Difficulty doing a footwork drill
Table Tennis Footwork
Last updated 10 years ago
Arnab Ghosh Asked 10 years ago
Hi,
There is a drill which my club coach insists on doing. Its playing an extreme backhand and on the next shot hitting a forehand loop in the extreme right. I am having a problem doing the drill. Half the time I can't even do more than 2-3 shots. What am I doing wrong?
- Am I supposed to see the ball and then make the footwork left or right, or hit and jump before the blocker returns the ball?
- Should I start with drills which have short footwork and gradually increase the distance?
- Should I have two steps while shifting left or right or should I make one long step towards the ball?
Sincerely,
Arnab Ghosh
Alois Rosario Answered 10 years ago
Hi Arnab,
With these drills to start with you should move straight after hitting the previous ball because you know where the ball is going.
The movement is a sideways jumping action with both legs. If you can get there in one jump that is great but otherwise, make a couple of movements. Take another look at our lesson on Footwork Basics.
This wide drill will get your legs moving in the correct motion. You could do some narrower movement to start with to get the feel of the movement.
Thoughts on this question
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Arnab Ghosh Posted 10 years ago
Thanks Alois, for the quick response and the video suggestion.
I'll try moving across with two steps the next time and see if I can improve and connect with more balls.
Regards,
Arnab
ganesh burra Posted 10 years ago
Hi Alois,
When playing TT I somehow put so much pressure on my legs that I hardly move, how to relax the legs while playing TT?
The problem is not just the legs, I even unconsciously hold the bat too tight after playing 3-4 strokes.
And onemore thing is that when I am putting conscious effort in moving my feet, I am moving sideways fine, but coming in and out is a problem then.
How to get over these problems? Is there a way that I can improve or I am thinking too much?
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 10 years ago
Hi Ganesh,
It may be you're thinking too much. It is important to keep relaxed while playing to allow your body to move freely. Start by focusing on your grip. Try to hold it as loosely as possible while still keeping it in your hand. As you feel this tighten, focus on loosening it again.
Taking a deep breath can also help.
ganesh burra Posted 10 years ago
Will try to play as freely as possible, thanks Alois.
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 10 years ago
Let me know how it goes.
ganesh burra Posted 10 years ago
I can actually feel the ball hitting my bat, and it feels great.
When receiving service should we stand tall or crouch, because I've observed today that when I crouch it becomes difficult to receive short service, especially on wide FH side.
On the whole I practiced today and enjoyed that session without much stress.
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 10 years ago
Well done.
Crouching is better. It may be harder at first but you will get used to it. It will give you better ability to move fast.