(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 […]

(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 […]

(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 […]

(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 […]

(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 […]