Is it possible to improve with only robot training?

[FrenchFrog33]

Is it possible to improve to a higher level in table tennis with only robot training?
Are there certain drills that I need to do on a regular basis?
I have a Power Pong robot at home.

 

[job59]

Take a look at this

PechPongTT

 

[Metaxa]

Short answer: NO

 

[SleepyMaster]

It is possible to became better at doing TT with robot (not to improve on a higher levels), when only training with it, and it is helping to isolate some strokes and improve them. Does it would be helpful against other people? Not a lot. Train with a people you must, to became better at TT🙂

 

[PaddyPolar]

I mean you can... but you won't get the live feedback like coaching gives you. I have a Joola v300, and in between coaching sessions, i can get a tutorial on yt , then practice that in sessions with the robot. Of course, every robot is limited. Even the £2000 Butterfly ones. You can't, to my knowledge, code irregular drills into it.

However, if you do the math, say a one-to-one for an hour costs £20, but you're considering getting a Butterfly Amicus Expert(£2000). You could get 100 coaching sessions for the same amount. I guarantee that you will improve so much more if you choose the coaching, before you even know how to use the amicus.

The coaching skill of a coach will never be replaced by 3 flywheels and a computer chip.

 

[Tinykin]

Sorry, but the negative replies here are not looking at the wider picture.
What op is on about is solo training. This involves much use of the robot itself. But will also include serve practice, striking the ball after bouncing off the table, striking the ball from off the table, shadow practice. Use of self video and YouTube videos. One can also sign up to direct online training with a coach. The list goes on and on.
In my 20+ years of personally using a robot (I am now on my 4th) and seeing others use it at home and elsewhere, the solo training has been of tremendous benefit.
I don't know where people pick up the notion that robot practice doesn't help. It is simply plain nonsense.

 

[PaddyPolar]

Sorry, but the negative replies here are not looking at the wider picture.
What op is on about is solo training. This involves much use of the robot itself. But will also include serve practice, striking the ball after bouncing off the table, striking the ball from off the table, shadow practice. Use of self video and YouTube videos. One can also sign up to direct online training with a coach. The list goes on and on.
In my 20+ years of personally using a robot (I am now on my 4th) and seeing others use it at home and elsewhere, the solo training has been of tremendous benefit.
I don't know where people pick up the notion that robot practice doesn't help. It is simply plain nonsense.

Yes I agree with you that using a robot is important, and can heavily increase your progress. However, the title of the thread states that you can improve only with a robot. Of course, you can improve, but not to the scale of either playing with other people or coaching. I am very happy with my robot; frankly i do not know what i would do without it. But i cannot improve to the fullest using only a robot, and i believe that is the case for everyone. In conclusion, i believe that a robot is a tool to help you improve. Learn a new technique in coaching? Practice that with your robot. Identified something wrong in your game? Improve that with your robot.

 

[Tinykin]

"However, the title of the thread states that you can improve only with a robot. Of course, you can improve, but not to the scale of either playing with other people or coaching"

Careful, we are in agreement but most writers on here use the language imprecisely. The ones who do tend to be the ones that top the monthly chart for contributions.
In this case, the op's 2nd para asked for coaching.
He did not use the word, coaching. But asked for advice on drills which is in effect is asking for coaching. That's why I spoke about solo training.
There's a book by an US player who spoke about how he trained himself to get to +2000 rating. I can't remember his name sadly.
Put another way.
1 - can a player improve by using only a robot?
Answer, yes, as it is table time.
2 - can a player improve by employing the services of a coach?
Answer, yes, as it is table time
3 - can a player improve by simply playing with others?
Answer - yes, as it is table time
4 - can a player improve by not having any table time?
Answer - no

 

[Metaxa]

Sorry, but the negative replies here are not looking at the wider picture.
What op is on about is solo training. This involves much use of the robot itself. But will also include serve practice, striking the ball after bouncing off the table, striking the ball from off the table, shadow practice. Use of self video and YouTube videos. One can also sign up to direct online training with a coach. The list goes on and on.
In my 20+ years of personally using a robot (I am now on my 4th) and seeing others use it at home and elsewhere, the solo training has been of tremendous benefit.
I don't know where people pick up the notion that robot practice doesn't help. It is simply plain nonsense.

No one wrote that you could not improve with a robot. The TS asked if you could only get higher with a robot. No, you can't. You have to be coached and you will have to have an opponent to learn how to play matches and all that goes with it.
Sure, you can learn and/or improve your strokes via a robot, but if no one points out improvements, I'm afraid it's going to be a difficult story to get higher up.

Oeps, to late...

 

[lodro]

Yes I agree with you that using a robot is important, and can heavily increase your progress. However, the title of the thread states that you can improve only with a robot. Of course, you can improve, but not to the scale of either

the title of the thread states that you can improve only with a robot.

