Show #316 - Make Your Skills Automatic

6 years ago


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Welcome to another edition of the ask the coach show where we answer your table tennis questions. In this episode we talk about how the way the top players hold the bat is evolving, and also spend some time discussing how through practice we can make our execute our skills automatically without the need to focus specifically on them. Enjoy the show!

Joke of the Week - 0:35

What did the left eye say to the right eye?

On This Week - 1:40

Birthdays of Quadri Aruna, Li Jiawei, Kristian Karlsson, and Sarida Rosario.

PingSkills Scoring App Competition Winners - 6:06

We announce the 10 people who have won the PingSkills scoring app for their iOS device.

Tournament Wrap - 9:18

This week we talk about the upcoming Nigerian Open with Quadri Aruna being the number 1 seed.

Tip and Drill of the Week - 12:12

We discuss the importance of the grip and in particular how tightly you should hold the bat for different strokes. We also discuss how the grip of the top players is evolving.

Good Footwork Without Thinking - 19:00

Chandrachur: Hi Alois, When I do footwork drills, I know that I have to focus on the footwork, so I do and I play well. But during matches, there are a lot of other things that I have to think (type of serve, placement, speed, opponents return etc.) and I often find myself not moving well and resorting to stretching to reach the ball. When I see this, I again put my attention towards my footwork and then I am playing excellent again. But as soon as I start thinking other strategies, I lose my movement.

Forehand Topspin Against Backspin - 22:09

Youjia: Hi coach, I have practiced forehand topspin against backspin for a few weeks but my strokes always hit the net. I have tried to use my leg and turn my hip when I hit the ball but it does not seem to work. Sometimes I whip my arm and turn my hip at the same time but it does not make much difference. I am a 6'2 (188 cm) guy and I wonder if I cannot use any strength in my arms or if I need to lower my body further down when I hit the ball.

Forehand Chop Block - 26:22

Jack: Hey guys, any tips on the forehand chop block? Currently I'm trying to execute it like how I would do a backhand chop block, but I find it rather difficult to get the correct angle. The ball doesn't jump too high, but there's significantly less spin compared to my backhand. I know it's not a very practical stroke, but I was thinking that it would add an element of surprise to my play style.

Focus of Attention on Serve - 28:52

Robert:  Where do you focus your attention on the serve?  Do you focus on where you want the ball to bounce first, or do you focus on where you want the ball to land?  When I focus on where I want the ball to land, I often miss my first bounce spot and drive the ball to close to or into the net.

Links in this Episode

Forehand Topspin Off Backspin Tutorial              

Advanced Forehand Topspin Tutorial               

Backhand Slow Spinny Topspin (for premium members)

How To Serve a Fast Serve Down the Line