Video Analysis

Not everyone has the luxury of a top professional coach at their club. However, this is the age of the Internet. If you have a video camera, you have a coach!

Coach Larry Hodges is a USATT National Coach, ITTF Certified Coach, a member of the USA Table Tennis Hall of Fame, and has been coaching for thirty years, working with many of the top players and coaches in the country. (See his bio in the "About" section.) Send in your video, and he will give you a detailed written technique and tactics analysis, and tips on how to improve.

Cost: $200. This will include extensive point-by-point analysis of selected games or points, game analysis, recommendations on developing your game, and recommended drills. Payments may be made by check or Paypal.

A typical analysis takes about 4-6 hours. All points are replayed multiple times, lots of notes are taken (including point-by-point analysis), and then comes the written analysis and recommendations. A typical analysis will run several thousand words - see samples below. Much of the focus will not only be technique, but on match play analysis and developing your game.

Most players practice for years, never knowing what they should be working on or what parts of their game need work. For the cost of a good racket, you can save yourself years of struggle.

Here are two samples of video coaching. (I've removed the names of the subjects.) They are rather comprehensive - you will get your money's worth!

• Video Analysis #1
• Video Analysis #2

Send the following to larry@tabletenniscoaching.com:

1. Name, email, age, years playing, current club
2. Current level of play - estimate of level or rating
3. Your weekly practice and/or playing schedule
4. Goals. Is your goal to be world champion, reach a certain level, or win a specific event at a local tournament? Have perfect technique or just be as good as you can be? Do you have a timeline, or are you ready to take as long as it takes?
5. Anything else we need to know.
6. Either a link to online videos of yourself, or email for arrangements to send them some other way.

What to Video and Send For the best possible analysis, please send one or both of the following:

1. Match play. (This is prefered as it shows what you actually do in matches.) For best analysis, it should be against a somewhat "orthodox" player. However, if you are looking for tips or tactics against a specific, possibly unorthodox player, feel free to include that.
2. A practice session where you use all of your main strokes and techniques. Here's a general checklist, though not all of these will apply to everyone: forehand and backhand drives & smashes, loops (against backspin, block, and counterlooping), blocks, pushes, chops, lobs, all your serves, various receives, and footwork.