(By Larry Hodges)  Many think that, at the end of a close game, they should change their tactics because of the score. I remember one player assuring me that, “When it’s close, everyone knows you should play safe.” When I asked him why that would be the right tactic, he said, “If you play safe, […]

(By Larry Hodges)  If you can’t do it in your sleep, you can’t do it consistently in a match. Practice everything in your game, but focus on your strengths and weaknesses. Remove the weaknesses and turn the strengths into overpowering ones. At the higher levels, if you can see it, loop it; if you can’t […]

(By Larry Hodges) One of the toughest things to make a habit of in a match is attacking the middle. (That’s the midpoint between backhand and forehand, roughly the playing elbow.) There are two primary reasons for this. First, it’s a smaller and moving target than the corners, which are easier to attack. But there’s […]

Tip of the week: Proper Forehand Technique – Circling and From Side By (Larry Hodges) Here’s a video (3:56) of all-time great Ma Long looping forehand, including slow motion. (It starts with one backhand loop – which you should also study! – and then goes to forehands.) Note in the video how he basically rotates his […]

Tip of the week: Drill the Fundamentals and the Specifics (By Larry Hodges) It is important to drill the fundamentals into your game until you can do them in your sleep. But often players forget to practice specifically what they do in a match. For example, I know a player who likes to counterloop with […]

Tip of the week: Fundamental versus Creative Tactics (By Larry Hodges) Fundamental tactics are the standards used against specific playing styles. If you are playing a chopper, fundamental tactics include attacking the middle (roughly the elbow, the transition point between his forehand and backhand chops), moving him in and out, giving dead balls to a […]

Coaching Tip of the Week: Footwork: Wide Stance and Two-Step? (By Larry Hodges) The history of footwork in table tennis could take up a book by itself. If you watch videos of the best players in the world every 20 years or so, you can see the footwork techniques developing, though some of it is […]

Coaching tip of the week: Did He Really Force You Out of Position? (By Larry Hodges) Players are often caught out of position, leading to the opponent hitting an easy winner to an open part of the table as you lunge for the ball. But did he really force you out of position? For example, […]

Coaching tip of the week: Looping Slightly Long Balls (By Larry Hodges) When a student pushes against a slightly long serve (“half long”) or push, I almost always remind them that they should usually loop such balls. Inevitably, the player will respond, “The ball was too short, I couldn’t loop it!” But the ball was […]