(By Larry Hodges) When a player finds a part of his game is not working as well as he’d like (because he hasn’t been practicing it, is getting older or slower, or because it simply wasn’t a strong shot to start with), the tendency is to use that technique less and less. Result? The technique […]

(By Larry Hodges)   The next time you are in a close match, and are worried about making mistakes, and so play super safe to avoid mistakes . . . consider this. Letting your opponent control play is the biggest risk you can take in table tennis. You no longer have control over your fate. […]

(By Larry Hodges) When players loop to the forehand, almost invariably it is returned crosscourt, at least until you reach the higher levels. This can be effective, since it does give a wide angle to the forehand, and about 15.5 more inches going crosscourt then down the line. But it is so common that players […]

(By Larry Hodges) Most players think of forehand looping as a shot done from their playing side. So a right-handed player might think of rotating his right side around as he loops his forehand. However, this will limit your power as well as throw off your balance. You should use your other side as well. […]

(By Larry Hodges) Between points, think about what you want to do, especially at the start of the rally – what serve to use, what type of receives. Think about what shots you want to do during a rally against any given shot as well – looping, hitting, quick blocks, etc. Keep it simple. Your […]