Forcing or Adjusting Your Game

November 27, 2023

(by Larry Hodges) I once read an article that compared the tactical approach of Roger Federer and Pete Sampras, two of the greatest tennis players of all time. Federer tended to adjust his game against different opponents, while Sampras tended to forced opponents to adjust to his. Both approaches work, in both tennis and table […]

Are You Maximizing Your Angles?

November 21, 2023

(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 […]

Coaching Between Games for Non-Coaches

November 13, 2023

(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

November 6, 2023

(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

November 3, 2023

(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

October 23, 2023

(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

October 16, 2023

(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

October 9, 2023

(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

October 3, 2023

(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?

September 25, 2023

(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, […]