i spend so much time practicing
- too many bad habits ingrained. At the pace im improving i shall target the 90yo to be more realistic LOL

PS I am working with personal coaches, they were not olympians but they've participated in WTTC and have won some medals there. BUT one of my teammates is an Olympian ! WTF how is it even possible ?! lol

following now your YT channel and having a look

sounds like theyre of high level! who specifically may i ask?

haha waifu getting angry, thats so funny and so common amongst TT fanatics

 

[Heming Hu]

p

I would say some immediate high value items that would benefit a large number of players on TTD would be...

SERVE RECEIVE

Ready Position/Reset and how to transition in a rally

BH Topspin

Tactical Intelligence - How to realize what is going on and how to adjust

Mental Performance

How to actually train

Equipment selection

How to win

How to be brave / overcome fears

How to push short

How to flick

How to push with quality

How to deal with uncomfortable players

How to defeat material players

How to get a girlfriend

phenomenal breakdown of topics that club level players pretty much ALL struggle with. Thanks for helping me create my content list

Follow my YouTube and IG for content answering these over the next month, if you don't already https://www.instagram.com/heming_hu21/

For daily and more custom content + online course I created to help club level players: Join here for FREE https://www.skool.com/pingpong

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

sounds like theyre of high level! who specifically may i ask?

haha waifu getting angry, thats so funny and so common amongst TT fanatics

Hidetoshi OYA was my coach for many years. but he left to play in France in ProB (Le Havre). He is a former JNT member and he is a former team WTTC Junior silver medalist (won all his matches). Got bronze medal in singles competition this same year when Kenta MATSUDAIRA got gold.

I am now learning from GC FOERSTER, who won ITTF World Champs 40+ in Oman.

Both are very kind and not only great players but - I believe so - great coaches. You may have played with / against them in your long career.

Because lessons are 1:1 and our tight schedule, i occasionally practice with other coaches. which is also I believe good because its always good to have other opinions and ideas, and to play against different styles. Over the many years, (including before I met OYA and GC) I've had the chance to practice more or less regularly with many other coaches (more junior or senior).

But yeah, my case is a bit desperate, like Aruna says, I'm an "OB" player. I should already be at least a local champ with all the coaching I've received lol... while in reality i still often crash out early in tournaments.

 

[canonFH]

Hi @Heming Hu , Thank you for doing this.

In preparing for a tournament, how do you study specific players if you already have the draw? Would you create a detailed game plan against a certain player or just play it by the ear?

Also, how much strategy is really involved in actual matches? Is it just instinct now that you would have practiced a certain combination thousands of times or do you have to remind yourself before every serve what to expect and what your reply is going to be?

 

[Heming Hu]

@Heming Hu

There is one kind of content i'm interested in and I don't think i've ever seen it in videos from pros:

I follow a Chess channel where, even though the game is not live, the YouTuber shows his thinking process while commenting the game. it goes at the real clock pace. The YouTuber will show the moves he considers first but then he changes his mind because of this or that, he starts considering other possibilities, he finds moves etc... he expresses his emotions in all this. his excitement or panic...
he doesn't show the correct move first so we can also think of a position "together" with him
IMO its really a good viewing experience.

---
well for TT i'd like to see a player commenting his match in the same way. Between points: ok that serve didn't work, i'll try this one now. or... i must play more BH down the line or stuff...
of course, in the next point you don't necessarily play that BH down the line if the opponent played on your FH ... but i think its interesting to understand how (pro) players make a game plan, change it etc...

in match interviews, the player answers are always boring: "i just focused and played point by point and kept on fighting". They never say for example: i decided to serve long to her middle 50% of the time because i noticed some weakness there and then put a bit more sidespin to my FH drive

I don't know why. Maybe they want to keep silent their tactics so it might still work in the next match ??? but surely pros will watch the videos of their previous match in their preparation and they can understand what happened, or even remember every match they played so whats the point not talking about it ???

