I reached USATT rating 2000 in under 2 years

[toekneema]

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p54npDhdlc0&feature=youtu.be

Recently I reached USATT rating 2000 and it was within 2 years of my first table tennis lesson. My passion for this sport is overwhelming and I have already made memories that will last a lifetime. I would love if you guys took the time to watch this compilation showing my development over the last 2 years. I edited this video myself and added some cool effects so hopefully you guys find it entertaining! Thanks!



Here is also a link to my USATT ratings page: https://usatt.simplycompete.com/use...&arh=&list=&sort=latest_trn_rating&order=desc



Pongmobile (another ratings website) page: http://pongmobile.com/players/55507-tony-ma

 

[Loopadoop]

How old ?

 

[toekneema]

I'm 19 right now

How old ?

 

[brossiah]

This was great to watch. Crazy to see how much you've improved in such a small video! That was awesome.

 

[toekneema]

Thank you! That means a lot!

This was great to watch. Crazy to see how much you've improved in such a small video! That was awesome.

 

[Ilia Minkin]

How long did you play before your first lesson?

 

[Shifu]

Nice video, you improved a lot and your progress must have been a lot of work. I like your technique in general, what you could work on is your stance. You often stand too upright and therefore lose forward momentum for your shots. Try to stay lower and drive the ball more forward, not upwards. This will improve the quality of your shots a lot, you have a lower arc over the net and you can recover faster if you stay low
keep working! next goal 2100

 

[toekneema]

Maybe once or twice a year, on a very recreational basement player level haha. I think athleticism and hand-eye coordination from years of other sports helped me transition into table tennis a lot easier.

How long did you play before your first lesson?

 

[toekneema]

Thank you for the advice!

Nice video, you improved a lot and your progress must have been a lot of work. I like your technique in general, what you could work on is your stance. You often stand too upright and therefore lose forward momentum for your shots. Try to stay lower and drive the ball more forward, not upwards. This will improve the quality of your shots a lot, you have a lower arc over the net and you can recover faster if you stay low
keep working! next goal 2100

 

[Brs]

Really nice video, and impressive progress. I think it helped a lot that you are a good athlete, have nice feeling for the ball, have a good full-time club, and hadn't played enough to learn a lot of bad habits before starting seriously with a coach. And you must also have worked really hard.

It's

 

[Xylit]

Respect!

 

[Brs]

Cont'd -- interesting that you got stuck for a few months at the 1700 barrier. What do you think changed in your game to resume rapid progress to 1800 and on to 2000+?

It also looked like during that time arpund 1700 you became more passive in matches and moved back from the table. Was that deliberate, or caused by a mental/attitude change that you had to overcome?

Or was it just a coincidence of the points you chose for the video?

 

[toekneema]

Yes I'm glad you noticed that. Right when summer ended and I reached 1700, I started my first year of college. I had to adjust some things because I had a much smaller playing area at my college. The most notable things were that I began to shorter my forehand swing and played closer to the table (I guess I didn't make these changes until about February 2018). But at the beginning of college from about September to January I was losing confidence and I didn't feel like my attacks were consistent so I didn't really use FH much. I really decided to change my stroke and play closer to the table during February and that helped me rally much better and I became a lot more consistent. THAT was the big difference that got me from 1800-2000. I could rally and it wasn't just serve and attack anymore.

Cont'd -- interesting that you got stuck for a few months at the 1700 barrier. What do you think changed in your game to resume rapid progress to 1800 and on to 2000+?

It also looked like during that time arpund 1700 you became more passive in matches and moved back from the table. Was that deliberate, or caused by a mental/attitude change that you had to overcome?

Or was it just a coincidence of the points you chose for the video?

 

[Ilia Minkin]

Maybe once or twice a year, on a very recreational basement player level haha. I think athleticism and hand-eye coordination from years of other sports helped me transition into table tennis a lot easier.

Honestly, from the shots that you played in the video when you were rated below 1000, I'd estimate that your level was 1400-1500 at the start at least.

 

[toekneema]

I guess attacking topspin balls comes a lot more quickly, but it took me a long time to learn how to loop and brush underspin balls

Honestly, from the shots that you played in the video when you were rated below 1000, I'd estimate that your level was 1400-1500 at the start at least.

 

[iammaru]

Wow... congrats!! You obviously have a lot of talent. You didn't look too bad at all in your first tournament, which is amazing. I could notice immediately that your ball feeling was not like a beginner.
How many hours do you practice a week?

 

[Simas]

congratulations, nice video.

P.S. whats with that blue sheet thing?

 

[toekneema]

Oh that was my old coach using a clipboard to chop with HAHAHAHA. He's the US hardbat champion!

congratulations, nice video.

P.S. whats with that blue sheet thing?

 

[toekneema]

Thank you! During the summer I play about 30 hrs a week and during the schoolyear about 10 hrs a week

Wow... congrats!! You obviously have a lot of talent. You didn't look too bad at all in your first tournament, which is amazing. I could notice immediately that your ball feeling was not like a beginner.
How many hours do you practice a week?

 

[Simas]

Thank you! During the summer I play about 30 hrs a week and during the schoolyear about 10 hrs a week

Not bad...