August 29, 2011

Tip of the Week

Suggested equipment for beginning and intermediate players.

Sean O'Neill teaching the forehand

Here's a great video (8:21) of Olympian and five-time U.S. Men's Singles Champion Sean O'Neill teaching the forehand. Note the emphasis on being in balance - left and right sides, backswing and follow through, etc.

Timo Boll serve and grip change

Here's a slow-motion video (1:10) of world #2 Timo Boll of Germany doing a reverse pendulum serve, and following it up with two forehand loops. Two things of interest. First, note how long he spends at a complete stop before the serve - he's visualizing the serve before doing it, as you should always do. Second, about 38 seconds in, as he prepares for his first forehand loop, see how he changes his grip into a forehand grip. Most players do not change grip during a rally; Boll does. I sometimes think this might be the next technique revolution, where players change their grip for certain shots as part of the stroke. Right now it is frowned on by most coaches, just as receiving short serves to the forehand (against backhand serve sidespin) with the backhand was a few years ago, or reverse penhold backhands. Yes, techniques change.

Possible Replacements for the New York City Open

So you were all set to compete in the New York City Open this past weekend? And then that mean old blowbag Irene showed up and postponed the tournament? (I'll post here when/if it is rescheduled.) Well, fear not - below are other upcoming tournaments (through October) in the Northeast region! This includes the four-star Westchester Open, Oct. 8-9, also in New York, as well as the three-star New England Open, Sept. 10-11. I've also added four-star tournaments from outside the region - the LA Open, Badger Open (in nearby Wisconsin), and Berkeley Open. Oh, you're not in the northeast region? Then see the USATT tournament schedule for your region.

Dear Irene notes (mostly non-table tennis)

I had a little fun on Saturday. All day long, roughly every hour, I put up a new note regarding the approaching (and arriving) Hurricane Irene. Here they are, gathered together for the first time, for your reading enjoyment.

9:00 AM
Lots of first-round defaults here at the New York City Table Tennis Open. Where is everyone? But someone told me the top seed in women's singles, Irene, is on her way.

10:00 AM
Dear Irene,
It's an undark and unstormy Saturday morning. Can we keep it that way?

11:00 AM
Dear Irene,
I know you're pretty angry right now because I called you a fat airhead. But please calm down. What happens in North Carolina stays in North Carolina, but only if you stay in North Carolina.

12 Noon
Dear Irene,
I hear you are still on your way, and that you're taking your anger out on innocent people. Look, I'm sorry I called you a fat airhead, but c'mon, let's be honest, you're 500 miles of swirling hot air.

1:00 PM
Dear Irene,
I'm sorry I called you Raunchier Irene, but Raunchier *is* an anagram of Hurricane. It won't happen again.

2:00 PM
Dear Irene,
Please remember the restraining order. Can't we just use Skype?

3:00 PM
Dear Irene,
Could you pick up a gallon of milk and a dozen eggs on your way?

4:00 PM
Dear Irene,
Can't we talk this over? I promise to put the seat down next time. Call me.

5:00 PM
Dear Irene,
If you stop now, I won't sick FEMA on you. I'm warning you - I have an umbrella and I know how to use it!

6:00 PM
Dear 911,
There's a crazy woman pounding on my door! Come quickly! You want a description? Um, a swirling mass of air about 500 miles wide, and, well, here's a picture I took with my cell phone.

7:00 PM
Dear Irene,
The police will be here any minute. You better go away. [Note to self: where will they put the handcuffs?]

8:00 PM
Dear Irene,
Get away from my house! And what do you mean you're going to leave "a nicer ruin here"? Yes, I know that's an anagram for "Hurricane Irene," but come on!

9:00 PM
Dear Irene,
We have to stop meeting like this. The neighbors will talk.

10:00 PM
Dear Anybody,
HELP!!! Irene's using an axe on my front door! She's coming after me! And - she keeps saying, "Heeeeeere's Irene!"

11:00 PM
This is an all-points bulletin for Irene, wanted for loitering, vandalism, creating a public disturbance, water boarding, and the murder of SF writer and table tennis coach Larry Hodges. Suspect is 500 miles wide, made of wind and water, and was last seen traveling up the U.S. east coast at thirteen miles per hour. Suspect is armed and dangerous; shoot on sight.

***

Send us your own coaching news!

SchemeSC Mon, 08/29/2011 - 17:38

Larry,

I just wanted to say I love the blog.  I am an intermediate (~1700) player without a coach and your site has been a goldmine of information. Thanks!

I have always heard a great deal about Timo Boll's infamous grip changes, but I've never been able to see exactly what he's doing in full speed. Very perceptive on your part to notice that grip change at :38.

 I wonder if Boll is constantly making these kind of grip changes, or if he  only does it against underspin pushes where he has more time?  He certainly couldn't be making these adjustments when he is blocking loops close to the table, could he?

Thanks again, and keep up the great work with the blog.  We are reading and learning and we are grateful!!

 

 

Profile picture for user Larry Hodges
Larry Hodges Mon, 08/29/2011 - 18:52

I'm guessing, from what I've seen, that the only major grip change for Boll is when looping, when he switches to the extreme forehand grip. Other than when serving, most players use pretty much the same grip for all shots since (according to theory) it takes too long to switch. And yet does it really take longer to switch grips than it does to move your entire body into position and backswing for the shot? 

There is one relatively common grip change in rallies - some players rotate the racket slightly on the backhand (into a slight backhand grip, so top of the racket rotates away from you) by putting pressure on the racket with their thumb. Jan-Ove Waldner did this.

Glad you like the blog!