OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Thanks Rahul.

My coach says my biggest problem at the moment is I look really tense.

He then asked me where I felt tense and I showed him the blisters on my hand!

When I thus loosened my grip for a few strokes, as odd as it felt, he said my shoulders etc looked more relaxed too.

I guess he sees it as a 'choke point' for my progression.

One thing I have noticed is that my new blade, with straight handle, is much easier to grip loose. I'm wondering if that's because the blade itself is better-weighted, or if it's just the shape. Who knows!

I'm still working on it, anyway

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[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, Butterfly Joo Saehyuk, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 2.1), TSP Spectol Speed (1.3), TSP Super Spinpips Chop Sponge 2 (0.5, 1.3)
LPs: Butterfly Feint Long II (1), Butterfly Feint Long III (0.5, 1.3), Tibhar Grass D.TecS (OX), TSP Curl P1-R (0.5, 1, 1.3), TSP Curl P4 (1.3)
Full list (PM me for price): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xNLwjz5uZq_FcCowBgZ4zk1NwU83xVyCRoo0zhphu3w/edit?usp=sharing
==================================================================================================================================================
My blog: "Learning to play: as a modern defender": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22254
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtazeX ... oICGS9bqNg

Its the shape. ST is for holding bat more loosely

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Butterfly Timo Boll ALC FL, FH - Tenergy 05, BH - Tenergy 05
Buying equipment is like getting into a relationship. One night stands are great but you get the most out of it when you work at it for a long time.

Dunc,

Practice gripping the blade with just the thumb and the index finger for a while. After that, then reintroduce the fingers wrapped around the handle as a stabilizer. The thing is that to use a loose grip, you need strong wrists. Strong wrists take time to build, but once built, they are the hallmark of a very strong player.

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Cobra Kai TT Exponent (Mercy effs up your Game)
One-Loop Man: One Loop... Again????
Lumberjack TT Exponent

This topic is quite interesting.

Are you guys sure that main problem is the tight grip on the bat and not tense arm in general?
I am playing with ST handle and I just can't afford to grip the handle loosely, because if I did that and by any chance bat slipped from my hands doing the FH killer drive, my opponent would have to go to the hospital probably..
You can learn how to have a loose arm in general but tight grip of the bat. Tight grip in not a problem either in terms of technique if you like/can play at higher speeds when blocking/looping. Maybe I'd loosen my grip a bit if I wanted to play safe all the time, but since that is not what I'm looking for, tight grip works great

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Setups (click on writings to read reviews):
1) Defence III / TSP P4 (0,5) / M3 (2,0)
2) Defence II / Joola Octopus (0,5) / M3 (2,0)
3) Ross Leidy "White Shadow" / P1R (1,3) / Hexer PS (1,7)

That sounds like good advice. It's something that the coach has had me try, but not for any real period of time.

_________________
[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, Butterfly Joo Saehyuk, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 2.1), TSP Spectol Speed (1.3), TSP Super Spinpips Chop Sponge 2 (0.5, 1.3)
LPs: Butterfly Feint Long II (1), Butterfly Feint Long III (0.5, 1.3), Tibhar Grass D.TecS (OX), TSP Curl P1-R (0.5, 1, 1.3), TSP Curl P4 (1.3)
Full list (PM me for price): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xNLwjz5uZq_FcCowBgZ4zk1NwU83xVyCRoo0zhphu3w/edit?usp=sharing
==================================================================================================================================================
My blog: "Learning to play: as a modern defender": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22254
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtazeX ... oICGS9bqNg

The issue here is that the muscle that connects at the wrist goes to the elbow so if you are gripping tight, that action alone stiffens the arm. Yes tens arms are not good for play, strength in the arm specially the forearm will help in this grip as it could be a way the body is compensating for a weakness in another area.

I use a resistance band, I got it from a physiotherapist store, and attach it to a solid object, then hold the other end like I'm holding my bat then go through the stroke movement. weight shift, arm wrist flick the lot... a few slower ones at first then at the speed I would be trying to in a match. While keeping form and technique(10 reps) and do this on both sides so me non playing arm develops as well for ballance. This has helped me develop some extra strength very quickly, specially that I feel more stable and in control thoughout the stroke.

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Custom SoulSpin Limba/ALC
FH: Tibhar Evo MX-P Max
BH: Xiom Omega V Pro Max

It's interesting to see that, against a practice robot or a coach, my grip is fine and my strokes are quite fluid.

