Tall table tennis players.

[gmiller2233]

I wanted to start a thread discussed tall TT players. I would love to here not just from tall players but any experiences people have had playing them, strengths and weaknesses they have witnessed. Also if people have names of players that are tall that would be good to look up that would great aswell. Finally if the tall players wanted to talk about there style (may be strengths) and how they developed that style that would be really interesting.

For now I will say that I'm rather tall just 6,5.5 or 197 cm and I have been playing at a casual club for about 11 months or so I have started to train multi ball with players that are being coached. I will get coaching at some point when it works with my schedule. As I play more, watch more clips and understand proper tech-neck, implement it I have over time noticed my the hight I often find myself playing at, effects aspects of my consistency especially in matches. It happens some in training but not as much maybe because I'm focused on it more when training, and in training I cans stay looser etc less tense etc. this sounds obvious saying it here but with out realizing it I find myself to playing to high or upright which effects consistency on my back hand stroke especially. It can also effect reading spin on service return. On the other side of it of the coin in matches when I'm really low for some reason it seems to contribute to my playing stiff and not as loose. Its weird like I get stuck and react more slowly and It's just something I need to address. Im curious if anyone else has felt this?

I will follow up with some more details but I thought I would start with this.


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[Shuki]

I wanted to start a thread discussed tall TT players. I would love to here not just from tall players but any experiences people have had playing them, strengths and weaknesses they have witnessed. Also if people have names of players that are tall that would be good to look up that would great aswell. Finally if the tall players wanted to talk about there style (may be strengths) and how they developed that style that would be really interesting.

For now I will say that I'm rather tall just 6,5.5 or 197 cm and I have been playing at a casual club for about 11 months or so I have started to train multi ball with players that are being coached. I will get coaching at some point when it works with my schedule. As I play more, watch more clips and understand proper tech-neck, implement it I have over time noticed my the hight I often find myself playing at, effects aspects of my consistency especially in matches. It happens some in training but not as much maybe because I'm focused on it more when training, and in training I cans stay looser etc less tense etc. this sounds obvious saying it here but with out realizing it I find myself to playing to high or upright which effects consistency on my back hand stroke especially. It can also effect reading spin on service return. On the other side of it of the coin in matches when I'm really low for some reason it seems to contribute to my playing stiff and not as loose. Its weird like I get stuck and react more slowly and It's just something I need to address. Im curious if anyone else has felt this?

I will follow up with some more details but I thought I would start with this.

CANT STRESS ENOUGH. Tall players need to develop their backhand. if they're a shakehand player especially your elbow point is a huge weakness and footwork is EXTREMELY important for you to avoid that elbow point. I'll elaborate more after I finish reading your posts lol.

After finishing reading I realize I know you in person haha.

Okay, heres the biggest issue for you in my opinion. Footwork, footwork, footwork. You do drills great and as soon as you enter the game you either hesitate on your strokes because you're out of position or you do the correct stroke but make insufficient contact because you aren't getting into position first. Your serves themselves have little to no backspin, so when someone chops it back it will never be heavy. Take advantage of this and kill that ball. Your serves with sidespin also have no backspin and will ALWAYS go long, so STEP OFF the table. If someone misjudges that sidespin as back-side then it will go higher which will make you want to smash it, but don't. Wait for it to drop a bit and just loop it, it's too heavy to just smash at it's peak since you end up jamming yourself with it. if they attack the serve guess what, you're fine, you stepped off the table and have time to just to a regular counter. Don't lose your timing and get excited and swing hard at it. Just step off and get into position.


WITH your height, you don't have to start very close to the table, if your opponent serves short backspin, step in, chop, and step back. dont get yourself caught. hugging the table with your height.


also no more hesitation with the stroke, I'f you can't read the spin don't just try and get your angle right and poke at the ball in hopes of returning it low. Decide, is it top, back or nothing and do a full complete stroke going through it with confidence. If you can't decide which of the three is is, just guess and still do a complete stroke. If you guess wrong, be ready for that serve to come again sometime with the correct answer.

 

[Shuki]

Strength of Tall Players include:

1.Longer Reach
2.Easier to get more leverage for a higher quality shot.
3.Footwork is important but it is easier IN MY OPINION because it takes less steps for you to get into place. (I'd like to hear conflicting points on this one
4. To be continued when I think of more..


Weaknesses of Tall Players:
1.Elbow point weakness is more extreme.
2.Staying low is more difficult but more important than for a shorter player
3. To be continued when I think of more...

 

[Ilia Minkin]

 

[Shuki]

I've never seen this but it's very interesting, I'll surely share this with some friends. I get questions about if it's better to be tall or short quite a bit.

 

[Archosaurus]

Being short at around 170cm myself, I obviously don't have experience playing as a tall player.

Although, playing against them, I've found that they severely lack in footwork and don't usually have the strength to hold themselves low enough all the time.

So my advice is to train footwork religiously to take advantage of the reach, develop a good middle backhand and forehand elbow forehand and train your legs so you can stay in a wide, low stance.

