OOAK Table Tennis Forum

All of these have the circular motion about the elbow, with the twisting upper arm, rather than the longer "straight elbow" finish. Even Ma Long vs. backspin. I guess it's something I'll have to try once this virus thing is over. Maybe get the iPong out again.. hopefully the batteries are still good. Main problem is finding a table to set it up.

Iskandar

I suppose that suggests the question - why don't more of them actually use Chinese rubbers in the first place? It's not like you can't get them. Even "National H3" is available on AliExpress, if you're playing for a national team surely your connections can get a steady supply? Maybe it's the boosting part of it they don't want to get into?

About straightening elbows.. I've been going back to see if I can figure it out. Three more videos from the thread:







All of these have the circular motion about the elbow, with the twisting upper arm, rather than the longer "straight elbow" finish. Even Ma Long vs. backspin. I guess it's something I'll have to try once this virus thing is over. Maybe get the iPong out again.. hopefully the batteries are still good. Main problem is finding a table to set it up.

Iskandar

Well this is against backspin and doesn't really match what 2020 03 is showing us. Against backspin of course one has to lift the ball, but again Ma Long doesn't use a whole lot of wrist there.

Let's look at this video Iskandar. I don't know how to take the snapshot gifs.



Even Brett's shove has circular motion around the elbow. You can have both circular motion around the elbow and a straightening of the arm - they aren't mutually exclusive. Look at the Sun Yingsha stroke for example. Even Ma Long. It is all a matter of degree, though I do agree with Russ that the arm straightening is more effective for fast countertopspin.

Given how the racket starts and how the racket finishes, the arm does have to turn (which is why I have always said that people focusing on the wrist when it comes to backhand topspin are wasting their time). The circular rotation about the elbow with the twisting upper arm starting with a somewhat closed racket pointing towards you and the straightening (or keeping it a bit more bent) while rotating the arm forward is the real key to me.

The first two videos were against topspin, only the Ma Long video was against backspin. The earlier Harimoto clip was against topspin also.

Iskandar

Turns out Ovtcharov now plays with Dignics 09C on his forehand and Dignics 05 on his backhand. So he's turned Chinese?

(No one else in the top 200 has switched to Dignics, at least not on this web site:)

https://tabletennis.guide/goods.php?sec ... popularity

Iskandar

I spoke to an Olympic boxing coach recently. We talked a lot about training in our respective sports and I grilled him pretty hard on the advantages/disadvantages of using a heavy bag (punching bag) to train boxing. I said that bags don't hit back, so is there any benefit in using one? I also asked about shadow-boxing and the speed bag.

A heavy bag in boxing is the equivalent to a robot in TT, or something like it. The coach talked about using a bag to improving technique and power as part of a balanced training plan. Clearly, the bag is only one part of boxing training but, if used right, it can contribute to overall performance. He said that it is good to work on punching technique without the distraction of someone punching back at you.

I see the body as the engine for each shot. The engine is the force behind the shot. I'd say the largest percentage of errors that club players make are body-related by far. Solving body issues can often solve any arm issues because the force created has a positive impact on the direction.

There are times that this all doesn't work out, as per Russ's original shove attempts. A member also sent me a bunch of videos today and he got the body movement perfect on the fh topspin against backspin. The problem was he was swinging across himself so I pointed that out. I actually asked him to watch LTT07 and try to get the arm triangle shape. This is the first time I've direct someone to watch that video in a long time. It's very rare that someone gets the fh body movement right against backspin and doesn't get the arm right, but that's what happened. The member sometimes post here and he can talk about it if he wants.

So what is more important, the body or the arm? What is more important, the engine of the plane or the wing? The plane ultimate needs both to fly.

Here is the video that Brett mentioned. I think I crossed the midline when I tried to put too much power and overused the arm (don't remember really). This morning, I did some shadowswings. When I focus on the hips and let the arm "swing" freely, this issue doesn't arise.

https://youtu.be/hvlFDm3oH_c

Thanks chopblock. This is the exact video that you sent to Brett that he commented on or this is your fix?

It's the video I sent him yesterday. Didn't have a chance to practice since then.

Here is the video that Brett mentioned. I think I crossed the midline when I tried to put too much power and overused the arm (don't remember really). This morning, I did some shadowswings. When I focus on the hips and let the arm "swing" freely, this issue doesn't arise.

https://youtu.be/hvlFDm3oH_c

The perfect shove backhand?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuI3kKJSUUU&t=55