What is My Style
Table Tennis Match Strategy
Last updated 8 years ago
Erriza Shalahuddin Asked 8 years ago
Greetings, everyone.
Just last night I had a conversation with my friend. Initially, we talked about table tennis equipment, and we agreed as beginner we shouldn't change equipment too much as we need to build our basics. After we find our style, only then we can attempt to try various combination that suits our style.
Well, I'm not going to ask about equipment since I'm not a table tennis equipment freak and my current setup is good enough for me (FH: black xiom vega europe; BH: red DHS H3N; blade: yinhe T1). What I want to know is how to find my style? What is my style? How do I know that "this" (looper, blocker, chopper, lobber, or whatever) style is my style?
Thanks, and sorry for too many "styles" :p
Alois Rosario Answered 8 years ago
Hi Erriza,
Think about what you tend to do most. Also think about what you feel most comfortable doing. If you do these two things then you will probably find some answers. We also talked about styles in our Ask The Coach Show #130 yesterday.
Thoughts on this question
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Ilia Minkin Posted 8 years ago
One can also watch some watch some pros game, find favourite player(s) and imitate their game. With some limitations, of course!
Erriza Shalahuddin Posted 8 years ago
Interesting...
I used to say that my style was one-wing looper. But in reality, opening the attack (especially backspin push) isn't my real thing. After I evaluated myself, I concluded that most of my points came from 2 things:
1. straight from my serves (sometimes from my 3rd ball when the ball is very high). For this one, I don't get it myself. I always think that my serve is nothing exceptional. Just regular pendulum serve with backspin/nospin variation and occasional long-and-fast serve, but I often caught my opponents off-guard.
2. my blocks.
Only in several occasions I won points through opening the backspin ball (straight from it or from the loose ball from my opponent's return). I'd even dare to say that my backhand opening is (slightly) better than my forehand.
So what should I do? Should I become a pure blocker and give up being a looper? Should I learn how to loop to become an allround player? Or should I push forward to be a consistent looper (this was my dream, but right now I'm a little bit confused)? What options should I take?
Erriza Shalahuddin Posted 8 years ago
Hi, Ilia, thanks for your opinion. I also believe that imitating is also the early process of learning. Initially I tried to imitate Ma Long's forehand topspin, but I ended up having "Timo Boll"-like forehand, with his finish position lower and more forward (lol).
Well, I think that's my limitation afterall...
Ilia Minkin Posted 8 years ago
Erriza,
I think that it is too hard to imitate Ma Long's forehand :) But there are many tactical aspects that compose one's style. Like using power vs. spin and placement, playing forehand from backhand corner, playing killer third ball attacks vs. establishing fifth ball attack and so on. Blockers also come in variety of colors and sizes :)
>So what should I do? Should I become a pure blocker and give up being a looper? Should I learn how to loop to become an allround player?
I think that the real answer lies in what you like and enjoy. If you like looping, but still not good at it, you can train and improve it.