Table Tennis Anyone?

My latest obsession is table tennis averaging 10+ hours /week! Can anyone recommend videos or books for an intermediate player?

Originally posted by monster truck
My latest obsession is table tennis averaging 10+ hours /week! Can anyone recommend videos or books for an intermediate player?

Your best bet is trying to find a 'club' in your area and just playing the good people and learning from them. Do you have a feel for any spins yet? Top, bottom, left or right... get to know them and they become a very important part of every shot you take weather you're really trying to get the ball to move, or just land it on the table.

A book or video might be nice, but won't be much help unless you are playing someone who's as good as or better.

My favorite shots are letting the ball come back 3 or 5 feet from the end of the table and spin-dig it up near the floor and over the net landing it near the edges on the other side of the table. This is good for either 'when you don't have a good shot, just drop back' or 'I don't want this guy expecting it coming back, and he can't read my paddle if I'm down low under the table'.

I've got a friend up the street who lives with his brother... and his father is the best of all 3 of them. All of them can beat me most of the time, but I've gotten much better and stand a better chance the more I play with them. The best is playing doubles when we get another friend to come over, lots of fun trying to make room for each other and working together.

I've got a vid about of the father playing I'll try to drum up later. I can't find it from home.

P-

I play with heavy topspin on both wings and can chop both sides with moderate success. My serve is very good for an intermediate. I can mix all spins on both wings. Closet clubs are over an hour away. Hope to visit one next weekend to see a tournament.

The best competition I have is against a preacher and his son who we work for occasionally. My coworker and I team up against them for some good doubles and I usually can beat all 3 of them in a best of 5 match.

I like the videos for visual learning of proper footwork and stroke technique. Are there any you would recommend Phlabb?

Originally posted by monster truck
I play with heavy topspin on both wings and can chop both sides with moderate success. My serve is very good for an intermediate. I can mix all spins on both wings. Closet clubs are over an hour away. Hope to visit one next weekend to see a tournament.

The best competition I have is against a preacher and his son who we work for occasionally. ...[text shortened]... ual learning of proper footwork and stroke technique. Are there any you would recommend Phlabb?

I was a table tennis coach and spent most of two decades coaching. My school club eventually won the national schools championship.

3/4 years ago the chinese table tennis association allowed two of their young players come to my school for a year. they were amazing, they made my kids look like donkeys.

I will never forget how the 14 year old boy beat the legendary Andrea Grubba and then asked for his autograph. The girl went to the top of the womens ranking, but in China she was so ordinary that her mother would not believe her until she sent the ranking list back,

My advice if you want to get good is:

1) Find a partner that wants to train as well. One of you will need to "feed" the other.

2) Do "multiball" execises, for shots you need to develop.

3) Decide on your style of play and get a bat that suits it.

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
I was a table tennis coach and spent most of two decades coaching. My school club eventually won the national schools championship.

3/4 years ago the chinese table tennis association allowed two of their young players come to my school for a year. they were amazing, they made my kids look like donkeys.

I will never forget how the 14 year old boy ...[text shortened]... r shots you need to develop.

3) Decide on your style of play and get a bat that suits it.

Have 2 "training buddies". We typically practice for 45min. to an hour and then play games. Not sure what the "multiball" drills are. Will have to check that out.

Prefer to attack but enjoy good defensive play if needed.

Am currently using a Butterfly prefab bat which supposedly supports all around play. It has more tack than my old Butterfly (25 years old) and a Stiga prefab I bought a few months ago. Not sure if I'm ready to graduate to a custom bat yet. Will be sure and hit you up for advice if I get that far.

Proof that the sports forum was merited. 🙂

I made the semi finals of an Alfreton & distrcit Scouts tournament aged 12.

My Dad played for Leicestershire in his youth. He would play me and call the direction the ball would go off my bat as he played his shot. I never worked out how to counter the spin he put on. Still makes me chuckle remembering how frustrating it was!

Originally posted by monster truck
I play with heavy topspin on both wings and can chop both sides with moderate success. My serve is very good for an intermediate. I can mix all spins on both wings. Closet clubs are over an hour away. Hope to visit one next weekend to see a tournament.

The best competition I have is against a preacher and his son who we work for occasionally. ...[text shortened]... ual learning of proper footwork and stroke technique. Are there any you would recommend Phlabb?

The only place I've ever seen it is on ESPN or ESPN2, never seen an instructional video. I learned the game as a kid playing college kids at the university in my area... and later had a table for several years when I was in my early 20's.

Another buddy got a table when I was in my late 20's to early 30's... and now that I'm mid to late 30's again I have access to a table at my friends house.

There must be something good online to watch, have you ever searched for video online? I would now, but am dialed up from home.

P-

Originally posted by Phlabibit
The only place I've ever seen it is on ESPN or ESPN2, never seen an instructional video. I learned the game as a kid playing college kids at the university in my area... and later had a table for several years when I was in my early 20's.

