I recorded myself

[PenHoldSandro]

Hello! I recorded myself.
Do you have any advice?

Videos

 

[Lazer]

It would be a lot better if you could see both players + the ball.
You don't have a lot of space, way too tight. It restricts Your movement...
Is it in some ones house?

Cheers
L-zr

 

[PenHoldSandro]

It would be a lot better if you could see both players + the ball.

Oh alright, so like on the axis of the net? I'll try it out tomorrow then!

You don't have a lot of space, way too tight. It restricts Your movement...
Is it in some ones house?

Sadly, I know. That's the most amount of space I can get unless I go to the mall (quite far). And it's my house.

How about my performance in those videos? I want to learn about weight transferring specifically, is there anything wrong with it?

 

[jk1980]

I only had a glance at the shorter video and would like to reference the question of your other thread.
Don't be discouraged but without a very good coach you should forget about using a dignics 09c. Let me reiterate (regardless of how many forum members here are playing equipment that is way to difficult for them): if you want to make progress, get something easier to handle. Even a vega pro would be "good enough" for the challenge. Using a slower blade with a dignics 09c does not change the fact that it will hinder you more than it can help you.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

I only had a glance at the shorter video and would like to reference the question of your other thread.
Don't be discouraged but without a very good coach you should forget about using a dignics 09c. Let me reiterate (regardless of how many forum members here are playing equipment that is way to difficult for them): if you want to make progress, get something easier to handle. Even a vega pro would be "good enough" for the challenge. Using a slower blade with a dignics 09c does not change the fact that it will hinder you more than it can help you.

Yeah I agree now. I'll probably not buy a Dignics 09c, but instead a Nittaku Fastarc G-1. My dealer told me that it feels like Dignics, just more for beginners.

After the fastarc I'll go for Chinese rubbers (I'm getting the Japanese rubbers for training), like Battle II

 

[Lazer]

Impossible to say, You didn't seem to get any quality balls.
Try to put the camera high up behind You to the side. as far as possible. So that we are viewing dowm a little behind a little from the side. If its Your phone You record with it probably has a wide angle option....

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Lazer]

Your last video is better, but You don't have enough space. You stand too close to the table. You are supposed to hit the ball before it is level with Your body so You would need to back up. This setup is not good. You can practice short game and serves but the not really.

However Your space may work for a robot or a return board. Push the table all the way up against the wall...

Cheers
L-zr

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Impossible to say, You didn't seem to get any quality balls.

Yeah, I'm not that good yet. I know I will improve though!
(Also the lack of space)

Try to put the camera high up behind You to the side. as far as possible. So that we are viewing dowm a little behind a little from the side. If its Your phone You record with it probably has a wide angle option....

Ah ok, I'll try it tomorrow!

Your last video is better, but You don't have enough space. You stand too close to the table.

Yeah, it's a bad habit I have. I'm trying to step away. I think the habit formed while I was using Short pips.

You are supposed to hit the ball before it is level with Your body

What do you mean?

This setup is not good. You can practice short game and serves but the not really.

That's the only available space I have though. The other one was sold (my family gets tenants, and before that part was bought the table was there)

However Your space may work for a robot or a return board. Push the table all the way up against the wall...

no money...

 

[Zezima]

Just play for fun. With this current setup (space) you will not become a proper club level player.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Just play for fun. With this current setup (space) you will not become a proper club level player.

Ah ok man, but every week I do go to the mall and play there, at school there is also enough space, so my playing here doesn't affect it too much.

Do you have any tips you would like to give?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

In my opinion, the angle in the first video is okay for seeing what you are doing. The other two videos where the angle is directly from the side area a waste of time because half the time your racket is not even in the footage. But also, that is not a good angle even if people could see your arm and action when you are over the table.

The first video where you can see more, is acceptable. You might want one from almost straight on as well.

But, with just the first video, I can see enough to give you some feedback.

One issue is, regardless of how slow the ball coming at you is, you are responding to it very late. Often you don't seem to realize where the ball is going until after it has bounced on your side. Then you try to react but it is too late.