Language is a funny animal and this is a good example for it. When I read the title my answer to the op's question was an instant YES.

My brain "translated" the question into : I haven't got time or the chances to go and play with other people in a club and have no access to a coach, SO can i improve my game by only having a robot as a help ??? = YES

 

[Metaxa]

SO can i improve my game by only having a robot as a help ??? = YES

No, game is not correct either.
You are going to get your stroke under control though or even improve (maybe) if it is good. If you learn the stroke incorrectly and nobody points it out to you, it's not going to be anything in the long run.
You are not going to improve your game at all against a robot, you need a human opponent for that

 

[brokenball]

No, game is not correct either.
You are going to get your stroke under control though or even improve (maybe) if it is good. If you learn the stroke incorrectly and nobody points it out to you, it's not going to be anything in the long run.
You are not going to improve your game at all against a robot, you need a human opponent for that

It depends. Way back 14 years ago I was missing tricky servers. I setup the robot to serve these same kind of servers. Mostly I had to learn how to conteract extreme spin. The robot helped me against two different players with spinny side spin serves.

The robot is good for exercise and learning to hit balls on the move. I used it to keep my BH loop able to return chopped balls. I can always step around to my FH but I get tired so either I wimp out and push the chopped ball back or show some energy and loop the ball back with my BH.

 

[Topspinslinger]

Yeah, I think it would improve your game. You can practice backhand counters and forehand slow and spinny shots. So much negative comments here, You can get more training in the hours the club isn't open. Obviously it is so much different than a coach, But if record and replay your own shots you can get so much better.

Having the extra hour of playing a day makes a major difference. Even if it is against a robot.

 

[latej]

You can't, to my knowledge, code irregular drills into it.

Hey, I'm getting a bit off-topic here... Anyway, not sure if you consider "random" to be "irregular", but you can have "random" drills in Butterfly Amicus and better robots. A simple example which I find useful (and it is not the only one) - simply left/right, high speed, random, with scatter (so it doesn't go the exact same position, but with some scatter), and frequency 90 balls/minute. The thing is - such frequency is hard to humanly reproduce. Of course I'm not saying I make all balls, but it's fun.

Why am I saying it. I enjoy training with one guy who blocks very well and gives me balls to the left/right regularly. And then he does it irregularly (meaning ramdonly), that is great too. But it is not possible for us (the system consisting of him and myself) to play it faster. He'd have to feed me the balls. That is actually why often the better players get that - some other people feed them balls. And robot can feed the balls quite well too, sometimes even faster!

Another thing - of course training with humans is better. But it can also get kind of stereotypical - in a sense that I myself tend to repeat the same mistake. Taking a break of it, and using a robot to fix that, you know, to drill the right stroke/position/movement - I find it useful.

 

[NextLevel]

The answer is yes, but it depends on the level and what you are trying to improve to get to the next level.

 

[Dr Evil]

Is it possible to improve to a higher level in table tennis with only robot training?

Depends on your level. A beginner for sure. A 2000 player might improve certain aspects of his game, but his competition level would drop with only robot training. Training mostly with a robot is also a very efficient way to sabotage your game if you're not careful. I'd recommend constant video feedback (use a video delay app), and minimal time with drills where you don't have to move.

 

[lodro]

No, game is not correct either.
You are going to get your stroke under control though or even improve (maybe) if it is good. If you learn the stroke incorrectly and nobody points it out to you, it's not going to be anything in the long run.
You are not going to improve your game at all against a robot, you need a human opponent for that

we just have a different understanding of ""GAME"

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Is it possible to improve to a higher level in table tennis with only robot training?
Are there certain drills that I need to do on a regular basis?
I have a Power Pong robot at home.

The answer is yes

But the question is, what are you improving?
Improving your bad habits is also "improving", since you just getting the ball on more now than before.
But then the question is to be asked - how serious are you? if not, then it doesn't matter if you play with bad habits.

In semi pro to pro circles, the only times I see pros with robots is the filming of commercials, or during lockdown and no training partner.

 

[Wakkibatty]

Robots are only ever one side of the coin.

Robots provide repetition, and that's basically all they provide...but they provide it extremely well, and on demand.

You need repetition to improve - no question there. But you also need guidance, feedback, and real-word implementation -- none of which a robot is able to provide.

Pure repetition on it's own doesn't do much, but it's impossible to improve consistently without it.

Really it comes down to what you want most. Practice the skills you want to learn, in order to achieve the performance aims you have set.

If you only want to be good against a robot, then practice against robots. If you want to win games against other people, then practice playing other people.

 

[Metaxa]

we just have a different understanding of ""GAME"

Yes that's possible!