(by Larry Hodges) Most players who play the crosscourt corners do exactly that – they play the crosscourt corners. And that’s where many or most of your attacks should go, as they give the most table when hitting crosscourt. However, when looping (where the topspin pulls the ball down so you need less table), against […]
CAD 1.37
Your Account
Coaching Between Games for Non-Coaches
(by Larry Hodges) Professional coaches always seem to know what to say to a player between games or in a timeout. That’s why they are professional coaches. A good coach has essentially seen it all and can see the patterns that lead to tactics that will work in that match. They also understand the psychology […]
Three Keys to Fast Reacting
(by Larry Hodges) So, you want to react to an opponent’s shot like the pro’s? That’s simple – as long as you follow the three principles to fast reactions. They are: 1. Ready position. If you have a good ready position to start from, it’s much easier to react quickly. Many players have poor ready […]
Quicker Drives with the Forehand-Backhand Drill
(by Larry Hodges) Whoever controls the table controls the rally. It’s one of the oldest maxims in table tennis. This usually means playing close to the table with quicker shots than your opponent, forcing him to back off, and thereby both playing more defensively and having more table to play. The Chinese dominated with this […]
POP Opponents with the Power Of Placement
(by Larry Hodges) Placement is often the unsung hero of many players. I often watch up-and-coming players compete, and it’s obvious which ones have been conditioned to focus on placement – it’s a huge difference. (As a coach, among the top juniors I have a pretty good idea of which do this well, which do […]
How to Get the Most Out of Your Session With a Coach
(by Larry Hodges) Depending on the coach and the location, you may be paying anywhere from $30 to $100/hour for a professional coach. So you want to get the most out of it. Here are some things to consider. Don’t be shy about discussing with the coach what you want out of a session. Here […]
The Best You
(by Larry Hodges) To reach your maximum potential, don’t try to be someone else, or you’ll just be a shadow of that person. Instead, focus on being the best you. This includes learning from top players, of course, but that’s only part of it. Here are four things you should build on, roughly in order […]
Four Short Serve Scenarios
(by Larry Hodges) Here are six scenarios when serving short. You should incorporate these into your own serving game and learn to follow them up with strong attacks. For these scenarios, I’m assuming your forehand loop is stronger than your backhand loop, and so you’d want to favor it when possible. If you prefer to […]
To Hit or to Loop?
(by Larry Hodges) That is the question, and whether you’re Ma Long or Hamlet, you have to decide. Back when I started out, the answer was easier – except at higher levels, you mostly looped against backspin, and (except at higher levels) mostly hit against topspin or blocks, though there were plenty of forehand loopers, […]
Top Ten Table Tennis Tournament Travel Tips
(by Larry Hodges) Some of these are table tennis specific, others are more general – but they are all tips for travel to table tennis events. (Some are things you should do in advance of the tournament to help prepare.) Keep necessary stuff in carry-on bag when flying. Bags sometimes get lost. So try to […]
Forehand Counterloop
June 24, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Bob Chen breaks down how to execute the Forehand Counterloop… Read More
Stay Lower
June 23, 2025
Forehand topspin against backspin that comes half long to Forehand – aim to Backhand (imagine 2nd ball bounce… Read More
Mental Training Tip – Finding Your Champion Mindset: Lessons from Hugo Calderano’s Historic Victory
June 23, 2025
(by Dr. Alan Chu, Ph.D., CMPC) When Hugo Calderano stepped onto the court for the 2025 ITTF Men’s… Read More
MLTT Featured Team: Portland Paddlers
June 23, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT) The Portland Paddlers are navigating the current of the West Division of the… Read More
WTT Star Contender Ljubijana: Calderano Wins Again
June 23, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) Hugo Calderano has done it again – winning the WTT Star Contender Series… Read More
Calderano, Jorgic, and both Lebruns reach Semis in Slovenia
June 23, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) Top seeded Hugo Calderano met stiff competition at the WTT Star Contender Series event in… Read More
WAB CLUB FEATURE: Bridgeport Sports Club
June 23, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) At over 14,000 square feet, the Bridgeport Sports Club one of the largest table tennis… Read More
How to Anticipate Opponent’s Placement
June 23, 2025
(By Larry Hodges) Players with great reflexes don’t have great reflexes. There, I’ve said it, and you probably… Read More
Get the latest from Butterfly
Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.
