Liu Shiwen's Strokes Look Simple, but Learning Them Is Nearly Impossible?
This is a brand-new, technique-focused column in a question-and-answer format. The mystery figure answering is a former national team member, a veteran coach, who would rather keep a quiet, peaceful life and a good night’s sleep than become famous. So the “Reaching the Summit” column was born.
Are Liu Shiwen’s technical strokes suitable for amateurs to learn? How does she achieve such compact, effective power? And recover so fast?
The vast majority of national players’ styles, amateurs can at least study a bit. Only Xiaozao’s — looking simple, actually nearly impossible. Amateurs should not learn it. Her quick-exchange, without a foundation of eight hours a day for over a decade, you cannot reach this level.
One: the strokes are very small, yet must achieve full friction.
Two: she strikes on the mid-rising phase, showing extremely precise placement awareness and judgment.
Three: at such speed, reacting nonstop, showing extremely concentrated attention and very fast reactions.
Four: such smooth forehand-backhand switching shows not a shred of error in the strokes, or it would stutter.
Five: very small strokes yet very concentrated power, showing the hand’s movements are concentrated essence.
Six: every step must be precise.
Xiaozao’s strokes look simple, but are actually harder to learn than more national players’ strokes. Now the junior players’ close-table quick-exchange, in continuity, coordination and quality, is far from Xiaozao’s.
For backhand strokes, elbow raised or not raised — which is correct?
There is no so-called correct. Generally, those who raise the elbow on the backhand have a stronger backhand and weaker forehand, with weaker quick-exchange between wings — mainly highlighting high backhand quality. Those who do not raise the elbow have better quick-exchange and stronger continuity. But relatively, the friction feel is a bit worse, and the understanding of underspin a bit worse too.
As a beginner, should I learn backhand or forehand first?
The backhand more easily shows results. But precisely because the backhand stroke is small and easy to practice, you should practice the forehand first. Otherwise, the backhand’s initial stroke is a push, and the forehand’s initial stroke will habitually follow with a push, and later the strokes are very hard to fix and hard to merge.
When both back off and counter-loop, besides footwork, should the hand not open up too much, just using the forearm for more stability?
That is better. But realistically, when counter-looping, the feet are usually not in place. You can only adjust with the hand. At that point you rely on the body’s center of gravity to fire forward and brace the incoming ball, using power to cancel its spin, then the arm frantically brushes to adjust the arc.
How to understand defending with the body’s center of gravity?
Using the body’s center to brace and press the incoming ball is a feeling of holding the ball in your arms, not letting it run wild. Defend with the center, not the hand; the hand is just in a relaxed state.