What should I learn first and how do I proceed?

[Lowday20298]

Hello!

I started penhold a bit before Christmas and want to learn on what I should focus first.

I have been playing for over 6 years and from now I'll be practicing 5 days a week. So I have decent experience and have also competed in local league.

Regarding penhold, my coach doesn't know the first thing about it, so I've done a good amount of research and have a vague idea on what to do and how to proceed, hold racket, grip, pressure points, basic technique and what not, mainly from Wang Hao instructional video, mlfm and emrattich. Also, I've told my coach to continue giving me normal exercises with lower level teammates until I figure everything out, so that I receive easier balls and have an easier time advancing.

My main question has to do with the backhand. From what I've seen, most ppl say that shakers get the hang of rpb quick and I've seen that with my self as well. So is traditional backhand needed, or if I should skip it and focus on rpb? Is there any benefit I could be loosing if I don't learn tpb?

By the way, my equipment currently is yeo, hurricane 2 neo (not skyline or hurricane 3) and vega europe. Have ordered a skyline 2 blue sponge, (canceled it and bought xuperman powerplay x), because hurricane 2 was sent by mistake and kinda hate it... Blade is ok, though it's a bit slow, but backhand is ok, no issues there.

Thanks for reading and happy holidays to everyone! Sending love!

 

[blahness]

Yeah if you came from shakehand I think just skip tpb, I think it's a bit hard to learn imo...

 

[brokenball]

The coach doesn't need to know anything about c-pen. The basics are the same. The physic of TT doesn't change depending on whether you are playing c-pen or shake hands. The differences between c-pen and shake hands are small.

TPB does require getting used to. You need to contort your wrist or roll the paddle between the pointer finger and the thumb.

I think play c-pen is as natural as playing shake hands. I am normally a shake hands player but I can play c-pen well enough that no one would know I am not really a c-pen player.

 

[Topspinslinger]

just play a lot of forehand with your pals, after that robot for rbp. When you master the basics (loop/ counter) go for Trb. Trb is better for lobbing and some punches. Mostly for style points but ey, that makes tabletennis fun right.

 

[zeio]

Much easier to switch between diagonal and parallel shots with TPB. Other than that, RPB can do everything else with more ease.

Learn both if you are interested. Otherwise, stick with RPB only.

 

[Lowday20298]

Aight, I'll focus on rpb to learn it for a base, and slowly learn tpb for more specialised shots and whatever tactics require it.

Thanks guys!

 

[Der_Echte]

Yeah if you came from shakehand I think just skip tpb, I think it's a bit hard to learn imo...

I have a friend in Finland who was SH player, prolly around 2000-2100+ level for starters... he got a wrist injury and could not rotate arm/wrist very well when he was in rehab phase... but the forward hinge/swing with RPB gave him no pain, so he went PH and used RPB to flip... a very natural motion, very easy on his wrist.
Even after his injury healed, he kept playing RPB and played as a PH player at his level - zero drop off.

It can be done - has been done.

Any real old timers leftover and still talking on TTD (Maybe Paddy remembers) the guy... I am talking about "-and" from the forums in the early 2000s.

 

[Lowday20298]

I have a friend in Finland who was SH player, prolly around 2000-2100+ level for starters... he got a wrist injury and could not rotate arm/wrist very well when he was in rehab phase... but the forward hinge/swing with RPB gave him no pain, so he went PH and used RPB to flip... a very natural motion, very easy on his wrist.
Even after his injury healed, he kept playing RPB and played as a PH player at his level - zero drop off.

It can be done - has been done.

Any real old timers leftover and still talking on TTD (Maybe Paddy remembers) the guy... I am talking about "-and" from the forums in the early 2000s.

That's really good to know, I always loved penholders and I finally decided to learn it.

 

[Dominikk85]

I also learned rbp first. If you watch lebrun he even uses an rpb push on the BH side so he plays everything to his BH with the red side. I'm using tpb push though on the BH side.


I think getting good at pushing is important. At the pro level now opening up is not as big of an advantage as modern equipment makes the counter loop easier but at lower levels opening up first is still a big advantage, especially with penhold.

 

[Lowday20298]

I also learned rbp first. If you watch lebrun he even uses an rpb push on the BH side so he plays everything to his BH with the red side. I'm using tpb push though on the BH side.


I think getting good at pushing is important. At the pro level now opening up is not as big of an advantage as modern equipment makes the counter loop easier but at lower levels opening up first is still a big advantage, especially with penhold.

I've found that getting the opponent to open up weak and get a counter in is almost always a point. Also a spinny open up is pretty much death. Even if it goes in, it's high and slow.

So keeping a low and fast push with spin or a low and spinny touch is also very good.

I've seen also long serves work really well, so fast attack also benefits penhold really good.

I won't change my playstyle, just adapt to make it work. Active blocking is a big part of my game, so tpb block is a must.

 

[Dominikk85]

I've found that getting the opponent to open up weak and get a counter in is almost always a point. Also a spinny open up is pretty much death. Even if it goes in, it's high and slow.

So keeping a low and fast push with spin or a low and spinny touch is also very good.

I've seen also long serves work really well, so fast attack also benefits penhold really good.

I won't change my playstyle, just adapt to make it work. Active blocking is a big part of my game, so tpb block is a must.

You can block with rpb too.

 

[Lowday20298]

You can block with rpb too.

I know, I just find it easier with tpb. Rpb comes extremely natural with topspin, blocking is really weird and I can't open my racket without dropping my shoulder and turning into the table, it's really stiff

 

[blahness]

I know, I just find it easier with tpb. Rpb comes extremely natural with topspin, blocking is really weird and I can't open my racket without dropping my shoulder and turning into the table, it's really stiff

Think most ppl sand their blade heavily to make it easier to open the racket. I've held my friends sanded racket and it was tremendously easier to do RPB with it.

 

[Lula]

I think you should start with getting a safe block. If you can block well with your new grip then good players want to practice with you. Find that young players prioritize this to little. Without a good block you will never get to practice with players better than you. Good luck with penhold.

 

[Dominikk85]

I know, I just find it easier with tpb. Rpb comes extremely natural with topspin, blocking is really weird and I can't open my racket without dropping my shoulder and turning into the table, it's really stiff

Have you tried pointing the bat slightly down? I found it makes it easier to open the racket and block or even flat counter hit with rpb.

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[Lowday20298]

Think most ppl sand their blade heavily to make it easier to open the racket. I've held my friends sanded racket and it was tremendously easier to do RPB with it.

I've done some sanding for my index and it helped, I'll do a touch more and then a bit for the thumb. Maybe it'll help with the rotation.

 

[Lowday20298]

Have you tried pointing the bat slightly down? I found it makes it easier to open the racket and block or even flat counter hit with rpb.

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streamable.com

I want to stick to proper cpen technique, so neutral to slightly pointing up like wang hao and xu xin. But I don't know how to do it...

 

[Dominikk85]

I want to stick to proper cpen technique, so neutral to slightly pointing up like wang hao and xu xin. But I don't know how to do it...

 

[Lowday20298]

View attachment 27908

You have to drop quite a bit, also the shoulder goes front and down, can you send me the link? Thanks!

 

[Dominikk85]

You have to drop quite a bit, also the shoulder goes front and down, can you send me the link? Thanks!

I wonder why all those guys hit it like that? There must be a reason as they are the best ph players in the world but to me it feels much easier with bat pointing slightly down. What is the disadvantage?