As a result of being so late in reacting to where the ball is going, you hit a high percentage of your "shots" completely flat and without a real stroke. You are just putting the racket on the ball and aiming it back to the other side.

When you do take a full stroke, the full stroke looks okay. But they are so few and far between that you do not have any rhythm or consistency with the full strokes. So, whether they land or not is completely arbitrary.

A factor that may contribute to you not seeing or knowing where the ball is going until WAY TOO LATE, is that there is way too much stuff going on in the background. People walking buy over and over and over again. People talking. If you wanted to train and improve, probably, going to a space that is dedicated to only playing table tennis (a club) would be more useful.

Also, the partner you are hitting with, is not really able to give you consistent balls or quality balls. It is worth understanding that what you are doing in these videos when you are not playing games is just hitting the ball. I would not consider that training. There is a place for just hitting the ball around. But to train, you need a training partner who can give you 50-100 balls in a row, in the same place if he wants to. Balls with a consistent amount of speed and spin.

What I would say is, keep hitting. Keep playing. Enjoy yourself as you do. As you do, you will improve. But, probably, if you want to really improve, you need to go to a club where there are club level players to train with. And you would probably benefit from a certain amount of coaching.

If you had a TT robot that could also help you improve at the level you are at. But robots are not ideal. And, for now, the robot would simply make it so you could hit a consistent ball to practice your strokes.

Instead of a robot, you could also practice by self hitting.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Here is one version of self hitting. I like this version because you can hit a whole bucket full of balls in a matter of minutes and get a lot of shots in in a short time before you go pick up all the balls.

If you notice, for FH, I am standing at the BH corner so the table is not in my way. With FH, you can't take the ball over the table from the center because the table is in your way.

With BH, you can do this from anywhere on the table.

I am letting the ball bounce 2x before I hit it. I am not letting the ball bounce too much higher than the net. I am letting the ball bounce towards the back end of the table (not straight up and down), so the timing is not all that different from when a slower ball is coming at you.

If money is an issue, you don't need anything for this but a box of balls. If you have 20 or 30 balls, it is better than if you have less. A full box (144 balls) would be great. But anything over 20 is going to be useful. Aside from that, all you need is the time to practice.

BTW: it would also be worth practicing serves for at least 15-20 min any day you can. Most of the serves I saw, you are contacting them flat as well so they have very little spin.

Part of what you should be doing is learning how to spin the ball, how to make thinner, tangential contact so that you are not impacting the ball directly but getting the topsheet to grab the ball as the blade face swipes past the ball. Spin rather than hit.

And when playing, you have to set yourself for the next shot as fast as possible and try to see where the next ball is going much sooner. All of your shots in that video, you are getting to the ball late, responding the the ball late.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

In my opinion, the angle in the first video is okay for seeing what you are doing. The other two videos where the angle is directly from the side area a waste of time because half the time your racket is not even in the footage. But also, that is not a good angle even if people could see your arm and action when you are over the table.

The first video where you can see more, is acceptable. You might want one from almost straight on as well.

Alright. Should I record from there from now on or pick a different spot?

But, with just the first video, I can see enough to give you some feedback.

One issue is, regardless of how slow the ball coming at you is, you are responding to it very late. Often you don't seem to realize where the ball is going until after it has bounced on your side. Then you try to react but it is too late.

As a result of being so late in reacting to where the ball is going, you hit a high percentage of your "shots" completely flat and without a real stroke. You are just putting the racket on the ball and aiming it back to the other side.

When you do take a full stroke, the full stroke looks okay. But they are so few and far between that you do not have any rhythm or consistency with the full strokes. So, whether they land or not is completely arbitrary.

Ok. At least the stroke itself isn't that bad. Just the reaction time. Speaking of which, how do I improve it?