However, the second I go in to a "match" environment, my grip gets tighter and I start trying to hit the ball much harder!

I'm noticing improvement even in that arena, i.e. in that environment I'm gripping significantly less tight than I was, but I know I'm still tense and not moving my body as much as I need to.

_________________
[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, Butterfly Joo Saehyuk, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 2.1), TSP Spectol Speed (1.3), TSP Super Spinpips Chop Sponge 2 (0.5, 1.3)
LPs: Butterfly Feint Long II (1), Butterfly Feint Long III (0.5, 1.3), Tibhar Grass D.TecS (OX), TSP Curl P1-R (0.5, 1, 1.3), TSP Curl P4 (1.3)
Full list (PM me for price): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xNLwjz5uZq_FcCowBgZ4zk1NwU83xVyCRoo0zhphu3w/edit?usp=sharing
==================================================================================================================================================
My blog: "Learning to play: as a modern defender": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22254
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtazeX ... oICGS9bqNg

adrenalin at its finest.....

_________________
Custom SoulSpin Limba/ALC
FH: Tibhar Evo MX-P Max
BH: Xiom Omega V Pro Max

Now that you raised it, let me address this a little bit from a technique perspective

In the backswing, it is paramount to have a relaxed arm and shoulder. the bat grip does not matter but its generally difficult and a little unnatural to have a tight grip and loose arm/shoulders in backswing.

Once the motion begins the arm and shoulders stay relaxed but the grip tightens before the contact. If you make contact with a limp bat, you would lose a LOT of power. This is why soft blocks are done with a limp grip. Therefore at contact, everyone naturally has a firm grip. A lot of manuals say that you should increase grip "during" contact which I find to be bullshit because the contact is so quick, its humanly impossible to do anything "during" it.

The idea behind having a relax grip is therefore twofold -

one - to facilitate (doesn't mean its the only way though as you said) a relaxed backswing and stroke movement.
two - to add control. With supple grip and wrist, one can make subtle changes in blade angle which adds control and furthermore, gives the flexibility to continue with the stroke without adjustment (adjustment now happens in the wrist and blade angle) which means a lot more power on demand. Once again, at contact all this adjustment has already happened and the blade is firm within the fingers unless you are doing a soft block or short push for example..

In a nutshell, therefore, the bat should be held with a loose grip unless you are making contact or right around that time.

Hope that makes sense. The movement of wrist is a completely different topic altogether.

Trivia: Wang Liqin is known to be the master of finger pressure. The head coach remarked that he is a PhD in finger pressure.

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Butterfly Timo Boll ALC FL, FH - Tenergy 05, BH - Tenergy 05
Buying equipment is like getting into a relationship. One night stands are great but you get the most out of it when you work at it for a long time.

Great post Rahul, thanks.

When you talk about WL being a Doctor of finger pressure.. what makes him so good? What is it that a Chinese coach would look for in that area?

_________________
[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, Butterfly Joo Saehyuk, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 2.1), TSP Spectol Speed (1.3), TSP Super Spinpips Chop Sponge 2 (0.5, 1.3)
LPs: Butterfly Feint Long II (1), Butterfly Feint Long III (0.5, 1.3), Tibhar Grass D.TecS (OX), TSP Curl P1-R (0.5, 1, 1.3), TSP Curl P4 (1.3)
Full list (PM me for price): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xNLwjz5uZq_FcCowBgZ4zk1NwU83xVyCRoo0zhphu3w/edit?usp=sharing
==================================================================================================================================================
My blog: "Learning to play: as a modern defender": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22254
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtazeX ... oICGS9bqNg

I have no clue in that detail actually. Just something I read a long time back in one of the forums. I am pretty sure that level of detail I can never quite appreciate till I am world 500. Till then, I have much larger things to worry about

_________________
Butterfly Timo Boll ALC FL, FH - Tenergy 05, BH - Tenergy 05
Buying equipment is like getting into a relationship. One night stands are great but you get the most out of it when you work at it for a long time.

Ok i had the same problem,

here is what got me the best results.
The ideal grip in my opinion is to apply enough pressure to your bat so u wont drop it out of your hand.
but nothing more!
between the rally,s shake your bat in your hand a bit to loosen the grip.
here is a video of chen weixing, at 1.56 he is loosening the grip the way i mean. i hope it works for you the same it works for me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B51iQ8kFD4k