OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Play where the ceiling is low...

Iskandar

Man my teammate already complains about everything...the courts are too small, the ball doesn't spin enough, the lights hang too low, people who play with anti suck, anyone who nets or edges him suck (but he has the most edges of anyone I've ever known )...don't need one more reason for him to complain lol

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

Where I play doubles on weekends, we play in a car port - the ceiling is all of eight feet, and there's a cement beam that crosses the ceiling approximately above where the net is. Along with all the trash talking there's all sorts of complaining - the wind, the glare, the slippery floors - and the fact that the ceiling is too low. So one day, by consensus, they decided that balls that hit the ceiling and then hit the table on the proper side are considered "in", because they would (might!) have been in if the ceiling were the proper height! The beam usually takes care of most balls that hit the ceiling though, they bounce back to the hitter's side, it's the rare ball that hits the bottom of the beam.

This afternoon I had one that ricocheted off a flower pot and went in... That one didn't count.

Iskandar

What is the correct technique to smash a lob. Assume it bounces about head height. Tonight I waited for the balk to drop a bit the tended to smash long. Bat not angled enough, not enough spin or not hitting down over the ball. Should I take the ball on the way up?

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Joola Rhyzm 425 2.0mm ,BH Donic Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm

Smash it where it feels most comfortable Cobalt, both in height and position that it reaches. Generally waiting for the ball to fall will give you more time and certainty on where the ball will be met with your stroke. Hitting it on the way up off the bounce has the ball at its greatest speed, so is the hardest to judge. It can be a good time to return it, but I'd be hitting more of a block on it than a full swing smash. Some people hit it with a blade angle that imparts a spin that sucks the ball back toward the net (or at least slows its forward momentum greatly). This can leave the lobber way back off the table expecting to deal with a smash, and they get a short ball. To be proficient at this takes quite a lot of practice though.

So, unless you want to develop this, or feel really comfortable smashing just past the bounce, its best to position for where the ball will fall and either loop it or flat smash it (a split-second decision to make based on whether you feel you have your feet and body in the right place). If you don't get in absolutely the right position, a flat smash is very difficult to land on the table. Judging the right bat angle and swing path while you are adjusting for a bad feet and/or body position means you have a large chance of either sending the ball long or in the net. That correct path between the wrong ones is rather slim. You do have to back yourself and I find it helps if you've had a glance at the table on the other side and back to the ball, so you have seen the path you want the ball to go along. Then your hand-eye coordination has a greater chance to work IMO anyway.

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

The one time I had coaching with Danny Seemiller (the club paid for him and Ricky to come down) he said to hit the ball over the top, to give it a little bit of topspin. He also said most of the time you don't have to hit it at 100% speed, 70% would be adequate. Don't remember what he said about whether to hit it on the way up or to wait for it to come down - some lobs bounce too high to hit it at the top of the bounce for a lot of us.

Danny can actually play pretty decent chop defense! Uses the regular side, not the anti, on the backhand, even when chopping. He has to roll the handle over to get the open racket.

Iskandar