Would you consider a tt video coach?

[riemsesy]

At our club many of the seniors help the inexperienced with tips. They watch give corrections, help with multiball drills. Not the complete evening but now and then. You just have to ask.
We have are youth program that is less voluntary for the kids and the trainers are always there.
I can imagine for someone who lives very remote that’s the only way to get some coaching, but otherwise I would choose live coaching over video coaching

What is your opinion or experience?

 

[Sims]

At our club many of the seniors help the inexperienced with tips. They watch give corrections, help with multiball drills. Not the complete evening but now and then. You just have to ask.
We have are youth program that is less voluntary for the kids and the trainers are always there.
I can imagine for someone who lives very remote that’s the only way to get some coaching, but otherwise I would choose live coaching over video coaching

What is your opinion or experience?

I haven't done it but I definitely would do it, if that makes sense. I was very close to signing up for some web training with Craig Bryant but a few things got in the way so it never happened but I will probably have a look into it again this year.
I think that having a professional coach analyse videos of your game/service or whatever can be very beneficial. It's not gonna be as good as 1-2-1 in person coaching but it must be the next best thing - if the price is right!

 

[songdavid98]

For money, I don't think so. You can get plenty of advice for free if you just post a video.

 

[NextLevel]

It's definitely best to work with coaches in person, but one of my most significant influences who helped me clean up my game was primarily and online coach who I met and hit with twice ( a week each time) over a period of about 5 years.

With online coaching, you don't get to deal with the speed/quality of the coach and their consistency and from my experience, this is a huge part of getting better. Table tennis is largely a sport of both mental and physical adaptation, so not being able to hit with your coach hurts the mental adaption part being combined with the physical part.

That said, things like base technique, serves and certain physical aspects of the game can be improved online.

Playing level is also a factor. The only thing I would get advice/coaching on as a TTR 1600-1700+ or USATT 2000+ is at most serves and maybe strategic concepts. Technique is possible but requires really great video editing skills.

At lower levels though, and rarely some higher levels if the student is capable and there are no good coaches around, you can get more, but you would likely need a great robot and lots of patience. But if you can find a good coach in your area, better to spend the money in person IMHO. Though online coaching is often cheaper because it is communicating ideas, but it will not help you with the mental and physical adaptation process, which is where live coaching really shines.

 

[Sims]

For money, I don't think so. You can get plenty of advice for free if you just post a video.

With no disrespect to anyone in here who gives feedback on videos, it is difficult to know for sure that you are getting good advice when it comes for free on a forum.
I have experienced this myself when, in receiving advice from better players, I have sometimes received conflicting advice which left me a bit confused. It was worth what I paid for it😉
In my opinion this is where professional coaches with a track record can prove their worth and (time is money) be good value for money in accelerating your improvement.

 

[Topspinslinger]

My two cents are that watching pros explaining technique is quite helpful. Fang bo and Pechpong are very detailed.

I outgrow my previous club, being club champion 2 years in a row. This previous season I went to a better club with 1.5h traveltime. The coach is amazing, I learn a lot from him and grow a lot. Made me realize just how much a coach helps.

A paid online pro with a good track record helps a lot, It is a good way to get personalized coaching if there isn't anything else.
There is a lot good advice online for free, but harder to do on your own!

 

[KM1976]

I started improving faster when I stopped learning from everyone.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

i've seen quotes from Craig and others. it looks to me that LIVE coaches were cheaper !
but thats also because nearly everything is cheaper in Japan than Europe or US.

Personally i think LIVE coaching is the best, and it needs to be 1v1 not group lesson. if its too expensive then go only once a month instead of once a week for example. or go to China on holidays to enter a short TT program... of course you must choose a good coach with a good track record and not a random dude.

tbh i have a team mate who's used an online coach for a little while (Brett Clarke) and was very happy with him but he stopped doing so as he feels he's getting enough advice now from his senior teammates or practice partners or free online resources

 

[NextLevel]

With no disrespect to anyone in here who gives feedback on videos, it is difficult to know for sure that you are getting good advice when it comes for free on a forum.
I have experienced this myself when, in receiving advice from better players, I have sometimes received conflicting advice which left me a bit confused. It was worth what I paid for it😉
In my opinion this is where professional coaches with a track record can prove their worth and (time is money) be the best value for money in accelerating your improvement.

No doubt, it is one of the reasons that at the very least, I like to see the play of who I am getting advice from, though since I am now experienced, I want to hear anyone now since I know enough to know when it fits me and when it doesn't.

 

[Lazer]

I started improving faster when I stopped learning from everyone.

Absolutely, you have pick the sources to listen to carefully…

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I find online coaching, especially for players requiring corrections on fundamentals, technique etc, is so difficult over a camera.
I mean, are you recording yourself from 4 different angles, so the coach can see everything correctly?
Just a single angle, bound to have hidden parts that a coach wont be able to see.

I guess some coaching, even online, is better than no coaching, but surely they will be limitations - how much, i'm not sure, but there will be limitations on what an online coach can delivery. and the more entry the level of the student, the more possibility of difficulty in delivering.

Maybe if the player is of a decent level, then online coach advise could help in a greater way, since we then not talking about technique, but rather the more important parts.

 

[riemsesy]

I sometimes choose to use the robot to improve my feeling for the forehand loop.
While doing that, a coach walks up to me and gives suggestions: “Try to follow through with the hand. Don’t let your hand down after the hit. Get back to the starting position quicker. Bend the knees, turn the hips. Yes, that’s right! Good hit! Did you feel that?”
And yes, I had that feeling at that moment in that stroke, and then I can try to replicate that stroke.
I think that's so difficult with an video recording..
maybe with a live stream you can get the same attention?

 

[Brs]

imo the value of video coaching is highly dependent on the quality of your video setup and streaming. Like Tony said, how close is it to real life? Coach can switch between four camera angles to see what he wants? He can clearly hear the sound of your contact? Very rare to have that good a setup.

The lower level the player is, the more likely any advice will be true. Use your body more. Relax. Watch the ball. Move your feet. I mean, we have all heard these things, and say them to ourselves too, right? At a higher level I think the coach would need to feel the ball, see the player in full. The exception maybe is tactics or match coaching. That has some potential to do by video, because you aren't talking about technique and the ball is always visible. Almost nobody does it though it seems.

In order from least to most value: forum advice from random netizens (with or without video, still crap); online coach; advice from random live club people; attend a training camp; [then many, many miles above the rest] proper professional in-person coaching by coach who stays with player for some long time.