2 different types of loops

I think everyone trains both, you use the first one on a shorter/lower ball and the second one on a easier ball.

Baal wrote: I don't know about other people, but I certainly am not good enough to take that kind of full WLQ swing every time I spin the ball!  Partly means I should probably train it more, maybe I would be more in balance afterword.

The amount or energy (amount of swing) you apply to a stroke depends on what you percive your ability is to play that stroke. I often play 80% and higher powered strokes right up on the table, and sometimes 50% power way back off the table. Its all to do with your confidence to land your shot.

I subscribe to the idea that ones loop stroke is scaled up or down depending on how much perceived time there is to execute a stroke. My loop stroke is a bigger faster version of my counter hit with a more closed paddle face. I try to do the biggest stroke I can given the time constraints,assuming I have selected the loop as my shot. I am also an advocate of the more circular motion on the take back and I think this is where the adjustment occurs. The more time I think I have the more down and back I take my paddle. 

pnachtwey wrote: There is a whole continuum of loops not just two, but most top spins that people hit I wouldn't call loops.

You are right, i just raid one old article of Waldner (it is estonian). Our first and only Olympian table tennis player Igor Solopov (defensive player) who was training a lot with Swedish TT team and also together with Waldner said about him this:

"Defender tries to vary spin and speed against attacker and waits for him/her to make a mistake or a high ball for defender to smash for a winner with one shot. Waldners arsenal and tactics are so rich, that against him your tactics dont work, works only his tactics. One example is about his topspin arsenal, when regular player can vary over two or three topsspins, then good player can vary over six or seven, but Waldner, like I experienced in Swedish trainingcamp, can vary over twenty topspins. He can make the same movement with his blunt face, but spin, seed and direction varies all the time and then you dont understand anymore what is going on"

This my translation, so excuse for mistakes, but yes, there are more than just 2 loops :).


Edited by Rainer87 - 07/13/2012 at 3:03pm

blahness wrote: I wonder if anyone personally uses 2 different kinds of loops,

TTeveryday wrote: If you're going for the strong put away with the big swing and not enough power to bring your arm back for the next shot, just close your eyes and pray that your opponent doesn't bring the ball back.

Yep, both feet off the ground and eyes closed.

What still puzzles me is the difference in looping styles between me and one of my practice partners that is a two wing looper.  He loops, loops and more loops just about everything and anything.  He is what most of you call a more european style looper.  He seems to wait until the ball is just about to drop before swinging with a much more vertical stroke.  My stroke is much more Chinese like except I will use only my elbow swing if the ball is close to my body.  I think the big difference between us is that I tend to loop sooner off the bounce while the ball is still rising into the paddle. My paddle is moving more back to front and extremely closed. I don't do what many of you call the salute.  My stroke is more across my chest.  There have been some on this forum that say looping off the bounce is difficult but I find waiting and using a more European stroke unnatural.  I have tried to mimimic my practice partner.   I really must think about it when I am going to hit the ball and force myself to say wait for it, wait for it, wait for it and then stroke.   However, when playing seriously I just don't think that way and go back to the way I have always looped.

yogi_bear wrote: there are only 2 kind of loops 1. one is against blocked balls, topspin, light underspin, no spin done with a 30 degree or less angle of the blade with a more forward motion. 2. the other one is against underspin with a more open racket angle where you start lower than the table angle when doing your swing. both loops have 4 different timings. hitting the ball on the rise or when the ball goes up, peak of the bounce, late or when the ball starts to go down and very late when the ball is below the table level. you can loop a heavy underspin ball using a 30 degree angle or less provided you hit the ball early or on the rise of the ball. both loops can be done with a fully extended arm or just a snapping stroke where your elbows are not extended.

Technically correct, the best kind of correct.

yogi_bear wrote: there are only 2 kind of loops 1. one is against blocked balls, topspin, light underspin, no spin done with a 30 degree or less angle of the blade with a more forward motion. 2. the other one is against underspin with a more open racket angle where you start lower than the table angle when doing your swing. both loops have 4 different timings. hitting the ball on the rise or when the ball goes up, peak of the bounce, late or when the ball starts to go down and very late when the ball is below the table level. you can loop a heavy underspin ball using a 30 degree angle or less provided you hit the ball early or on the rise of the ball. both loops can be done with a fully extended arm or just a snapping stroke where your elbows are not extended.

+1

But this is only my opinoin.

I use  the first one whenever i want to topspin an incoming back spin
otherwise i use the second one... the killer one...

Hi, this my idea: the first loop on back spin should be with a longer movement for the snap of forearm giving brush to the boll slow loop, after this the ball is now in top spin so I can close a little my paddle and make not half movement but 80% of the stroke because I ha not enough time for full swing.