How to judge ball length?

[TensorBackhand]

Is there a better way to judge a ball's push trajectory and length?

I think I return a lot of push shots with my own push because I'm afraid the ball will land short. I'm afraid to hit my racket or my hand on the table. Is there a way to judge the push length better?

 

[ben1229]

Is there a better way to judge a ball's push trajectory and length?

I think I return a lot of push shots with my own push because I'm afraid the ball will land short. I'm afraid to hit my racket or my hand on the table. Is there a way to judge the push length better?

Use your foot to adjust, that will help.

 

[blahness]

Divide the table into half (in terms of length). Anything that lands within first half is likely short and if it lands within second half is likely long.

This is not necessarily correct though, it depends on the spin of the ball, but imo it is about right.

 

[blahness]

The other thing is that if you have any kind of arm backswing you will struggle af against these length variations...because once you swing your arm backwards you cannot hope to get back to a push position. But if I dont do arm backswing (elbow still close to body, hand high) and wait for the ball, i will always be ready for a push

 

[NextLevel]

Most balls are long, very few balls are short and tight, the half long ones are tricky. But if you push short or serve short, Assume your opponent is going long until they prove they can keep the ball short by getting to it relatively early. Most late pushes tend to be long or high which give you an opportunity to attack if you don't run away from the table to rally.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Divide the table into half (in terms of length). Anything that lands within first half is likely short and if it lands within second half is likely long.

This is not necessarily correct though, it depends on the spin of the ball, but imo it is about right.

This sounds like a good idea.

A lot of those balls that land around the middle of the table I tend to play safe and push. But when I think carefully, I think those balls will actually end up just baring leaving the table.

The big thing is I'm safe not because I don't know how to loop that low ball, but because I'm afraid of hurting my hand or racket.

 

[Dr Evil]

Not sure there's an easy way, but here's the hard way. Unless you're sure it's short, take a healthy swing at everything. Once you slice the back of your fingers open on the edge of the table a few times, your brain shifts into self-preservation mode and starts to judge trajectory better.

 

[blahness]

This sounds like a good idea.

A lot of those balls that land around the middle of the table I tend to play safe and push. But when I think carefully, I think those balls will actually end up just baring leaving the table.

The big thing is I'm safe not because I don't know how to loop that low ball, but because I'm afraid of hurting my hand or racket.

Yes if you do a big arm backswing and swing at a half long ball, if it turns out short you will hurt your hand big time. Jang Woojin and Kristian Karlsson both have done that and suffered very bad injuries. It is very important to first assume it is short, keep your hand high and follow the ball, when it comes off the table you can just do a short body rotation and keep your racket close to the ball you will be fine looping those. Go for placement rather than power.

 

[jk1980]

Don't do big swinging ever. If it is long and slow it is easy to hit the ball with a short stroke as well.
If it is long and fast you will not have enough time to do a big backswing neither.
So what is left ? Half-Long balls that bounce on the middle of your table side can be looped or flipped always, so try to hit the ball over the table with a loop or flick, hitting it above the table on the last 10 cm of the table. I doubt that you will encounter somebody that can make the ball bounce twice on the close half of your table.

But the real magic is standing low enough to actually feel comfortable to loop over the table.

 

[beeray1]

I think what NextLevel said is spot on. I've realized more and more that so many balls that are perceived short are still long. Not even half long, just long. So operate under the assumption that you'll get a ball off the end of the table unless the opponent really proves they can play short. Honestly this goes farther than just this specific topic - the general idea of operating under an idea until the opponent can prove otherwise.

From there, something that has helped me read the ball more correctly is focusing on the highest point of the ball instead of focusing on where whichever bounce is happening. This is more consistent because not just with pushing, but good servers (let's say if you're focused on receive for this topic instead of pushing now) that have good control over the trajectory of the ball can serve two balls that land in the same spot on your half of the table or on their half of the table, but one goes long and one bounces twice. This is paired with good fundamentals with your racket position being neutral and not dropping your hand prematurely.

 

[zeio]

Multiball fixes anything. No kidding.

 

[NextLevel]

One of the more common mistakes is to trust the length of the down the line serve - for me, a down the line serve must be *obviously* short for me to trust it, and if not, I will take the risk of letting the serve double bounce in order to attack it. Many players get a pass so often on their down the line serves that they wonder why they are never short in a match.

 

[Metaxa]

Not sure there's an easy way, but here's the hard way. Unless you're sure it's short, take a healthy swing at everything. Once you slice the back of your fingers open on the edge of the table a few times, your brain shifts into self-preservation mode and starts to judge trajectory better.

Truth!!!
Rarely are push balls too short.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Truth!!!
Rarely are push balls too short.

Yeah in my head I also logically realize that quite few push balls actually will land short.

But in a actual game situation, I'm afraid of hitting my hand on the table.

 

[TackyForehand]

How to judge short and long balls:
1. The opponent's distance from table. Close, short. Further, long.
2. The opp's backswing before impact. More, long. Less, short.
3. The opp's waist rotation into the serve. More, long. Less, short.
4. Spin of the ball. Topspins are likely long.
5. Height of the ball. Higher ball are likely long.
6. Bounce location on your opp's side of the table. It often mirrors to your side.
7. Your opp's rubber. Pips are rarely long.
8. Your opp's past serve history during the game.

 

[Metaxa]

Yeah in my head I also logically realize that quite few push balls actually will land short.

But in a actual game situation, I'm afraid of hitting my hand on the table.

Table tennis is all about the right timing