Proper looping technique

For what its worth, I think I have a bit of Euro looping style because I don't really swing with my whole arm, more of a compact stroke...  But I also loop with the ball at about eye or shoulder level and I lower my legs to get to that position... A lot of the great euro loopers look as if they are contacting the ball lower than shoulder level, "shooting from the hip" you could say... (And their follow-through is at about the chin or lower.) I do that when I'm just hitting, but when I loop the ball has to be higher or my body lower, and my follow-through is at eyebrow level or above, even with a mostly horizontal swing.

corsuse wrote: You listed some chinese players but what about Wang Hao's looping style?

Good question. He has a very unique style, he uses a wide variation of spin and power in his strokes, AND he has really short arms, so it would be hard for me to classify his style. But generally speaking, when he's hitting big loops, I would say he's got that sweeping, chinese-style stroke.

icontek wrote: Can someone help me understand the difference between pace's stroke and the chinese children.   I know that pace is "looping" and that the kids are "driving" but they seem very similar to my eyes.   Help me where my optometrist has failed.   (i curse him out loud when i hit ball with the edge of my blade on a return or serve)

I am sorry if I confuse you about the drive and the loop.  I am probably from an old school, but to me even though the kid's swing looks like a loop (swing upward bc he's too short lol), but the way the ball was hit on contact is still a drive to me, there is no force applied to the ball to spin it.  Again, my apology about the terminology (English is not even my 1st language lol).  For me a loop has to have some force to spin the ball.  See the link below of some boys practicing FH loop, see how the comming ball has no under spin, so he has to stand back and wait for the ball to drop a little b4 he loops (and applies the force to spin it), otherwise it will pop up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3M_7DZda_s

LOOPMEISTER wrote: Hybrid technique!? I disagree, but let the confusion and debate begin! Chuan Chi-Yuan takes a gigantic swing with his whole arm, with huge wind up and follow through. And I don't recall that he uses Euro rubbers on the fh. That's textbook--albeit extreme--chinese fh to me. And what does look closely mean? Everyone on this forum can say look closely and make up their own definition of who uses what kind of stroke. I'm talking about extremes and the obvious... Big swings with whole arm, arm almost straight... Chen Qi, Ma Lin, Ma Long, Wang Liqin, AND Chuan Chih-yuan to name a few. They each have their own unique style but what they have in common is the big swing with whole arm smashing through the ball as much as grazing it. On the other end you have the players that use more spin and power from the rubber in their stroke (forget about which kind of rubber they actually use)... Shorter strokes with that snap or whip motion. I don't like the "chicken wing" analogy because its what Boll-haters use on this forum to belittle Boll's style, but its somewhat accurate. Much of the stroke comes from the elbow down compared to the whole arm of the more chinese style strokes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhYGUekF8Ms&feature=related

And like I said, look closely.  I doubt he is using chinese rubber.  It surely doesn't look like any DHS or Haifu rubber.

If you ignore Chuan Chih-Yuan's midtable to far table looping, his stroke is hybrid and looks more like the old chinese technique which was based off the euro stroke.  It's hard to explain.

Also, big swing does not necessarily mean chinese stroke.  Would you say Kreanga has a chinese stroke?  He extends his arms fully for his kill shots too.

What I consider to be the most idealized Chinese technique is from WLQ which consist mainly of driving.  There are of course nuances with a little more brushing but still chinese stroke.

 

APW46 wrote: Bangs head against brick wall.

Dammit, APW, we haven't acquired the skill you have! All we have is our theorizing, idealizing, and pontificating! Let us just nitpick and spout about "Chinese" and "Euro" loops from our ivory towers until we finally acquire an acceptable amount of skill.

Then, we'll join you in poking fun at the silly newbies (like us) desperately trying to find validation and comfort in theoretical waxing. 

APW46 wrote: I'm ROLFING at your interlect Anton, sorry dude I accept your critisism, You are a master of Forum, hats off to you! I Know my place, please don't think that I don't, because I really do. Sorry mate, but it all makes for good forum.

I know, I know... Hopefully you saw my self-deprecation in that comment. I was making fun of myself, and not really "chastising" you.

APW46 wrote: icontek wrote: Can someone help me understand the difference between pace's stroke and the chinese children.   I know that pace is "looping" and that the kids are "driving" but they seem very similar to my eyes.   Help me where my optometrist has failed.   (i curse him out loud when i hit ball with the edge of my blade on a return or serve)  Its not just Chinese Kids, all younger Kids everywhere Drive the ball with an earlier contact point than players such as Brian pace and other well grooved older players, the 40mm ball is the key, its all these younger players have ever known, us oldies grooved our loop stroke in an earlier age (38mm ball) where spin was more important, hence the later contact, higher tragectory, and more vertical addressing of the ball.

+1!!!!!!!!!!!

Curious

figgie wrote: Curious   The "chinese" loop as you guys are calling it is actually NOT.   The folks that brought this loop int the picture where none other than the hungarians.   Joyner, Klampar, Gergley etc. The straight arm loop. Of course with the 38mm and the really great (and very toxic) speed glues, the hungarian loop was actually a hindrance due to the speed ofhe rallies. Wrong time, right form.   Fast Forward almot 30 years. Now that the game has slowed down somewhat. Righ time, Right form. ;)

I don't know, I think those guys did pretty well in their own day!

BMonkey wrote: I posted this in another thread but I am honestly curious as to the answer: "I have a question: Where does the Korean Jpen forehand (think Lee Jung Woo and Ryu Seung Min) fall as far as strokes go? Would you consider it its own style? Or is it just Chinese? I like their forehands...so powerful "