Another unmentioned benefit is developing effective step under table footwork (hitting side leg). The first two things I saw my friend do wrong when trying to BH banana flip the ball was he didn't step under the table enough, and then he had his blade way too closed.
When stepping to the ball, you really got to get down, top of hip ought to be table level to get the right "height" of your center of balance to make good use of balance and leverage. Very often, we do a half-azz step under and the result is usually a position that is too high centered and not close enough to the ball to have enough balance and leverage to make the shot high percentage and high quality.
That is why Carl has often said about my BH that IF and I say again IF Der_Echte can footwork to the ball, it is over. The BH flip is gunna be destructive and fatal.
When I was explaining the shot to my friend, I was advising him to make a very safe BH banana flick getting REAL close to ball, like 2-4 cm and take it right off the bounce. Reason I advised my friend this (my TT friend is a great hitter and looper, but is developing other aspects of the game) is that taking it off the bounce is an easy way to control the incoming spin, especially if you are in position on time using a soft banana BH flip. That is why I asked him to start with that shot. It is easy to make a high percentage return if you get there in position to see the ball looking over it in a good position of leverage.
We all get starting with the "easier" stuff and moving up and I think we all accept there are many ways to go about TT things. Personally, I do not use a banana flip off the bounce very much, even though that is what I asked my friend to start learning.
A much higher level amature player (I think this guy was 2200+ level, at least he is in top Div one of the DC regional league, maybe he is higher, dunno) overheard what I was advising and said uhn-uh. (no in US English) I understand where this near-elite amature player is coming from. If I flipped the ball BH in the same manner I advised my friend and my placement wasn't a surprise, the point would be over on the counter attack for sure. So I understand this good player is right when he says this isn't a good way to learn flipping. The flip at his level must be sudden, fast, spinny or flat, be very well placed, and not telegraphed. I think that getting a 1700-1800 USATT level player to develop and achieve a consistent performance in doing such a shot is a very tall order and not very practical to get to a level of consistency and quality to use it in a match.
That opens up ages old arguments that not all coaches have ever agreed upon. Should one use PROGRESSION and VARIETY, and grow along the way to ever-increasing difficult quality shots, or should a player right away learn difficult things, even if he cannot get it good enough to use in a match to his benefit in even 6 months??!!!@@@&&@@ ??? I think we will never totally agree and that is good for the sport IMO. We should have differing approaches and definitions of success.
MY idea was to get him to develop this precious ability to get close to the ball with loose hand pressure, a skill that can positively affect many other areaas of his game, then work towards taking the ball later (when ball is higher) with more forward stroke or more explosive stroke with a firmer grip pressure to make a faster and spinnier (and hopefully) more troublesome ball to opponent.
To summarize, for this shot (the BH flip of a short underspin serve) I advocated a path of progression of...
Phase 1 - Learn how to get real close to ball and take it off bounce, using a controlled slow to medium speed stroke with a soft grip pressure to control incoming spin, and place ball well. Resultant ball will not have a lot of pace, but will have varying spin and a high percentage chance to land - at that player's level 1700-1800 USATT (EST), such a return of serve can be troublesome to opponent or entice him to attack off time and off balance.
Phase 2 - Let ball come to top of bounce, use explosive whip motion total banana stroke impact ball exactly in the rear with a totally side swipe banana stroke with some forward finish to make a decently spinny troublesome return to opponent
Phase 3 - Impact ball near top of bounce with either conventional straight flip BH very explosive to make very heavy spin to land deep near endline.
Phase 4 - Impact ball at top of bounce with banana stroke that has a finish at impact with more solid contact and firm grip pressure going mostly forward with side/forward variation... makes a fast spinny return.
Thoughts and how it all fits in?
Maybe I make another coaching thread bout this as it is a hot topic among players and coaches - whether there is THE way or several effective ways and HOW to get "there".
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