OOAK Table Tennis Forum

+1 on the one point at a time mindset.

Also try to play high percentage shots. Be aggressive if it's there, but otherwise focus on playing sound, fundamental table tennis. Let them take the risky shots.

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

What helps me in the final set, is to take my time in between serves. These last serves are extremely important, think about where you want to place the ball, vary spin/placement and do not rush! To many times have I rushed the last set and served without thinking; too much adrenaline and stress will do this.

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My blade: Ross Leidy U-S-B
Talon in Red

Dance with the one who brung you...

(stay with what is working)

is this not a bit of a misnomer?

imo, the second you start trying to change the way you play, things will go wrong.

relaxation is absolutely key - if the conscious mind starts focusing on the way you play your strokes, you will naturally "choke"

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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
Join the OOAK Discord!: https://discord.gg/Yw2hYUdz3g

[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 1.8, 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)

I think you should play high percentage shots no matter what stage of the game you are at. Why play risky shots at anytime? Remember also that 'sound fundamental table tennis' varies according to standard. For example, beyond a certain level pushing long or pushing back long balls is actually low percentage play.

I'm guessing you've read syed's book?

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Timo Boll ALC ST
FH Tibhar Evolution MX-P Max
BH Tibhar Evolution FX-S 1.8
185g

Lots of great advice here. I especially like carbonman's advice because, for me, it can be the hardest thing to do: play aggressively! Sure, my normal game is positive and quite aggressive, but - boy oh boy - do I get myself into trouble, especially in a deciding set, pushing, pushing, pushing. It just feels wrong. I think a lot of the problem ha been identified - nerves and second-guessing yourself. I mean, you get to that fifth set and you ask yourself, "How did it get to this?" When I've lost that match I usually realise that I rushed the game and played too defensively.

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Weapon 1: Andro Kinetic Supreme Hinoki/Zylon OFF-; Andro Hexer HDs (FH 2.1/BH 1.9)
Weapon 2: Ross Leidy 'Smokey'; Friendship 729-5s
Club1: Daylesford - since 2010
Club2: Ballarat - since 2011
Blog: A Naked Bear

A solid 2100-level two-winged looper was recently telling me about some matches he had at the Teams a few years ago against higher level players. He said his main problem against them was that with their control and good placement they never gave him anything he could launch a good attack against. They essentially took his weapons away. My perception is a lot of players feel they need to be attacking all the time, and I'm suggesting that with the game on the line if you essentially take away their attack they'll try to attack anyway with lower percentage shots.

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The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

This is certainly true. It is amazing when you play someone even only 150-200 points higher than yourself that often their quickness and control can make you feel quite hopeless.

Some of my thoughts on 5th set play

LEAD or HOLD on your best play

You have to know beforehand how you play. I mean - do you play good as a leader or do you play at the same level when you lead.

I play slightly better when I have the lead. It has to do with my mental makeup and while I am trying to be more level, in the meantime it pays to realize this. I also have a few spinny good serves that need confident reply from the opponent.

Because of this, I try to front-load my game. By that, I mean I try to use at least a couple of my good serves (not the stock serves), initially in the game. What this does is two things

If my opponent screws up on return, I mostly take the lead, know I can re-use that serve, and generally people get tentative when they miss serve returns. All of that plays into my game

If he makes the return, I get back to stock serves for the middle game and look to attack. To me, missing an attack is a better feeling (given I am trying to work on my attack) than a smash on a popped up push I made.

If you wish to hold off on the surprises then by all means do so but realize where in the game you play best. If you get nervous near the win probably, your surprises should come earlier.

FLOW

I saw a someone saying that if your attacking game isn't working and blocking is, then block in the last set. It might work but I have to say this has lost me quite a few games. This is purely because if I lose first few trying to attack, win the next 2 trying to block, by the time 5th set starts, usually the opponent knows how to attack at me much better - position, placement, spin and opportunities. You might have won the 4th barely but if he got better with his attack in 4th set, then most likely he will attack better in 5th than in 4th. So expect that.

So, not just the won/lost games, it is EXTREMELY important to sense the "FLOW" of the match. Is the opponent getting better at his attacks? If he is, then blocking should not be your only tactic. If you are getting better with your attack, then that should be your strategy despite the fact that you lost the last two games. At least for the initial points.

OFFENSE?

Another thing I wanted to mention is what you define attack to be. Offense is nothing but a state of mind. Therefore the interpretation is different for different levels of play.

Attack or offense could just mean pushing long and heavy, letting your opponent open (if he has a soft or predictable opening shot) and then punching or counterlooping instead of blocking if he has bad recovery. Therefore its not always about "opening" but letting the opponent open while controlling everything. I am obviously talking about sub-elite level here.

A lot of times people get comfortable attacking to the same area because they think they are being offensive and winning. In the 5th set it pays to realize whether your opponent is comfortable or is unpredictable. If he is comfortable, you need variation to get him out of it. If he is unpredictable, you need to control the game a lot more.

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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.

As attacker I will advise you to:
- don't rush the point
- Take your time on service
- Don't serve fancy crazy spin serves. Focus on serve placement
and serve simple light back spin serves in combination with
no spin as well if your opponent stays close send fast no spin serve.
- Don't was points on trying to win point on 3rd ball unless ball pops out high.
- Loop opening loop lower and shorter and loop harder on 5th ball.
- Do expect your opponent may return the ball, be ready,
- Do not get defensive unless you are defensive player.
- Serve return - if chance step around and loop that serve in to oponents
Mid section of his body.
Stay confident

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Blade:
F/H:
B/H:

At crucial points, it's worth trying to expunge negative thoughts. When I say crucial, I don't just mean the 10-10 situations - I mean anything that causes your nerves to flicker. I have an odd issue with leading a game 7-anything. I must've lost a few games from that point and my subconscious has registered it because now every time I get to 7 against a reasonable opponent I end up having a bit of a turnaround in my play. I can go from leading 7-3 to being 7-7 pretty quickly and it's always ridiculous mistakes (trying to fish from on the table, etc etc).

The idea behind a mantra in meditation is that you take a few important words and repeat them until your mind becomes focused upon them. That can take a really long time, especially when you first start.

I wouldn't go quite that far, but repeatedly telling yourself "take the next point" for instance can help to (partially) relieve your nerves. The most important thing it does is remove negative thoughts from your mind.

It sounds daft, but if you do it, and continue to do it regularly, I guarantee you'll see improvement. I'm led to believe that all top athletes are taught such mental techniques.

_________________
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
Join the OOAK Discord!: https://discord.gg/Yw2hYUdz3g

[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 1.8, 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)

Yeah, and one of Seemiller's which covers the post I just made above ^

_________________
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
Join the OOAK Discord!: https://discord.gg/Yw2hYUdz3g

[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 1.8, 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)