Match 1

Lower level player, no real pressure but I still had some butterflies in my stomach (first match of the day)

Match 2

God damn this kid's FH was good. I feel like I got lucky in the end haha

Match 4 (did not record Match 3)

God damn I played badly this match--I feel like if I played like I did in Match 2 I would have won no problem.

Match 5

Damnit me for throwing away a 2 game lead... 

Match 6

Damn all you OX LP users out there!

At this point I was eliminated from all my events, but bumped into another forum frequenter, none-other than generalspecific!

Match 7

I can't really complain much about this match like I did for Match4, 5, and 6. He's just a better play than me... for now ;)

So I hope you guys can help make me... OVER 9000!!! 

Longpips, Mediumpips and choppers give me nightmares. My back started to hurt just by looking at that video...lol

I looked at your game, and unfortunately, when I can't see something that explains the level at which someone is playing at, I just have to conclude that it is the level of spin in the shots that needs to be improved.  Your game looks good to me so far (and yes, there are technical flaws that are probably masked by my bad internet connection which makes it hard and annoying to watch the matches without interruption), but that said, for your consistency, you probably don't spin the ball enough.

Since General Specific played you, his comments will be most interesting.

My spoof on the scouter level might have gone over some people's heads if they've never watched dbz... haha sorry about that.

no sorry, my "goal" is to be 2000+

the title did not allow me to finish my full statement so I had to abbreviate it.

What I wanted to say was:

Help aerial become..OVER USATT9000!!![or over USATT2000 works too :)]

I don't think the OP is currently USATT 2000 since the subject is "help aerial become 2000+" - technically it could mean he is currently 2000 and want at least one additional point to be 2000+, but that's not the way I read it.  BTW I think he has a nice foundation to get better.  Edit ----you guys cleared up the misunderstanding before I posted.

I've been told for a while now that I have good fundamentals and nice shots but I think my level goes down a lot when I play matches.

When I was at SDTTA in San Diego (was traveling for work) I was hitting with this guy named Duong--we never played a match because neither of us initiated, but after Duong left this other guy came named rodel and I was in for a treat... I had never ever played such a consistent lobber that could also counter attack from the back-court.

rodel was surprised when I mentioned to him my rating and thought I was close to 2000, and when we started playing our match and I missed some of his serves, he was like "Okay, I believe you now about your rating" 

We played two matches-- the first match was not very good and he beat me handedly, but I think he was going a bit easy on me this second match which caused for some pretty nice rallies:

In the past my backhand was a very glaring weakness and I had better footwork to compensate and use my FH in the backhand corner.

I drilled my BH flip a lot and I think it does help me get the initiative in the rally but something I need to work on is if my opponent serves deep into my backhand I should use more of an actual backhand stroke instead of a flip

I think for this past tourney I've changed my bad habits of flipping in my deep court and have developed a backhand side that is at the very least not a liability.

I've been told by some high level players that my FH needs more "kick" and that my timing might be off by a few seconds, nobody has mentioned that but in my head it is something I try to remind myself--to have more horizontal component in my stroke.

I think I have my left leg relatively in front of my right when I serve and when I go into ready position I don't imagine any crossing of legs happens. I'm not sure what you mean by this? 

Well, if you saw the way he was standing/hitting--he was using his backhand to cover the whole table aka his OX side

After his BH serve with inverted he would twiddle and then cover the whole table with his BH side again.

In the past my BH was a glaring weakness and I couldn't do anything with it--during my late high school years I managed to get my hands on a friends robot and basically drilled vs backspin nearly everyday after school for a week or two so I guess this explains my spinny backhand open-up, but you're totally right as a few others have mentioned as well, my backhand is not very good against topspin--I pretty much just counter-hit or punch block when it's topspin.

Recovery time is also key as multiple folks mentioned that... I admit, I am guilty for "posing for pictures" as clubmates from my home club have dubbed it. And I really do need to keep on the relentless attack or at least continue with a decent attack--watching my video against rodel the lobbing extraordinaire, after he got in a nice counter-attack from the back court I just touched it over a lot when I could still continue the attack. 

I wouldn't go so far to say as my FH is "very good" but I appreciate the sentiment haha

My FH can be good when I make a good stroke. I used to use exclusively Chinese stuff--especially when I first started since I was still a student and did not have any of my own money, but it's been almost 2 years since I've been working and I plan on making the switch to an ESN rubber.

I used to keep a log of what I used and this is more or less all the rubber combinations I have ever used from my start to now:

as anyone can see... I am unfortunately a seasonal equipment junkie and have changed rubbers pretty much every time my current ones wear out. I'm a strong believer in technique over equipment but I can't help myself when it's time to buy something--I usually buy something different.

I bought a sheet of Bluefire M1 Turbo for my FH so hopefully that goes well.

I do admit Tinarc3might be a bit soft for my FH but my thought process was that since it is a Chinese rubber, despite being labelled "soft" it would actually be like medium soft and I was right--but the switch from H2Neo to Tinarc3 is still somewhat drastic, but on the same note, my reasoning for using Tinarc3 was to eventually switch to an ESN rubber... just to try one out.

