(by Larry Hodges) When coaching or rooting for a player, why does is sometimes seem like every opponent has nasty serves that your player struggles to return, while your player just serves to keep the ball in play? It’s even worse if you are the player with simple serves, while the opponent is throwing all […]
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Learn From Your Easy Wins and Bad Losses
(by Larry Hodges) Players often learn from close matches, knowing that with just a little more, a close loss becomes a win, and a close win becomes a somewhat easier win. And this is good. However, many players don’t learn from blowout matches – but they should. You can learn from either end of a […]
Types of Topspin Contact
(by Larry Hodges) These five tips won’t generally help you win, at least not directly. They won’t score points for you. But they will make certain non-playing aspects more efficient and more fun – and indirectly, may subconsciously intimidate an opponent when faced with these displays of “professionalism”! Picking up ball with feet. If the […]
Start With Your Trickiest Serve
(by Larry Hodges) Many players hold back on their trickiest serve until it’s close. This is usually a mistake. If you have such a tricky serve, you should use it early – probably with your first serve. (This is especially true for deep, spinny serves.) Here’s why. You don’t really know if the serve will […]
Court Tricks
(by Larry Hodges) These five tips won’t generally help you win, at least not directly. They won’t score points for you. But they will make certain non-playing aspects more efficient and more fun – and indirectly, may subconsciously intimidate an opponent when faced with these displays of “professionalism”! Picking up ball with feet. If the […]
Make a Habit of Finding the SS – the Opponent’s Weak Shots and Spots
(by Larry Hodges) Every opponent has a weakness relative to their level. Even Ma Long, often considered the greatest of all time, was “weak” to his wide forehand – but only relative to the rest of his game. I’ve written many tips about how to find and go after these weaknesses. But one common issue […]
Move the Extra Inch
(by Larry Hodges) It’s not enough to move to the general vicinity of the ball. Table tennis is a game of precision, and almost moving into position is the same as almost making the shot. Instead, focus on that last couple of inches. Don’t lean and make a slightly off-balanced or awkward shot. Those last […]
Are You Too Backhand Oriented?
(by Larry Hodges) A common problem for players at all levels is being too backhand oriented. Backhand orientation (BO for short) means that you favor your backhand too much over your forehand, and try to cover too much of the table with the backhand. Some players are better on the backhand, and so should cover […]
Why Aren’t You Pushing Heavy?
(by Larry Hodges) It never ceases to amaze me at how many players push serves back safely, essentially patting it back, perhaps with good backspin, and then mentally pat themselves on the back for making this excellent return. And this works . . . at lower levels. But why put good backspin on the ball when […]
Fake-outs
(by Larry Hodges) I’ve always thought this is one of the most underused techniques in table tennis. Most players simply do whatever it seems they are going to do. And opponents see what they are doing and have little trouble reacting to it. How boringly simple that is! Instead, why not fake one thing, then […]
Serve Into the Body
July 11, 2025
WAIT FUNCTION: Serve long serve to elbow, Robot plays topspin to Backhand, Backhand spin block down the line.… Read More
Playing Kids
July 8, 2025
(By Larry Hodges) Let’s face it; they’re probably faster than you. They might have a coach working with… Read More
#2 A Skill That Is Likely To Score – Backhand Down The Line
July 7, 2025
[[Feature] [Special Feature] American Stars! Jha’s Strengths #2 A Skill That Is Likely To Score – Backhand Down… Read More
United States Smash: Tight Scores and a Big Upset in Early Action
July 7, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) Action is underway in the main round of the United States Smash, the… Read More
MLTT Featured Team: Bay Area Blasters
July 6, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT) The Bay Area Blasters plan to blast through the upcoming Major League Table… Read More
WAB CLUB FEATURE: Calgary United Sports Table Tennis Association
July 6, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) Established in 2002, Calgary United Sports Table Tennis Association (CUSTTA) is Alberta’s largest Table Tennis… Read More
Butterfly Players Shine at the 2025 US National Table Tennis Championships
July 6, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo USATT) The 2025 U.S. National Table Tennis Championships is one of the premiere annual… Read More
US Nationals Recap
July 6, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) The US National Table Tennis Championships is in the books. One of America’s premiere events… Read More
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