Site Products
Most players go through the following sequence during each shot of a rally:

Coaching tip of the week: Did He Really Force You Out of Position?

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, suppose the opponent finds a chance to hit an angled ball to your wide forehand. You run it down, but before you can get back into position, your opponent has blocked a winner to your wide backhand, and you can only wave at the ball and say, “Nice tactic.” But did he really force you out of position, or did you allow it?

Most often, when the above happens, it’s not really because of what the opponent did, but because of one of two things you didn’t do.

First, were you really in position to cover the forehand on the first shot there? Often a player isn’t positioned well, and so when the ball goes the forehand (in this example), he gets a late start, and so is already almost lunging for the ball. Result? Even if you make the return, your momentum keeps you from making a quick return back into position, leaving your wide backhand open.

Second, while making the return from the forehand side – key word is while, not after – were you pushing yourself back into position with your right leg (for righties) so that you’d follow through back to the table? Many players finish their stroke, including their follow-through, and then start their return to position. Instead, returning to the table should be part of the follow-through.

If you fix these two problems, then your opponents will find it much, much harder to force you out of position, since he hadn’t been doing so before – you had been doing that all by yourself!

Latest News

Apolonia ZLC + Dignics 09C + Dignics 09C Racket Review

July 2, 2025
(by Bowmar Sports) In this video, Coach Brian Pace reviews and dives deep into one of Butterfly’s elite… Read More

Open Up Your Body

July 2, 2025
WAIT FUNCTION: Serve short backspin or side backspin to Backhand, Robot plays long backspin push to Backhand, Backhand… Read More

Kanak Jha and Sally Moyland are National Singles Champions

July 2, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) Kanak Jha arrived in Ontario, California for the start of the US National Table Tennis… Read More

Darryl Tsao – Forehand Counterloop: Butterfly Training Tips

July 2, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Darryl Tsao is explaining the benefits of the Forehand Counterloop… Read More

#1 Putting time pressure on the opponent with quick attacks

July 1, 2025
[Feature] [Special Feature] America’s star! Jha’s strong points #1 Putting time pressure on the opponent with quick attacks… Read More

Product Validation – Beginner Set up

July 1, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Product Validation, Brian Pace explain a fantastic Beginner Set-up is you are… Read More

Counter-Attack WITH Control – Harimoto Innerforce Super ALC + Dignics 05 + Dignics 05

June 30, 2025
(by Bowmar Sports) In the dynamic world of table tennis, power often takes the spotlight — but control… Read More

Center of Gravity in Your Stomach

June 30, 2025
WAIT FUNCTION: Serve short backspin or side backspin to Forehand, Robot plays long backspin push to Forehand, Forehand… 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.