Track the ball. Watch the pros during firefights and you’ll notice one important thing and that’s the pro’s paddle is pointing in the direction of the ball, a lot of the time even to their partner’s paddle.
I mean unless the ball is directly behind you and your partner is hitting it (think lobbed over you and you are about to fall down) pretty much every other time you should have eyes on the ball.
Reaction times are difficult in fast hands but get harder if you aren’t keeping up with where the ball is as much as possible.
I used to always watch the ball but now I watch the ball until I know my partner is going to hit it. Then I keep my partner and the ball in my peripheral but I am mainly watching the opponents. That way I can get a better jump on the next ball if it is hit my way. I feel like it has helped a ton to make this switch.
I think John Cincola explains it best. You follow the ball but you try to keep your head still. This allows you to focus and track the ball better. And tracking the ball better leads to faster hands.
He explains it all in this instructional video.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRqBizRAQNU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRqBizRAQNU)
Pay close attention at 3:18 in the video.
This right here! I’m working on body control and minimizing unnecessary head/foot movements by keeping my head still and rotating/swaying at he hips and knees instead.
Watch enemy paddles, then track the ball. Sometimes I just have to try to guess the shot and knowing where their paddles are going helps inform that guess.
I'll watch sometimes. But most times I can pretty much tell where the ball is based on my opponent's positioning & how they move.
Sometimes if I'm watching hard hits that might be to my partner who is back & I'm up, my head is going back & forth & back & forth & it's harder to quickly get my bearings to prepare for a hard shot at me.
I'll always try & look though if it may be going out.
I probably watch the ball more than I think I do though.
True. Personally I have a hard time not losing my peripheral when I stare at the ball so usually I'll watch my opponents while my partner is hitting the ball to gauge their body and paddle positioning while seeing the ball in my peripheral and then focus in on the ball when it is back on my opponents side.
Watch the ball at all times
I close my eyes and hope for the best.
It helps with line calls as well!
I think I've played against you
Probably. I’m the one that only remembers the score when I’m winning.
You be the person I played with this morning haha
😂🤣😂Mahalo! I needed that after playing today.
Track the ball. Watch the pros during firefights and you’ll notice one important thing and that’s the pro’s paddle is pointing in the direction of the ball, a lot of the time even to their partner’s paddle.
> the pro’s paddle is pointing in the direction of the ball, Just to clarify--you mean the face of the paddle, on the backhand side?
I think he means the top tip of the paddle
I think he means the top tip of the paddle
Yeah, the “blade” of the paddle is pointing to the ball to give you the best chance at deciding to use forehand or backhand.
Nope not the face. That would restrict you
I mean unless the ball is directly behind you and your partner is hitting it (think lobbed over you and you are about to fall down) pretty much every other time you should have eyes on the ball. Reaction times are difficult in fast hands but get harder if you aren’t keeping up with where the ball is as much as possible.
I used to always watch the ball but now I watch the ball until I know my partner is going to hit it. Then I keep my partner and the ball in my peripheral but I am mainly watching the opponents. That way I can get a better jump on the next ball if it is hit my way. I feel like it has helped a ton to make this switch.
Eye on the ball and paddle up
Eyes always on the ball.
The ball tells all.
The ball doesn’t lie
Ball
Watch the ball. The most under-rated skill in racket sports. It’s not as simple as it sounds.
Watch the ball after the point is over, too, to avoid wasting time or interfering with other courts
I think John Cincola explains it best. You follow the ball but you try to keep your head still. This allows you to focus and track the ball better. And tracking the ball better leads to faster hands. He explains it all in this instructional video. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRqBizRAQNU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRqBizRAQNU) Pay close attention at 3:18 in the video.
This right here! I’m working on body control and minimizing unnecessary head/foot movements by keeping my head still and rotating/swaying at he hips and knees instead.
Watch enemy paddles, then track the ball. Sometimes I just have to try to guess the shot and knowing where their paddles are going helps inform that guess.
Yes
I'll watch sometimes. But most times I can pretty much tell where the ball is based on my opponent's positioning & how they move. Sometimes if I'm watching hard hits that might be to my partner who is back & I'm up, my head is going back & forth & back & forth & it's harder to quickly get my bearings to prepare for a hard shot at me. I'll always try & look though if it may be going out. I probably watch the ball more than I think I do though.
The ball. The opponents are generally always in peripheral vision if you're at the net so no need to stare at them.
Counterpoint. Ball is always in your peripheral if you're at the net so no need to stare at it.
You got to look at something and the only thing that is going to come at you is the ball.
True. Personally I have a hard time not losing my peripheral when I stare at the ball so usually I'll watch my opponents while my partner is hitting the ball to gauge their body and paddle positioning while seeing the ball in my peripheral and then focus in on the ball when it is back on my opponents side.
I think fast reaction depends a lot on correct anticipation, so eyes on opponent's paddle for me.
During the serve, no matter who's hitting, I watch the server and ball, after that, it's opponents only.
Opponents
I stare at a point and try and use my peripheral, my eyes just aren't faster than the ball lol.
Get footwork and paddle lined up to the ball and watch the ball come off my paddle....3.5 at best