Another buddy got a table when I was in my late 20's to early 30's... and now that I'm mid to late 30's again I ha ...[text shortened]... , have you ever searched for video online? I would now, but am dialed up from home.

P-

I learned at the local Recreation Center and then got a bit better when I was in the Navy. I remember one Swede who in particular at the Great Lakes electronics school who would burp after every 2 or 3 shots. Man could that guy drive the ball!!!

Have a buddy 5 minutes up the road who just bought a nice Butterfly Playback Rollaway. Nice table for the basement. He's graduated from the hardbat to rubber and is improving nicely though we had to set up a handicap system in order to make our games competitive. It's fun to help and watch other players improve.

The best free instructional clips I've found were at this site- http://tabletennis.about.com/

I've found a few clips on the net which are fun to watch.

Originally posted by rhb
Proof that the sports forum was merited. 🙂

I made the semi finals of an Alfreton & distrcit Scouts tournament aged 12.

My Dad played for Leicestershire in his youth. He would play me and call the direction the ball would go off my bat as he played his shot. I never worked out how to counter the spin he put on. Still makes me chuckle remembering how frustrating it was!

To return spin, there are two basic ways.

1) Watch the opponents bat and whichever way the bat goes, the ball will tend to go that way. e.g. a downward bat motion will cause the ball to go down when you hit it.

Simply adjust the ANGLE of your bat to do the oppostie. E.g. if the opponent moves his bat across the ball to the right hand side of the table, simply point your bat at the left hand side.

You do not have to play much of a shot as you are using the spin. This is the best way to control the ball.

2) Play the opposite shot to your opponent. This is much more difficult and normally needs a slight brush as you are trying to increase the spin your opponent has put on the ball.

Any of you guys live in Iowa? I haven't had a good game since I left home. There were a couple of decent players in college, but no one near the caliber of my brothers. My uncle was MN state champ for a year and I've never come close to beating him.

Originally posted by monster truck
Have 2 "training buddies". We typically practice for 45min. to an hour and then play games. Not sure what the "multiball" drills are. Will have to check that out.

Prefer to attack but enjoy good defensive play if needed.

Am currently using a Butterfly prefab bat which supposedly supports all around play. It has more tack than my old Butterfly ...[text shortened]... to graduate to a custom bat yet. Will be sure and hit you up for advice if I get that far.

Its really worth spending money on a bat. I don't know what rubbers or blades are on sale in the US, but the principles are the same.

If you play 10 hours plus a bat will not only help you play better it will make you play with a good technique. Playing with an old bat will mean that your shots will probably develop with a big action, something you will regret when you move up a class.

The type of rubbers are VERY important to your style. Some rubbers reverse the spin, some nullify the spin and others slow the ball down loads. When I play, the glue is massively important as well, I would glue the bat 10-15 minutes before I play, it improves the speed and accuracy of my play.

I don't know what it is like in the states, but if it is a big tournament in the UK, specialist TT companies set up in the hall. They are very good at explaining the products.

Originally posted by zebano
Any of you guys live in Iowa? I haven't had a good game since I left home. There were a couple of decent players in college, but no one near the caliber of my brothers. My uncle was MN state champ for a year and I've never come close to beating him.

Bummer, I live in New Hampshire. Wouldn't mind hitting with a player better than myself!

My Aunt and Uncle used to live in Des Moines and we visited them several times. Almost like going to a different country for a 10 year old.

If any of you come across interesting table tennis sites, please be sure and post links.

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
Its really worth spending money on a bat. I don't know what rubbers or blades are on sale in the US, but the principles are the same.

If you play 10 hours plus a bat will not only help you play better it will make you play with a good technique. Playing with an old bat will mean that your shots will probably develop with a big action, something yo ...[text shortened]... UK, specialist TT companies set up in the hall. They are very good at explaining the products.

Thanks for the bat tip. I've noticed what you are saying is true. I've upgraded twice in the past 3 months and my strokes have shortened accordingly. Perhaps in 3 more months I'll take the plunge and upgrade again.

Seems like this is alot like tennis. As you progress, you need to adjust your equipment as well.

Also, practice here: http://www.miniclip.com/games/table-tennis/en/

🙂

Originally posted by monster truck
Thanks for the bat tip. I've noticed what you are saying is true. I've upgraded twice in the past 3 months and my strokes have shortened accordingly. Perhaps in 3 more months I'll take the plunge and upgrade again.

Seems like this is alot like tennis. As you progress, you need to adjust your equipment as well.

Also a common theme is how your technique develops so does the emphasis.

At first it is body movement (feet and waist especially)

then good players learn to use their shoulders.

But the shoulder is too slow so then the elbow becomes vital (especially on the backhand)

Next is the fastest joint the wrist.

An ex world champion used to coach a chinese girl who lived with me for a year. He said that :

In any english speaking country, the players over use their shoulders and so let them play and counter attack.

All world class players know when and where to accelerate their wrists and elbows.

The world champion knows about when and where to use his fingers.