I dunno... I always feel like equipment is a crapshoot for me. In the end I kind of get used to whatever and my stroke just molds onto whatever I'm using at the moment. Wonder of M1turbo will make me like it enough to stick with something for more than one cycle.

You deservedly get a bad rep for not playing with heavy spin to make your first shot. You don't show much of an inclination to do that. Of course that doesn't mean you cant topspin heavy, in fact, I saw a few of your heavy topsins (one FH and one BH vs the older gent) get blocked high & out for your EASY point.

I agree with teh ones who are saying to develop a plan to initiate the attack first, but you look like you need to do it in a much more decisive manner that puts your opponent under more pressure. Right now, all he has to do is block it at your crossover or wide angle FH (at least wide enough to make you do one big step moving to your FH) and you are missing more than 50% of your follow attacks vs balls hit to those two zones.

The practice you have with Snivey is gunna help to a good degree, but it isn't gunna get you much above 1750 anytime soon. You are going to need to go back to drawing board on slow mo multiball (your openers on balls to crossover, BH, and FH) for some of these shots and slow mo combination multiball (like say start with Open w/FH or BH, then step around and be ready to attack strong with FH). Then add more speed to the drill as you get the shot and sequence down. There will be other combinations.

Like NL is saying, you will need to find a way to generate more bat speed and go for more spin and on next ball more pace. You have the ability to do both, but at the way you are playing right now you will not shoot up in level doing what you are doing. If you want to play as a blocker in some of those rallies, look for a way to take the ball off the bounce. I saw you do it sometimes, but not consistently. Whenever you took the ball late, you either missed half the time or opponent wasn't pressured at all and you were under more pressure. You wont get close to your goals doing that.

Will be sure to obey the speed limits with goals in mind and then ramp it up when the rhythm is there.

No one gets to 2000 in a day.  The most important thing is to avoid capping your game seriously with technique you will have to rebuild on the way there and while my computer is working better now and I can see some of the flaws, there is a lot of good stuff there.    I would say that you need to be a bit more focused on how you intend to pose your opponents problems in the first 5 points and then in the rally.  Consistency like I said is good, but you have to pose your opponents problems while being consistent either by robbing them of time or placing the ball in uncomfortable spots or giving them balls they have to make a significant effort to respin etc.  Just rallying with players puts your strokes up against theirs and if you don't have strokes that pose problems, then people will rally with you without problems.  You are no longer 1200 - you need to start causing issues.

Read General Specific's post the most carefully because he has actually played you.  When someone has played you, their insights are often the most helpful because they know how they got their points.  If you close that out, then other problems will emerge on a higher level and that is how we get better as adults who don't train everyday.

Still, I agree with NL that you should a few ways to pressure your opponent. if it is with great placement and deception... great. The way you are developing, it should be with an opening loop and a follow up shot. Your rally play isnt pressuring anyone, it is taking advantage of opponents' inconsistency. You will get away with that less and less as you get better yourself and better opponents.

Another thing that you will get better at as you get better is the ability to see the ball and read spin well. That counts for a LOT.

I can't comment on your technique, it's better than mine.  But if you have something that is winning for you every time, you should run with it until your opponent makes you stop.

And then note what he is giving up by stopping it and see if you can take advantage of that as well.

Footwork Notes:

You have pretty good balance and step in pretty well for pushes, and short game shots in general.  But you don't quickly step back into a ready position afterwards - or do it only rarely.  Watch top players (General Specific does this ok too) and note how much energy and power they put into stepping in then stepping back out.  Watch how they serve, then VERY QUICKLY move into a balanced, weight forward ready position.  Watch how quickly and powerfully they step too, or move back to take the ball in their "sweet spot".

I saw too many backhands missed, hit weakly, or basically chickened out on due to simply not getting into position.  I'm talking about routine balls just a bit to your left.  A more powerful move left - ending in a balance, weight on the front of you feet position in front of the ball - would massively help your backhand. (Your stroke isn't bad when you are in position and get the timing right.)

You also hit a lot of "routine" forehands with your feet in the wrong, or in "not quite right" place.  I'd like to see more power and focus used in getting to the ball and into position.  From a good balanced position, even so-so strokes can be quite effective.  I think it would be good for you to focus on hitting more forehands with your right foot "more" behind (farther from the table) your left.  Many of yours are very square - some even look like your left foot is back (this could be a camera angle thing).

Forehand stroke:

You don't seem to use your legs much.  Often you don't use them at all.  I saw lots of instances where - for no real reason - both your knees flexed (down) while stroking.  Your whole body drops during some strokes.  If you want to generate power, you need to plant your left foot and drive forward with it (with your body rotating).  Your weight should transfer from at least mostly on right foot at the end of your backswing to mostly on left foot at the finish.  

I really think that more focus and effort put into footwork will help a ton.  Combine that with using your legs more, and your forehand should become a weapon!

bes

I have since privatized these videos, worrying my opponents did not give consent for people to watch them play.

I have a lot to chew on thanks to all the feedback.

I'll update this thread with my next round of videos from my next tournament, to show the progress of my "poor man's coaching program" haha