Site Products
Larry Hodges

Coaching tip of the week: Don’t Practice Hesitation

(By Larry Hodges)

To improve, it’s important to do footwork drills. Some are simple, such as side-to-side forehand-forehand drills. Others are more complicated. For example, you might do a drill that starts with your partner pushing to your backhand, you backhand (or forehand) loop to his backhand, and then he blocks to your forehand.

Advanced players understand that in these rote drills, they are practicing only the footwork and the stroke. But many beginning and intermediate players don’t get that, and try to play it like it was a match. After that first opening shot, they know the next ball is going to the wide forehand – but because they would not know this in a match, they wait until the opponent does the shot, and then move. That would be fine in a random drill, where you don’t know where your partner is hitting the ball, but not in the rote drill described here. And so what happens is you end up knowing where the next balls going – to the forehand – but do not immediately move there. Result? You are practicing hesitation!

So remember that if you are doing a rote drill, don’t hesitate to move immediately to where the next ball is going – you are practicing footwork and strokes, and don’t want to make hesitating a habit. When you want to practice reacting to where your partner is hitting to, do a random drill for that, where you don’t know where he’s going, and so have to truly react.

Latest News

Butterfly Training Tips with Bob Chen – Everything is Butterfly

May 1, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Bob Chen shows in every aspect of his life he… Read More

Butterfly Training Tips with Rachid El Bou Bou – Backhand Loop & Forehand Pivot

April 30, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Rachid El Bou Bou is executing the Backhand Loop, followed… Read More

Zhu Yuling Signs Contract With Butterfly

April 29, 2025
(by Butterfly Global) Butterfly has signed an advisory contract with Zhu Yuling (Macau, China). Having excelled since her… Read More

Butterfly Training Tips with Lingshuai Meng – Backhand Punch Block

April 29, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Lingshaui Meng is executing the Backhand Punch Block https://youtu.be/WlXmg5wurQs Stay “In… Read More

Pair of Golds for Van Emburgh at ITTF World Challenger São Paulo

April 29, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) American Para Table Tennis star Jenson Van Emburgh delivered a sensational performance at the ITTF… Read More

Number One In the World! From Puerto Rico, The Best Mixed Doubles Team In U-13 Table Tennis

April 28, 2025
(by: Edgardo Vázquez /Puerto Rico National Coach ) Among the rising stars are Brianna Rodríguez and Owen Shemesh,… Read More

Backhand Receive Against a Short Serve to the Forehand

April 28, 2025
(By Larry Hodges) In my day, there were players who received short serves much better with their backhand… Read More

Should I “SNAP” My Forearm?

April 28, 2025
1 Forehand topspin from Forehand (close to normal body distance to the table – robot plays regular spin… Read More
View All News

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.