A factor that may contribute to you not seeing or knowing where the ball is going until WAY TOO LATE, is that there is way too much stuff going on in the background. People walking buy over and over and over again. People talking. If you wanted to train and improve, probably, going to a space that is dedicated to only playing table tennis (a club) would be more useful.

It's usually much more quiet, it was louder today because of visitors.

Also, the partner you are hitting with, is not really able to give you consistent balls or quality balls. It is worth understanding that what you are doing in these videos when you are not playing games is just hitting the ball. I would not consider that training. There is a place for just hitting the ball around. But to train, you need a training partner who can give you 50-100 balls in a row, in the same place if he wants to. Balls with a consistent amount of speed and spin.

We're practicing each other, simply building consistency (just a bit) and reaction time.

What I would say is, keep hitting. Keep playing. Enjoy yourself as you do. As you do, you will improve. But, probably, if you want to really improve, you need to go to a club where there are club level players to train with. And you would probably benefit from a certain amount of coaching.

Yep, I get a coach every week! But when I'm at home, not able to get coaching, I usually just play to get the gist of things.

If you had a TT robot that could also help you improve at the level you are at. But robots are not ideal. And, for now, the robot would simply make it so you could hit a consistent ball to practice your strokes.

Instead of a robot, you could also practice by self hitting.

I have 0 money.

What does self hitting mean?

Edit: Oh ok.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Here is one version of self hitting. I like this version because you can hit a whole bucket full of balls in a matter of minutes and get a lot of shots in in a short time before you go pick up all the balls.

If you notice, for FH, I am standing at the BH corner so the table is not in my way. With FH, you can't take the ball over the table from the center because the table is in your way.

With BH, you can do this from anywhere on the table.

I am letting the ball bounce 2x before I hit it. I am not letting the ball bounce too much higher than the net. I am letting the ball bounce towards the back end of the table (not straight up and down), so the timing is not all that different from when a slower ball is coming at you.

If money is an issue, you don't need anything for this but a box of balls. If you have 20 or 30 balls, it is better than if you have less. A full box (144 balls) would be great. But anything over 20 is going to be useful. Aside from that, all you need is the time to practice.

Alright, I'll FS try that!

BTW: it would also be worth practicing serves for at least 15-20 min any day you can. Most of the serves I saw, you are contacting them flat as well so they have very little spin.

Alright, thanks! I think the reason why I hit flat is
a. I used to use short pips
b. I'm afraid that I'll miss the ball

Part of what you should be doing is learning how to spin the ball, how to make thinner, tangential contact so that you are not impacting the ball directly but getting the topsheet to grab the ball as the blade face swipes past the ball. Spin rather than hit.

Yep, I got you!

And when playing, you have to set yourself for the next shot as fast as possible and try to see where the next ball is going much sooner. All of your shots in that video, you are getting to the ball late, responding the the ball late.

How do I speed up my reaction time?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

1) Alright. Should I record from there from now on or pick a different spot?

2) Ok. At least the stroke itself isn't that bad. Just the reaction time. Speaking of which, how do I improve it?

3) It's usually much more quiet, it was louder today because of visitors.

4) We're practicing each other, simply building consistency (just a bit) and reaction time.

5) Yep, I get a coach every week! But when I'm at home, not able to get coaching, I usually just play to get the gist of things.

I have 0 money.

What does self hitting mean?

Edit: Oh ok.

1) I would use that first angle. And I would find a second angle that is from almost straight on from that same side where the table is not in the way, but you can see part of the other side of the table.

2) The stroke isn't bad but if you are only taking one every few minutes, your chance of getting consistency and feeling how to adjust the stroke the hit the table is nil.

3) If there are people who are there and absolutely not participating in TT or waiting to be next, then there is a little more activity there than you want. It is hard to play TT when there are outside distractions like that. You need to focus to play TT.

4) When you hit with the person you are hitting with, you should do something where you work to get 100 FH to FH in a row without missing. Each person hits an FH at a reasonable consistent pace and the other person hits the ball back. For you to start, this should be cross court (FH corner to FH corner) so the ball only bounces in the FH box on each side. When you can do 100 in a row without missing, then you pick up the pace a little.

