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

Coaching Against Yourself

October 5, 2026
(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame) Imagine coaching someone to play against you.… Read More

Kou Lei – Counterlooping the Backhand Loop

October 5, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Kou Lei is working Butterfly Sponsored Kef Noorani on Counterlooping… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Broward Table Tennis Club

October 4, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) The Broward Table Tennis Club offers regular tournaments, camps, and coaching opportunities.  They have been… Read More

China Smash: Early Action Underway

October 4, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) Qualifications started on October 1, and the Main Draw saw its first action today at… Read More

Zhendong: Bundesliga’s Fan Magnet

October 4, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) When Fan Zhendong first arrived in Germany, there was little doubt that the defending Olympic… Read More

Kou Lei – Backhand Block & Backhand Chop Block

October 4, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Kou Lei is working with a chopper student developing the… Read More

Sean Zhang – Multi ball Handspeed & Footwork

October 3, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Sean Zhang is executing a series of drills with the… Read More

Kou Lei – Forehand & Backhand CounterLooping

October 2, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Kou Lei is working with Butterfly Sponsored Player Kef Noorani.… 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.

/* Constant Contact Universal Code */