Table Tennis Anyone?

Good thread, great game, havn't played for a long time though. I have a dusty trophy of a tournament I won somewhere in the mid 90's. Now I want to play.

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
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 coac ...[text shortened]... te their wrists and elbows.

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

I really appreciate your tips/advice P Pupil! Especially the more general ideas like this last post. I am a sponge when it comes to learning so as long as you care to share I will soak it up.

I am still at the feet and waist stage for sure.
At 270 lbs I am still very quick to the shot but recovery is atrocious.
It's like trying to stop a locomotive!😳 Lost 32 lbs. last year and am trying for 40 this year. That should help a bit.

Interesting quote from the ex champ coach. I wonder why english speaking players have that tendency??? Maybe I'll be able to notice that in the video clips I watch.

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

🙂

Thanks, but I can't stand that game!
Most excellent profile btw.

Originally posted by monster truck
I really appreciate your tips/advice P Pupil! Especially the more general ideas like this last post. I am a sponge when it comes to learning so as long as you care to share I will soak it up.

I am still at the feet and waist stage for sure.
At 270 lbs I am still very quick to the shot but recovery is atrocious.
It's like trying to stop a locomot ...[text shortened]... g players have that tendency??? Maybe I'll be able to notice that in the video clips I watch.

Table tennis and chess have much in common.

like chess, you can be excellent at very old or young ages. Its just you have to adjust your game accordingly. In the British National league I once had to play at no2 in my team to a ten year old! (although he was national U14 champion.) I have also lost to the over 65 world champion, who moved better than I did.

Its the same with weight. in a league I play in, one of the strongest players is huge. He is also amazingly quick. first time anyone plays him they try to play him wide, BIG MISTAKE. He has to play close to the table and hit on both flanks, he is inconsistent but on his day he is dynamite.

Sadly though at the very top level, it is full of skinny people. They have very high levels of aerobic fitness. I have been to world and European championships, you really notice how slim they all are.

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
Table tennis and chess have much in common.

like chess, you can be excellent at very old or young ages. Its just you have to adjust your game accordingly. In the British National league I once had to play at no2 in my team to a ten year old! (although he was national U14 champion.) I have also lost to the over 65 world champion, who moved better th ...[text shortened]... tness. I have been to world and European championships, you really notice how slim they all are.

As well it should be with world class athletes!
Got in 3 hours of play today. 45 minutes of practice and 2+ hours of play. Very conscious of my balance and postion. Both were terrible in the first session and balance improved in the second. Am sure it had to do with my comfort level with each player. Did manage to play decent defense against both players returning multiple drives and dinks from wing to wing. All in all it was fun as usual.

Originally posted by monster truck
As well it should be with world class athletes!
Got in 3 hours of play today. 45 minutes of practice and 2+ hours of play. Very conscious of my balance and postion. Both were terrible in the first session and balance improved in the second. Am sure it had to do with my comfort level with each player. Did manage to play decent defense against both players returning multiple drives and dinks from wing to wing. All in all it was fun as usual.

What always amazed me when i was coaching was the number of my table tennis players who liked chess. If i held a school chess competition, nearly all of my table tennis players would enter. They would nearly always be better than average.

A few general points that might help on the serve:

At the highest level, the most common serve is backspin and short.

A serve that is VERY short is often easier to push back short and so is not the best serve.

So if you want to attack the serve (Third ball attack) serve just long enough so that if the ball were allowed to bounce again (third time or second on his side of the table) it would hit the edge.

Playing weak players, it is normally easy to serve long with spin to the backhand, this is a big mistake at higher levels.

A short serve, slightly towards the forehand side of the crossover point is a more important serve.

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
Table tennis and chess have much in common.

like chess, you can be excellent at very old or young ages.

So.... one thing then?

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
What always amazed me when i was coaching was the number of my table tennis players who liked chess. If i held a school chess competition, nearly all of my table tennis players would enter. They would nearly always be better than average.

