(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog)   Where to position yourself on the receive is one of those things that has evolved over the years, especially with the advent of the banana backhand flip. There was a time when many top players favored forehand receives, even against short serves. […]

(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog)   Where should you position yourself after serving? It depends on your playing style, footspeed, and the opponent. If, for example, you favor your forehand, then you might position yourself toward your backhand side, so as to cover as much of the table […]

(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog)   What’s the biggest threat from your opponent? One of the best ways to consistently beat weaker players (i.e., avoid upsets) as well as knock off stronger players is to neutralize whatever his biggest threat is. It’s hard for an opponent to win […]

(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog)   The short answer is . . . whenever you want to. But that ignores a problem players face when both competing and trying to improve. Let’s supposed you’ve spent a lot of time working new techniques, but haven’t quite perfected them yet. […]

(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog)   Unless it’s a put-away shot, you should approach every shot as if you are setting yourself up for the next shot, and sometimes the next two. I’m always amazed at how many players play it one shot at a time – it’s […]

(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog) Now is the time to focus on WINNING!!! A big part of that is playing smart tactics. Whenever possible, scout out your upcoming opponents. This means three things: watching them play at the tournament; watching them on video; and asking others about that […]

(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog) Practice matches are just that; practice. If you can’t practice your shots in a practice match, then how can you possibly develop them so you can use them in a tournament? (Or any other “big” match.) Before you play a practice match, decide […]

(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog) Serve practice is my favorite practice. You want to know why? Because I know most of my opponents don’t practice their serves as much as I do (or used to, anyway), and so I will always have an edge on them! The most […]

(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog)   Before any practice session, you should ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish. 1.      What weaknesses are you trying to overcome? 2.      What average shots are you trying to turn into strengths? 3.      What strengths are you trying to turn into […]

(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog)   Training doesn’t take place only at the table. There’s also shadow-practice, which you can do anywhere. (There’s also physical training, but that’s another issue.) It’s very difficult to change or develop a new stroke, and learn the timing at the same time […]