Site Products
Coaching Tip of the Week: The Forehand Down-the Line Block and Counterloop

Coaching Tip of the Week: Five Ways to Take Away an Opponent’s Big Shot

Posted on

(By Larry Hodges)

  1. Attack first. Most attackers want to attack first.
  2. Push well. This means low, deep, heavy or varied, quick off the bounce, and to wide angles, with last-second changes of direction.
  3. Go to his strong side first, when you get to choose the shot. If his strong side is the forehand, then go there, and then come back to the backhand, forcing the forehand attacker to move and play backhand.
  4. Serve short to his strong side, bringing him over the table, then go deep and wide to the other side.
  5. Fast, breaking serves to the weak side. If he has a big forehand, serve deep and very wide to the backhand so the ball breaks away even wider – making it very difficult for him to play forehand. (If he does, develop a fast down-the-line serve with the same motion, and ace him when he moves too soon.) If he’s stronger on the backhand, set up on your forehand side and do a deep sidespin serve to his wide forehand (such as a tomahawk serve), so it breaks even wider.

Latest News

🎥 Episode 14: Ask The Expert Live With Logan Rietz | What do you bring to a tournament?

August 19, 2026
(by Bowmar Sports) Being prepared for a table tennis tournament means more than just remembering your racket. In… Read More

Rachid El Bou Bou – Two Backhands, One Forehand

August 19, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Rachid El Bou Bou is executing Two Backhand Loop, One… Read More

Three World Cup Stories, Three Mental Skills Every Table Tennis Player Can Use

August 18, 2026
(by Dr. Alan Chu, PhD, CMPC) Regardless of whether you watch soccer, this year's FIFA World Cup produced… Read More

Kou Lei – Forehand Short Push Return

August 18, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Kou Lei is executing the Forehand Short Push Return https://youtu.be/ScL4ruD1beo… Read More

A Levels Approach to Tactics

August 17, 2026
(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame) I like to divide tactics into five… Read More

Carlos Hernandez – Game Play Sequencing

August 17, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Carlos Hernandez is focusing on practice games where he is… Read More

MLTT Meet the Teams: Florida Crocs

August 16, 2026
by Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT) The Florida Crocs have yet to make the playoffs, but this year they… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Alamo Table Tennis Club

August 16, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) The Alamo Table Tennis Club is located just North of the City Center in San… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.