Developing topspin
Training and Drills
Fabian Moreno Asked 5 years ago
any specific exercises that you find very useful to start teaching how to spin/brush the ball to juniors?
i find sometimes hard to get them to have more feeling and transition from flat hitting to brushing,
specially for topspin the ball
i found very useful to slow down the speed for them to focus on brushing but still looking for drills that are more effective for this particular skill
can be inside or outside the table.
Alois Rosario Answered 5 years ago
Hi Fabian,
One that I use regularly now is to put a string or pole about 2 meters above the level of the net and get them to hit the ball over the strong and onto the table. Feed them a backspin ball with only a little backspin to start with. To do this they will have to develop the brushing contact.
Another one that I have seen but don't use very much is to roll the ball off the table and get them to brush the ball up with topspin as it rolls off the table.
Thoughts on this question
Become a free member to post a comment about this question.
knarf ... from France Posted 5 years ago
Hello,
Thanks for this tips. I am not a junior, but I would like to re-learn to topspin, as I know mine is not good. Then, the question is: how can I practice alone?
I like the option of the string/pole above the net exercise, but cannot do it alone.
How can I manage?
knarf
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 5 years ago
Hi. No problems Knarf.
You can bounce the ball in front of you and hit the ball over the string. You will still get the feel of the contact required.
D K Posted 5 years ago
Another useable option is when you have bouncy floor,is to let the ball fall to the floor and try to loop it to the table as it bounces up.
This is how one club at my places practises spinny loops.
knarf ... from France Posted 5 years ago
Hi Alois and DK,
Thanks for your clever advices.
Maybe I will mix both of your solutions:
I will put half of my TT table up, in front of me, put the net alonsgide the border of the unflod side of the table.
And then bounce the ball on the floor and hit the ball over the string. If the stroke is ok, the ball should pass over the string, bounce on the unfold table, bounce on the vertical part of the table and return to the floor in front of me? I may change the angle of the vertical table to get a better return...
I will try and let you know ;-)
D K Posted 5 years ago
Knarf,if you use this technique,the ball should bounce upwards from the vertical side of the half-folded table.
But the fact is I do not really understand what do you intend.
Regardless,there is one common thing: a well-spun topspin ball should ...
Watch this video of Ma Lin and his ghost serve:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8advrudYZs
Notice how the ball keeps returning back to the net,because of spin.
Your topspins,if they are correct,should do the same thing,except that they should keep returning to the wall opposite to you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvsKxHkMde8
Here is another video of Waldner showing exactly what I mean (at the end,at time about 2:00)
Fabian Moreno Posted 5 years ago
hi alois i was adviced on my trip to southamerica to try an exerxise called 'the little bottle´,
basically you sit with a box of balls next to you on one side of the table,
and you use a plastic bottle with no cap, you put one ball on the top of the bottle and hold the bottle with your hand from the bottom, and get the trainee to topspin it to the other side of the table and keep going until he or she starts to put lots of balls in.
you can either place the bottle on the back edge of the table with a ball on top and do the same, the idea is the trainee brushes the ball without hitting the bottle or even knocking the bottle.
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 5 years ago
That would work well Fabian. Thanks for sharing.