 

[Ilia Minkin]

Also if people have names of players that are tall that would be good to look up that would great aswell. Finally if the tall players wanted to talk about there style (may be strengths) and how they developed that style that would be really interesting.

I think that germans Steffen Mengel (195cm) and Patrick Franziska are two the tallest in Top100, they are both over 190cm.

 

[ttmonster]

Only advice for tall players is watch Vladimir Samsonov and learn from him ! While playing tall players , definitely the switch point is a weakness for them and also heavy backspin pushes tend to jam them because it takes time for them to down and come back up. Backhand is super important for tall players and so is good defensive capabilities like blocking and lobbing.

 

[Shuki]

Being short at around 170cm myself, I obviously don't have experience playing as a tall player.

Although, playing against them, I've found that they severely lack in footwork and don't usually have the strength to hold themselves low enough all the time.

So my advice is to train footwork religiously to take advantage of the reach, develop a good middle backhand and forehand elbow forehand and train your legs so you can stay in a wide, low stance.

Couldn't agree more, when you're tall and can reach every ball it feels like you don't need to develop footwork. But I do believe once they get the footwork down it is a lot easier for them to execute it than other players.

 

[Archosaurus]

Couldn't agree more, when you're tall and can reach every ball it feels like you don't need to develop footwork. But I do believe once they get the footwork down it is a lot easier for them to execute it than other players.

Xu Xin is currently one of the fastest side to side athletes ever, IMO only second to Ryu Seung Min who had an absolutely ideal build for footwork and was trained fanatically in it.

There's just testament to what a tall player with excellent footwork can do.

 

[El Guiri]

Well iam about 193cm and is totally true the back hand ! When iam trying to do things well ( elbow) i have a very good shot ( elbow very importante to think about it before to do it . And about big legs is very good because you rich ball that people dont usually get ( of course you have to move) in my case i dont move enougth due to probleme of circulation of blood . But at list iam trying to have dtronger legs to help me . And very importante as somoene said it before GET AWAY FROM THE TABLE it helps a lot leave you more time to think and move . Shuki you said it very well


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[Baal]

Xu Xin is currently one of the fastest side to side athletes ever, IMO only second to Ryu Seung Min who had an absolutely ideal build for footwork and was trained fanatically in it.

There's just testament to what a tall player with excellent footwork can do.

But he's really not that tall. He is 5'11" (181 cm).

 

[Baal]

I agree, tall players (over 185 cm) need to cultivate the BH and the ability to protect their middle. Jim Butler is a pretty good example of that, Samsonov on a much higher level. Also agree, need to be good at middle distance so your strokes don't get too cramped and you can play loose.

Need to be able to get down to the ball too. Hard if you are not very fit. Of course, tall players have reach, and it is possible to be tall and quick too (Wang Liqin).

 

[Baal]

Thanks for posting this!

 

[gmiller2233]

After finishing reading I realize I know you in person haha.

Hi Shuki, it was nice playing with you guys. I had a chance to train with Ray today. Thanks for the feedback both here and in person. Some good points.








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[gmiller2233]

I have been slammed with work but some really nice responses. That I agree with and rings true footwork, backhand, mid distance, and problem spot being balls onto the body.

I agree lots to learn from Samsonov and not just for taller players his game is so solid. He a go to, love watching his matches. He does plays a deep third position quite a bit. that would be the only part of this game I might say that might not be good for all tall players to emulate.


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[gmiller2233]

I agree, tall players (over 185 cm) need to cultivate the BH and the ability to protect their middle. Jim Butler is a pretty good example of that, Samsonov on a much higher level. Also agree, need to be good at middle distance so your strokes don't get too cramped and you can play loose.

Need to be able to get down to the ball too. Hard if you are not very fit. Of course, tall players have reach, and it is possible to be tall and quick too (Wang Liqin).

Jim butler is a name I had forgotten about.


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[Ilia Minkin]

I have been slammed with work but some really nice responses. That I agree with and rings true footwork, backhand, mid distance, and problem spot being balls onto the body.

I agree lots to learn from Samsonov and not just for taller players his game is so solid. He a go to, love watching his matches. He does plays a deep third position quite a bit. that would be the only part of this game I might say that might not be good for all tall players to emulate.

Honestly, I never liked Samsonov's style. I always liked fierce, flashy players that show off athleticism and power. Ma Lin is my idol and will forever be. Gladly, Vladimir recently started to play more aggressively.

 

[ttmonster]

Ilia , Samsonov is like old wine. I also liked all the aggressive players when I started out. However, as you mature as a table tennis player you will begin to appreciate what he is doing and how difficult it is to achieve what he has achieved in terms of technique and strategy. Lets say if he was 5 inches shorter he would have been number 1 for the last 10 years

Honestly, I never liked Samsonov's style. I always liked fierce, flashy players that show off athleticism and power. Ma Lin is my idol and will forever be. Gladly, Vladimir recently started to play more aggressively.

 

[Ilia Minkin]

ttmonster, I understand well that his style is not easy to play at all and I appreciate his techniques. I have respect for all kinds of styles, for one-sided penholders, long range defenders, pimple hitters etc. I just personally find aggressive attackers the most inspirational one.