A few general points that might help on the serve:

At the highest level, the most common serve is backspin a ...[text shortened]... hort serve, slightly towards the forehand side of the crossover point is a more important serve.

Have been working hard on both forehand and backhand double bounce serves. I have difficulty finding that middle range where it's short but not too short or long. During "games" with my pals I focus on only one serve and try to lock it in. That seems to help.

I've also found that tennis players tend to play chess. Most of my tennis buddies are decent chess players as well.

Originally posted by Crowley
So.... one thing then?

How about strategic decision making?
Critical analysis of strengths and weaknesses?
Individual competition?
Very difficult to master?
We're up to 5 now and I've barely scratched the surface.

Originally posted by Crowley
So.... one thing then?

Apart from the points badwolf mentioned.

Table tennis was favoured by China as an activity for the masses. It was a huge political tool both internally and externally. It is easy for beginners and yet at the highest end it pushes the boundaries of human physical performance.

Chess was favoured by Russia as an activity for the masses. It was a huge political tool both internally and externally. It is easy for beginners and yet at the highest end it pushes the boundaries of human mental performance.

Ironically, the greatest product of the chinese table tennis system was the Legendary Jan Ove Waldner. He copied the intensive training approach of the chinese and added the individualistic style of the western world. He is considered by many to be the greatest ever.

The greatest product of the soviet chess machine was the legendary Bobby Fischer. He copied the russian methods of intensive analysis, but added the individualistic style of the western world. he is considered by many to be the greatest ever.

The serve in table tennis is like the opening in chess. Beginners often rely too heavily on it and it affects their ability to learn basic rallying techniques and movement. The best way to learn table tennis is like chess, backwards. A good endgame/ good movement first, then you can develop serves that suit your style of play.

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
3) Decide on your style of play and get a bat that suits it.[/b]

Petrosianpupil... i never knew there were diffirent bats in TT? I know that the 'rubber' serface is diffirent.. is that what you mean?

Table tennis rules - they're so confusing it's not played by fools.

Originally posted by SALADIN
Petrosianpupil... i never knew there were diffirent bats in TT? I know that the 'rubber' serface is diffirent.. is that what you mean?

The bat in table tennis makes a huge difference and is a science of its own.

World championships have been won on technology.

I remember years ago Britain had a teenager who took advantage of technology in a huge way.

On one side he had a real spinny surface, on the other he had "long pimples". This rubber reverses the spin the opponent puts on the ball. So if you topspin the ball at long pimples it comes back as backspin.

He had the same colour rubber on both sides and would spin the bat so fast you would never tell what side he used.

He would serve with his back to you so you couldn't see the ball.

For most shots he would stamp his foot to disguise the amount of spin.

He would put high solvent glue on his bat just before he played that made his rubber gas powered.

He went to the world championships and wiped the floor with many of the world's best players. For the first week every match he played was watched by all the coaches.

They changed many of the rules soon after.

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
The bat in table tennis makes a huge difference and is a science of its own.

World championships have been won on technology.

I remember years ago Britain had a teenager who took advantage of technology in a huge way.

On one side he had a real spinny surface, on the other he had "long pimples". This rubber reverses the spin the opponent puts ...[text shortened]... tch he played was watched by all the coaches.

They changed many of the rules soon after.

i see... so what does the rules say... how much can you change the rubber on the bat by?

I think i know who you mean.. was his name Doughles?

Originally posted by SALADIN
i see... so what does the rules say... how much can you change the rubber on the bat by?

I think i know who you mean.. was his name Doughles?

Now the thickness is regulated to around 2 mm each side. Most people still play with "reverse" that is the smooth side out.

If you attack, normally you play with reverse.

To "Block" it is often best to play with fast short pimples on that side.

Long pimples can block as well and it is a hard skill but very hard to play against.

Defensive players normally play with one dead side and one spinny but slow.

Desmond Douglas was britain's best ever player, he had amazing reflex's. Also he is a real nice guy. I used to pay him to coach the best players at my club.

The player I was talking about was Carl Prean.