Ma Long BH better before?

[manvindar]

looks like ma long had better backhand then

 

[manvindar]

this one is also awesome

 

[manvindar]

 

[JustAlt]

Nah, I think Ma Longs backhand is better than ever right now, it's just pure power!

 

[azlan]

I think so too, but I don't think it's the power, but the variety that he has on his BH.

 

[Bollforte94]

this video is nice

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Hey manvindar, I could see how one might think that without a closer look at technical details. Back then Ma Long was doing a lot of punch blocking and using the other person's spin so it looks like it has pop on the videos. Only problem is there is not much spin on those balls and that causes two things. One is that the ball is not very accurate which is why he is avoiding the backhand so much and not using it almost at all for attacking short balls. And the other is that it is easy to return because there is not much spin and the spin is obvious.

What Ma Long is doing with his backhand these days is a full stroke loop, or an over the table loop on short game. He is actually attacking more short balls with his backhand than with his forehand these days. There are several advantages to this. One is that he is generating a ton of spin so the shot is very accurate and deceptively powerful. Even when it does not look like it is going fast it kicks when it bounces. Another advantage is that, with that motion where the handle starts pointing forward and the tip is pointing towards the back (towards his body) with his wrist cocked, and that follow-through where the bat-face goes more than 180-degrees because of the wrist action, while he is taking his stroke, you can vary the spin immensely and it is hard for the opponent to read. It could be pure topspin, it could be regular or inside out side spin, or if he wanted, he could make it a drive with only a little spin. The change in spin is based on how he contacts the ball, just like with a Pendulum serve. Because he is using so much wrist in his stroke and taking a full stroke, not just blocking, those backhand shots are lethal.

It is very different than what he was doing a few years ago.

 

[Mr. RicharD]

Carl I doubt there was less spin on the ball but rather the Speed Glue era allowed for more dwell. Don't you remember how easy it was with rubbers to punch just about any topspin ball with a thick medium sponge. I remember having all of those cheap chinese rubbers hacked up on the speed glue/booster and could hit any topspin easily with my BH punch.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Carl I doubt there was less spin on the ball but rather the Speed Glue era allowed for more dwell. Don't you remember how easy it was with rubbers to punch just about any topspin ball with a thick medium sponge. I remember having all of those cheap chinese rubbers hacked up on the speed glue/booster and could hit any topspin easily with my BH punch.

Sorry Mr RicharD but you can see how much flatter the trajectory of the ball is from his backhand back then. They are totally different shots and his backhand is weak. Just have a look and compare it to what he is doing now. And, I am pretty sure that all the Chinese players are using Tenergy that has been boosted so I wonder how much less effect their rubbers get now from what Ma Long was using back in 2006.

I don't care what rubber you are using though. A punch block is not going to have the same spin as a full loop stroke.

And back then Ma Long could not go backhand to backhand with a player who had a good backhand. Now he can go backhand to backhand with almost anyone including Zhang Jike and Seiya Kishikawa.

 

[azlan]

Hey Carl, as expected, Ma Long went for ZJK's BH right from the word GO. He has been practising his BH so much lately and we could clearly see. He knows he never had any problems with his FH. ZJK couldn't even get his body out of the way to use his FH... He knew if he wants to beat Jike, he has to improve his BH, and boy did he....heck of a match buddy.

 

[YosuaYosan]

So :
Ma Long BH better than before

 

[blahness]

Sorry Mr RicharD but you can see how much flatter the trajectory of the ball is from his backhand back then. They are totally different shots and his backhand is weak. Just have a look and compare it to what he is doing now. And, I am pretty sure that all the Chinese players are using Tenergy that has been boosted so I wonder how much less effect their rubbers get now from what Ma Long was using back in 2006.

I don't care what rubber you are using though. A punch block is not going to have the same spin as a full loop stroke.

And back then Ma Long could not go backhand to backhand with a player who had a good backhand. Now he can go backhand to backhand with almost anyone including Zhang Jike and Seiya Kishikawa.

Ma Long's BH is definitely much better now. Back then he relied on his speed and was really good at borrowing power from his opponent. Whenever he is forced to make a shot from mid/long range, especially with the BH and also a bit on the FH, he usually loses the point. Now he is equally as good at borrowing power, but also he is much more powerful due to his sessions in the gym i guess.... His shots are noticeably much spinnier nowadays,making them much more consistent. Against both ZJK and Wang Hao, you can see that when he really loads up the spin on the ball on both wings, especially on the FH, they have almost less than 20% chance of getting it back.