I think we'd learn a lot from that. Instead we watch match videos and see great shots and entertainement but we don't understand whats really going on in the match

thanks. btw watched a lot of videos of your channel. I like that it has original content such like mental issues... keep it on !

hey man, unreal feedback for me as to how I can create more content to satisfy the people I most want to help (you guys as club level players). Thanks for the positive feedback on my channel too

Ultimately, not knowing what is going on is a huge reason that you can't haven't reached your potential. In the defence of pros, its very hard to elaborate what they do and why they do what they do, because theyve practiced and done it so much and so well, that its automatic.

I find my coaching has the superpower of being able to elaborate how I got there, which is a key to my clients also getting improvement too. Ultimately, being a pro player is one thing, and its a fantastic and important platform as a coach yes. Because when you have experienced something, you can actually relate to it. However, being able to consciously break it down so that it makes sense to another who isn't at a pro level, is where the magic happens. I'll be sure to upload this kind of content.

 

[Heming Hu]

Understanding the Nuances of Table Tennis 🏓

Hey there! In this video, I share insights on coaching and playing table tennis, emphasizing the importance of breaking down techniques for different skill levels. I reflect on my coaching journey, highlighting the significance of giving one new instruction at a time for effective learning...

www.loom.com

24 mins of golden nuggets and answering y'all's questions from the perspective of a pro who also breaks down the lessons he knows, to practical advice and how they apply to you guys

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

like Aruna says, I'm an "OB" player.

H
O
B
B
Y

Don't worry, in the eyes of Aruna, everyone not in tier 1, is OB player

 

[NetProphet]

Understanding the Nuances of Table Tennis 🏓

Hey there! In this video, I share insights on coaching and playing table tennis, emphasizing the importance of breaking down techniques for different skill levels. I reflect on my coaching journey, highlighting the significance of giving one new instruction at a time for effective learning...

www.loom.com

24 mins of golden nuggets and answering y'all's questions from the perspective of a pro who also breaks down the lessons he knows, to practical advice and how they apply to you guys

Watching this I was thinking Jesus, Hemmings is in a hurry today, why's he rushing through all of this ??!
Found out the Loom playback speed is autoset to 1.2x!
It's not much but it makes a difference, I need normal speed to have any chance of keeping up!😂

 

[Heming Hu]

Watching this I was thinking Jesus, Hemmings is in a hurry today, why's he rushing through all of this ??!
Found out the Loom playback speed is autoset to 1.2x!
It's not much but it makes a difference, I need normal speed to have any chance of keeping up!😂

hahahaha! Plus I'm a pretty fast talking person whos always got 100343948394 things to do

 

[NetProphet]

hahahaha! Plus I'm a pretty fast talking person whos always got 100343948394 things to do

Exactly! Thats why it took me so long to cop on to it. I was just thinking 'I know Hemming doesnt mess about but this is getting ridiculous'!

 

[Master Capybara]

hahahaha! Plus I'm a pretty fast talking person whos always got 100343948394 things to do

Thank you to be so open with us = )
I wonder, maybe you will have some tome to record a video with some interesting or funny stories from your competition days and tours. Like there are definitely a lot to share from your olympic adventures, from living, communicating and training with other pros. Perhaps some funny moments with equipment inspections during the tournaments. Those part of pro tt player life is very interesting also

 

[Heming Hu]

Thank you to be so open with us = )
I wonder, maybe you will have some tome to record a video with some interesting or funny stories from your competition days and tours. Like there are definitely a lot to share from your olympic adventures, from living, communicating and training with other pros. Perhaps some funny moments with equipment inspections during the tournaments. Those part of pro tt player life is very interesting also

would be glad to my man

 

[omelet]

I will offer a simple option that may work.

Don't worry so much of grip, you can unconsciously change it... mush easier to do that if you make the BH to FH or FH to BH transition easier... to do that, have arm bent and elbow in front of body and to the side some inches.

Hey Mr Der_Echte,
Sorry for being slow. I don't quite get what you mean. Any chance of visual/video illustration?
For others who might not know what I am talking about, The FH/BH trip transition looks like what LYJ is here : there are countless examples u can see with FZD and almost everyone doing version of it: https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx_QFi_u5dzqD6XRlb6XOOn7lcn5TjceAX?si=u5-HLqLXLH-d3vv2