Then you try the same BH to BH.

5) At home you and your partner are just hitting the ball back and forth randomly. Neither of you know where the next shot is going.

Work on getting 100 FHs in a row with your friend and then picking up the speed after you have the consistency.

When you can do that, post video.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Notice, the stroke is not big. This is a control shot. Not a kill shot. This is part of the basics that you need to improve to start off.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

1) I would use that first angle. And I would find a second angle that is from almost straight on from that same side where the table is not in the way, but you can see part of the other side of the table.

Ok, I got you!

2) The stroke isn't bad but if you are only taking one every few minutes, your chance of getting consistency and feeling how to adjust the stroke the hit the table is nil.

Yeah cuz of my reaction time...

3) If there are people who are there and absolutely not participating in TT or waiting to be next, then there is a little more activity there than you want. It is hard to play TT when there are outside distractions like that. You need to focus to play TT.

Usually there are ~3 people by the side just talking, not interfering at all. Not as loud as the mall I play in.

4) When you hit with the person you are hitting with, you should do something where you work to get 100 FH to FH in a row without missing. Each person hits an FH at a reasonable consistent pace and the other person hits the ball back. For you to start, this should be cross court (FH corner to FH corner) so the ball only bounces in the FH box on each side. When you can do 100 in a row without missing, then you pick up the pace a little.

That will take a few months. I can get up to 40 hits (not even FH to FH just hitting)

5) At home you and your partner are just hitting the ball back and forth randomly. Neither of you know where the next shot is going.

Well at my home it isn't really training, but closer to recreating an actual match, just without the points. Same goes in school.

Notice, the stroke is not big. This is a control shot. Not a kill shot. This is part of the basics that you need to improve to start off.

But my coach one time told me to put my arm at the back for better shots, not leave it at the front. Now I'm confused :/

 

[God-scrubplayer]

Advice on what? Lol. You wear Crocs and a white shirt. Just relax and have fun. You aren't at the point of looking for improvement.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Alright, I'll FS try that!

Alright, thanks! I think the reason why I hit flat is
a. I used to use short pips
b. I'm afraid that I'll miss the ball

Yep, I got you!

How do I speed up my reaction time?

Honestly, I think the reason you hit flat is you are so late you are just throwing your racket at the ball because, otherwise, it will simply just go past you.

Your reaction time is not the issue. Once you react, you react fast....too fast to do anything useful so you are often just throwing your racket at the ball. It is not reaction time. It is that you are reacting way later than you should.

Here is how this should work.
1) part of your stroke should be a reset.
2) you should be reset in a neutral position ready to take the ball with FH or BH BEFORE your shot lands on your opponent's side.
3) the reason you should be reset before your shot lands on your opponent's side is so you can watch what your opponent is doing to the ball as the ball is coming to him.
4) if you watch the ball into your opponent's racket and see what your opponent does to the ball, you should be moving to and setting for the ball that is coming back to you shortly after the ball leaves his racket and long before the ball crosses the net. (You are not reacting to where the ball is going until after it lands on your side of the table).

One thing about this that does not seem to apply to you is, most of the time, you are not taking a stroke. You are just so late that all you can do is throw your racket at the ball and hope. But when you do that, after, you stand and wait as though you are not paying attention, and then you only respond to the ball coming at you after it has landed on your side.

So, I think, regardless of how you get the ball to the other side, you should come back to a ready position and try to watch what your opponent does to the ball. Reset and watch the opponent. Try to be reset and ready for the next ball, before your shot lands on the other side. Start there.

That drill where you are trying to get 100 shots in a row on the table will force you to reset and watch. It is unlikely you will be able to get 100 shots each, if you are not both doing what I described above....unless you are simply dinking the ball over to each other which would simply be a waste of time.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Advice on what? Lol. You wear Crocs and a white shirt.

☠️ ☠️ ☠️

well I just want tips, I am trying to improve and join tournaments sometime!