OOAK Table Tennis Forum

It took me about 3 months to feel comfortable serving with my arm closer to my body. Still imperfect but the change was very much worth it. Some people think I hide the serve but that is more about how familiar they are with serving technique.

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

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training" - Archilochus

The other side note for you is that you use an extremely hard rubber. You might want to change to something more European or something just softer and see how well you play.

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

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training" - Archilochus

Thanks guys. I'm actually really enjoying the process. Normally I'd completely agree. And I think to basically perfect it, I'll probably need half a year or more, but I feel like changes in serves is something that's very natural for me.

Changing the timing of my serve only took less than 2 hours of free practice (would probably be faster if I did it with a bucket of balls instead). I feel pretty confident in the new timing already. Getting it closer to my body will take a little longer because there are 2 things I need to work on. The first is getting used to having my elbow further behind my body. Right now it feels a little unnatural still. The second is practicing the new toss. If I don't toss the ball towards me ("near vertical" instead of actually vertical like before), I can't get the contact closer to the body. And if I under or over toss the ball, the serve doesn't go well.

Changes in technique are really difficult because there's a moving ball involved, and too many factors that change every time.

I started practicing a deep fast punch serve for unknown reasons today. I now realize why the punch serve seemed impossible a year ago: the body has to be used a lot. Like a forehand counter or loop. If you do not use the body the punch serve just isn't possible.

I'm looking at the ttedge videos about the topic and realized that my motion is WAY over the top right now (maybe not shin touch on a serve?). Still the key to making it happen is the use of the body and it seems almost impossible to do one does not understand LTT97.

I would be X-Rating if I did not have X-Defect is a common statement.

But the more I understand how to use the body, I have come to appreciate more and more how much my knee (and overall joint) issues limit me - it is really pathetic. I push off with the lower body for 5 minutes and then my knees start acting up and then I become a statue. It can suck sometimes.

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

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training" - Archilochus

Yeah, it's not ideal.

The legs are so important in table tennis. I hadn't played for a few months and I did some looping yesterday. My left glute is ridiculously tight now, so I know what is important. If you are right handed, your right glute is responsible for powering a forehand topspin.

LTT98 is one of the best videos I've ever made. Dropping and moving your left knee is the key to making a correct forehand topspin. I teach this to players at the highest levels. If you do the left knee move from 98, your glute will be fully engaged on the forward swing/twist

_________________
Get your 3 wishes here today!
ttEDGE.com Professional online coaching

ETTS63 is now available on ttEDGE.com

LTT117 should be an interesting video when it comes out. I've been teaching players how to jump into the backswing for some time, so it's time for a video. It's actually quite a complicated theory although all top players do it.

I'm not going to write too much specifically about coaching India. I'm currently coaching both seniors and junior teams and it's quite an experience. I've benched against Lin Yun Ju which was an interesting experience. That kid is about to leap through the stratosphere and potentially win in Tokyo. I've never seen anything quite like it from close range.

If you have nothing better to do, here is a Brett-time story to help put you to sleep. http://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/o ... 07907.html

and this for the super bored lurker
https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sp ... 659609.ece

_________________
Get your 3 wishes here today!
ttEDGE.com Professional online coaching

Talking about TT in India, am i missing something about watching UTT season 3. It seems I can only watch it live on ITTV, and cannot watch anything from the past except highlights on Youtube. I hate highlights, as I want to see the players' reactions between points and games. If I miss the live show, that seems to be it. I suspect Brett might know a little about this.

_________________
Other setups:
SDC Custom Blade/Butterfly Dignics 80/Butterfly Glayzer
BTY Viscaria/Tibhar K3/Tibhar K3

I watch it all here https://www.hotstar.com/ I actually paid $4 for a year's subscription so I can watch it live. I'm sure I could have watched on ITTV but I paid anyway.

I should really be there, however, I'm in another city taking a national junior camp to prepare for the Hong Kong Junior Open.

_________________
Get your 3 wishes here today!
ttEDGE.com Professional online coaching

Thanks for that. Unfortunately, "not available in my region". Bit of a drag, as the last two seasons were live and on replay on Youtube. I quite enjoy this type of format, with top players, very fast matches etc. Like the original T2 APAC as well. The team aspect adds something. Just have to try to be in front of a PC at the right time for the live stream I suppose.

_________________
Other setups:
SDC Custom Blade/Butterfly Dignics 80/Butterfly Glayzer
BTY Viscaria/Tibhar K3/Tibhar K3

Ironically this is what I've been trying to practice in training when switching between backhand and forehand. I look forward to this vid.
https://youtu.be/kMQvoNfOoUE?t=5
Like Freitas is doing here, sort of a mini hop while spinning his hips back for fh and a mini hop into bow position for the bh. I think you've covered some of it on your videos.

There was a debate on a swedish table tennis podcast a while ago about the different approach coaches have. Many coaches seem to think that you should move then start the backswing. I don't think it makes sense as there's just no time for that and it does not look like that's what pro players do.

My forehand had gone off a few weeks ago and I could not work out why. When I remembered the left knee folding in a week ago in a bit it all came together again. Yes for me this is a breakthrough video.

Quite possibly unpopular opinion but I thought the ETTS63 FZD example video was a poor example. He may be so good that he barely even moves but I didn't really see him pushing back while hitting in the ETTS63 example. I found countless better examples of him doing it much more deliberately.

When it comes to a backhand flick I feel like it's a bit more like a serve. I feel like the forehand and backhand flicks could both use a series that would allow us to build up to having a quality shot.

I was going to say other unpopular things like how FZD is actually getting worse but I know better these days...

You start the backswing when you need to start it. Not before or after. When moving? Sure. After moving? Sure. You just do it when you need to do it.

Even more ironically I have been working on this too hence my lament. I am realizing more and more that the only way to get into position fast enough is to think of footwork as connecting rotations for shot sequences and not really as just getting into position. But the knees are so critical to get it right.

I lost to a lefty today because I couldn't get into position to loop his sidewinder without leaving the backhand open. Twice too, the second time cost me $75. But I can see that my game will just take a leap if I can connect the movements better.

I hope I didn't ruin my back. Taking a week off from competitive play but I plan to hit the gym sometime.

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

"We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training" - Archilochus