The "Quiet Eye" in Table Tennis?

[schrodingerskoalabear]

Saw this video the other day about the "quiet eye",

; about how elite athletes have a superior ability to focus on specifically important contexts in their sport.

Watching this made me wonder what the "quiet eye" of table tennis would be. If I had to guess, it would be the focused ability to watch the ball onto your racket + instantly look at the opponent's racket instead of looking at your shot.

What do you guys think are the main visual focus points in table tennis?



PS relatedly, worth reading (or re-reading) this amazing breakdown of anticipation by wturber on this famous thread: https://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=17443

 

[Sims]

Saw this video the other day about the "quiet eye",

; about how elite athletes have a superior ability to focus on specifically important contexts in their sport.

Watching this made me wonder what the "quiet eye" of table tennis would be. If I had to guess, it would be the focused ability to watch the ball onto your racket + instantly look at the opponent's racket instead of looking at your shot.

What do you guys think are the main visual focus points in table tennis?



PS relatedly, worth reading (or re-reading) this amazing breakdown of anticipation by wturber on this famous thread: https://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=17443

I had never heard about this before but it is absolutely fascinating, great post!

I have no idea whats actually the correct answer to your question is but I do notice that I can occasionally get into the zone where ball watching stops and my preparation immediately comes at the end of the previous stroke and I'm automatically watching the opponent and their racket and have that split second extra for every shot and I play very well.
And other days it doesn't happen no matter how many times I try to remind myself between points or between sets, it just ain't there, and I play less well.
Somehow it's connected to being properly relaxed and happy at the table rather than any one thing like focusing on the ball.
I wish I could bottle it for when I need it cos it often feels like chasing lightning and I just never know when it's gonna strike 🤷

 

[schrodingerskoalabear]

I had never heard about this before but it is absolutely fascinating, great post!

I have no idea whats actually the correct answer to your question is but I do notice that I can occasionally get into the zone where ball watching stops and my preparation immediately comes at the end of the previous stroke and I'm automatically watching the opponent and their racket and have that split second extra for every shot and I play very well.
And other days it doesn't happen no matter how many times I try to remind myself between points or between sets, it just ain't there, and I play less well.
Somehow it's connected to being properly relaxed and happy at the table rather than any one thing like focusing on the ball.
I wish I could bottle it for when I need it cos it often feels like chasing lightning and I just never know when it's gonna strike 🤷

Haha, I know the feeling! I have often said the same thing "bottling the feeling up" for use on demand. For me, I it is a muscle-memory issue and I am trying to do it so often that it just becomes automatic.

The video was very coincidental as this week, I was focusing on watching the ball onto my racket and the immediately trying to look at opponent's racket as I was doing my drills. I was doing the 2 BH- 2 FH drill and even though I didn't magically improve my shot quality, I did feel less hurried.

The reason this video fascinated me is because I know one of my many weaknesses is not looking at the ball, especially when I have a shot of adrenaline or during the fast rally, where I just want to hit it.

 

[lodro]

Very interesting video indeed.
I was reflecting back to when I had my tennirobot and when training a specific shot with the aim to complete as many as possible on a fixed target. It became quickly apparent that I would begin strongly and finish lousy. Simply a matter of not being able to concentrate my eyes on the ball for a longer period of time. My excuse is of course that I have the ADHD..........................and of course that I suck at Table tennis generally. 😂