Having the pro's strokes!

[speedplay]

Now, what if you had the strokes of any given pro, along with footwork and all that comes with it, do you think this would be enough for you to compete at the same level as the pro? All you have to think about is shot selection.

I would love to give it a try, but I doubt I would be satisfied with the result ;) I think that if I got the stroke ability of, say Samsonov, I wouldn't be rated top 10 in the world. Actually, I would probably be lucky to be rated top 100.

What do you think?

[big ears]

Its a good question, I'm thinking......

[Der Echte]

Pure dreaming Martin. (Just like your future victory in out match)

Still fun to think about and ponder around a bit.

Obviously, none of us here are ever going to be a pro and of course it takes a complete package to crack the World Top 100.

If I had the footwork and consistancy of the pro shots, I would crack USATT 2300-2400 and that is about it. No higher.

[speedplay]

Pure dreaming Martin. (Just like your future victory in out match)


If I had the footwork and consistancy of the pro shots, I would crack USATT 2300-2400 and that is about it. No higher.

Not that I know that much about the Usatt system, but if you had Ma Lin's skill and all you had to do on your own was shot selection, then I think it would be hard to be rated as low as 2300-2400 Usatt. I think Ma Lin would be rated higher even if he went for the wrong shot all of the time ;)

[Der Echte]

I would need his anticipation to not always be out of position and hitting on the run and being out of a good position for a return.

[pingpongrob]

Some say Table Tennis is the Chess of Ball Sports, without the time. If I had Waldners Skills, and by that I mean Forhand, Backhand etc, I would still be a lousy player. As I dont know how to play Chess. (Are you listening Wig's). My strokes are fine, my footwork needs a little improvement, I could do with a bit more feeling, but my planning of the point is lousy. Until I can think like a pro, I will never ever get close.

[big ears]

Now, what if you had the strokes of any given pro, along with footwork and all that comes with it, do you think this would be enough for you to compete at the same level as the pro? All you have to think about is shot selection.

 I am at a 3 day training camp at the moment. The general consensus is NO. What naturally comes with the evolvement of the strokes and footwork, is the ability to watch the opponent and put these things in to effect. What you are suggesting speedy is equivalent to having a faster car than Micheal Schumacher over a Grand prix circuit, infact I'm pretty sure that you could put him in a Citroen 2cv, and you would have trouble beating him... You would inevitably stall at the start and if not, wrap it around a tree. At lower levels though I'm sure it would be a massive benefit, but you are really nailing the reason as to why some players with superb stroke production and footwork, something that all players who have had the benefit of being included in their national squads, don't go on to be successful on the world stage. There are loads from China.

Infact I've seen it and played against it. China produces players who for all intents and purposes are sparring partners for other players who have more potential, these players are not used to playing matches at all. I've played one (and beat him) hitting/knocking he was brilliant, but he could not put a game together at all. When he came to England they ranked him 11, one month later he was about 250, he just lost to everyone.

[Vinnie]

What about if you had the shot selection, but not the shots or technique.

[big ears]

What about if you had the shot selection, but not the shots or technique.

 Nice, then you are able to play for a long time at a good standard (debatable as to what a 'good standard is') its the reason that wily old gits who cannot play technically very well, beat up and coming youngsters who are gonna be far better in the future than they could ever be. It happens the world over, experience over youth/technique, wins every time up too a limit, then technique usualy takes over as a young kid matures, the blend of the two, leave the experienced, but flawed technique guy, behind. This is in essence what divides the standards in Table tennis. The point at which a dedicated table tennis player decides that he's not dedicated anymore, but would like to carry on playing TT, is the point that he carves his standard, what happens regularly is that players do that, but keep playing but with less time for practice, their experience then developes over a number of years, so that they 'hone in' on what they are really good at, and at the same time their gathered knowledge, makes their game rather polished, so they are able to beat younger players of a far superior technical ability.

I must say, the above is one of the best, most pertinent posts I've made for ages.

[Vinnie]

I must say, the above is one of the best, most pertinent posts I've made for ages.

Referring to mine, of course?

[Der Echte]

Uh, V, he meant HIS post.

[Vinnie]

Yeah, I know.
I hate being taken seriously when I'm not.

[speedplay]

To gain any benefits at all from having, say Ma Lin's shot selection, it is required that you already have a pretty solid technique and the ability to loop at almost everything. So, if you already have good strokes, I'm sure you could climb a lot by having their shot selection and tactical mind, but if you lack the stroke, I think the benefits would be very small.