(by Larry Hodges) Many players confuse anticipation with reaction. Reaction is when you see what the opponent is going to do and then respond to it. (You can usually do so before he actually hits the ball, often early in their forward swing. Reaction is almost always more important than anticipation, but both have their […]

(by Larry Hodges) “I have slow reflexes!” I’ve heard that so many times in my coaching career and in every case, the player was wrong. Why? Because they don’t understand what gives a person fast reflexes, and how to develop them. Nerve impulses from the brain to the muscles travel at about the same speed […]

(By Larry Hodges) Like it or not, mind games are a part of all sports. They range from “stare downs” in boxing to starting arguments in any sport to force an opponent to lose his focus. The best way to deal with most of them is two-fold: 1) ignore them and keep your focus, and […]

(By Larry Hodges) Some players would say that you aren’t really playing table tennis until you learn to loop. A loop in table tennis is an offensive stroke with the primary purpose of producing lots of topspin. Table tennis is a game of spin, and the loop is the primary example of using spin during […]

(By Larry Hodges) To play table tennis effectively, you need to have a calm, clear mind, which allows your training to pay off effectively. How often have you actually played a tournament where you entered every match with a calm, clear mind? Shortly before your match starts, simply go off somewhere where it’s quiet. Close […]

(By Larry Hodges) Many beginning and intermediate players want a blazing fast racket, not realizing how much this is hurting their games. There are three problems with using a super-fast racket. First, it is simply too fast for most players to control. Second, since the ball flies off so fast, you get less spin, which […]

(By Larry Hodges) In 1967, Nobuhiko Hasegawa shocked the table tennis world by not only winning the World Championships, but by using the lob as a primary weapon in doing so. Since then, the lob has become the most spectacular shot in table tennis for both players and fans. It has also become one of […]

(By Larry Hodges) Top players play at super-fast speeds, and are seemingly able to loop kill or smash at will, and do it all consistently. Those watching often feel that they should try to do the same. Of course, when they try to emulate the pros and their pace, they miss over and over, but […]

(By Larry Hodges) When you forehand attack from the wide forehand or wide backhand, following through back into position should be part of the stroke and technique. Too often players don’t so this and so can’t cover the other wide angle – and then, instead of realizing the root of the problem, they just say, […]

(By Larry Hodges) In table tennis, the forehand is often the more powerful shot – the point winner. But as rallies get faster and fast, the backhand counter becomes more and more important. If you don’t have a strong backhand, you’re at a huge disadvantage. At tournaments, in match after match, I find opponents who […]