Dear pingponger,
From January 4th I will give training every Thursday. We set up the tables from 7:30 PM. We start at 7:45 PM and I will pair you with someone of the same level. Although students and beginners are given priority, the training is intended for everyone.
I will pay a lot of attention to technique (footwork!), insight and exercises where you do not know where the ball will land. Think, look and consciously vary: you will be surprised how many more matches you can win by playing a little smarter.
However, variation only costs points if you have not trained for it.
If it really isn’t your thing, you will still benefit from practice, because you will handle it better if your opponent does vary.
For example, it already scores a lot of points if you can push alternately with a lot of backspin and a little backspin. You get more backspin by hitting the ball thinner with a more downward motion (otherwise the ball will go up). You get little backspin by hitting the ball thicker with a more horizontal movement. You can also vary the speed this way.
For example, if you play against a passive player (right-handed, no pips), it is often a good idea to unexpectedly slide the ball straight after a few backhand (bh) movements with little backspin (and faster), planning to hit the next ball with fh spin (or smash!).
If the opponent is less passive, you push the ball straight with a lot of backspin. Many opponents now step forward towards the ball with their right leg, which makes it difficult for them to open properly.
Or they open the ball in the net. :-0
And if they push back, the ball no longer goes outwards to your bh, but at most straight ahead, making a fh easier. (Another time we will train the bh-opening 🙂
All variants are easy to train, very useful for *both* players. If everything goes well, player A pushes straight ahead *irregularly* with a lot of backspin or little backspin: player B now has to look carefully and pay close attention to his footwork.
So those things 😉 I structure the training as you read, so be on time. There will also always be basic exercises for strength and fitness.
I’m really looking forward to it: hopefully I’ll see you appear, and certainly afterwards in the Big Bang 🙂
~Peter