OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Thanks for sharing Coach. This is like finding gold for long pips blockers. I'll study these and integrate into my training regimen right away.

On the #5 Drill (3rd ball attack with short pips) do you ever get caught out with long pips on your forehand? What type of shot would you look to play if they block your attack over there? With the ball moving so fast, twiddling is out of the question for me.

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

It depends on the type of return the oponent makes to my forehand. If it is a backspin or a slow topspin, I will attack it with the long pips on my forehand. If it is a fast topspin then I will probably chop-block with the forehand. I only try one or two backhand 3rd ball attacks (with short pips-flipping) each game and they usually come as a surprise for my opponent. The surprise element is important as it makes it difficult for my opponent to return the serve down-the-line to my forehand. I normally get a serve return to my backhand. If I use the tactic too much, the opponent will be looking for it and more likely to take the ball to my forehand side.

Coach McAfee

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Coach McAfee
Denver, CO, USA
Re-Impact Custom Blade
Joola Badman OX
Joola Ultra Express 2.0

Drill #6 is now up at:


Coach McAfee

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Coach McAfee
Denver, CO, USA
Re-Impact Custom Blade
Joola Badman OX
Joola Ultra Express 2.0

Very nice of Coach M to share with us.

The one common theme to these videos: Chopblock
The single most difficult stroke for me to execute...you guessed it-chopblock! I can't think of any shot that is harder to execute for me.

Another common theme to these drills is the variation between the chop block and the other attacking possibilities. Since the banning of frictionless long pips, it is critical to have constant variation between your returns. There is simply not enough reversal in any of the current crop of rubbers to allow you to chop block several balls in a row to a good level player without that player being able to put the ball away. However, by mixing up your long pips returns you can make life very difficult even for a high level player.

Coach McAfee

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Coach McAfee
Denver, CO, USA
Re-Impact Custom Blade
Joola Badman OX
Joola Ultra Express 2.0

Thanks Coach McAfee! Extremely helpful and most appreciated!!!!!!!!!

very good drill series coach.

in video #6 what LP were you using?

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BTY Amultart, BH: Superblock red OX, FH: Tenergy 05 2.1mm

Hello,

In all the videos, I am using the same racket with Giant Dragon Cropcircles OX (red).

Coach McAfee

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Coach McAfee
Denver, CO, USA
Re-Impact Custom Blade
Joola Badman OX
Joola Ultra Express 2.0

Noted, thanks Coach.

I don't have Firewall but I have a Tachi, what do you think the performance will be on Tachi?

and which one is better the red one or the black one ?

cheers.

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BTY Amultart, BH: Superblock red OX, FH: Tenergy 05 2.1mm

The Taichi is slower than the Firewall so you can expect more control with your blade. I have not found much difference between the red and black in the Cropcircles rubber. However, with a slower blade, I think the amount of reversal is even more important as you lose some ability to put your opponent under "time pressure". For the Taichi, I would suggest you try the Giant Dragon Talon, as it plays a lot like Grass D-tecs but with more control.

Coach McAfee

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Coach McAfee
Denver, CO, USA
Re-Impact Custom Blade
Joola Badman OX
Joola Ultra Express 2.0

Coach, for long pips players with short pips on the forehand, what are the most important shot patterns we should know to build a point?

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The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

There are a number of different patterns depending on the style of player your opponent is but I will try to give you a couple of the most common.

One of the most important concepts about playing the close to the table LP blocking game is the placement of the serve return. You have to “cut” the corners (sidelines) when returning any serve long so you can anticipate a cross-court return. When serving or returning serve to my opponent’s backhand, I send the ball out cutting the sideline between the net and the end of the table. This normally forces a backhand to backhand exchange. I can then, when ready, angle a ball out wide to his forehand either short or long and anticipant a ball coming to my forehand. It is this ball that I can usually attack hard for a winner. Due to my lack of mobility and balance (knees are both gone), if the return to my forehand forces me to move, I normally will attack with a topspin stroke. If his return is more in the center of the table, this is my “kill” zone. This is especially true if the return is backspin as flat killing backspin is very easy with short pips.

Another common pattern is that players will try to serve to my forehand to stay away from starting the point against my long pips. If the serve forces me to open with a slower topspin, it is again important for me to get the return deep into the opponent’s backhand and force the backhand to backhand exchange. If I feel like I can attack the serve with a fast topspin or flat hit, then I will take the ball out wide to the opponent’s forehand.

As you can see from the above, I try hard to keep my returns out of the middle of the table unless I attack hard and then I may attack the opponent’s elbow. My goal with most of my patterns is to move my opponent before they can move me. Almost any return that my opponent makes to the middle of the table, I will attack hard with my forehand. I know my “zone” and I am always looking to finish any return that comes into it.

Finally, whenever I play a topspin player whose backhand loop is not overpowering, when I feel that I have made a difficult (heavy backspin) block to their backhand, I will often flip the racket and attack their next return.
I hope the above gives you some ideas.

Coach McAfee

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Coach McAfee
Denver, CO, USA
Re-Impact Custom Blade
Joola Badman OX
Joola Ultra Express 2.0

Thank you very much for your great answer to my question. That's a very good idea about trying cut the corners on service returns. I generally have tried to put it within six inches from the side to have a buffer zone, but I think I usually have enough control to shoot for a sharper angle.

I also appreciate your comment keeping returns out of the middle of the table. Against really tricky serves, I make that mistake far too often.

What tactics do you use against lefties?

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The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Keeping slow moving balls out of the middle of the table is critical for all players. When a slow moving ball is placed anywhere in the middle of the table, your opponent can easily attack either corner on your side. As a long pip blocker, I have to the ball in front of the center of my body to control a strong attack. To keep in front of the ball, I need to be able to anticipate were my opponent’s returns are going. If I play to the middle of the table, I have no idea where the return will be placed and likely will not be able to handle the pace.

In regards to Left-handers, they can give me problems as I can’t get my favorite pattern of backhand to backhand exchanges very often. I normally serve very wide to their forehands and long pip block back to their backhand side. I also use a lot of high toss long fast breaking serves into their backhands and look to forehand attack their returns.

As it is easier for a left-hander to get the ball wide to my forehand, I try to flip the racket several times each game to long pip block with my forehand. The idea is to get more long pips returns to their backhands. In general, against left-handers, I flip more and try to be more aggressive with my own forehand.

Coach McAfee

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Coach McAfee
Denver, CO, USA
Re-Impact Custom Blade
Joola Badman OX
Joola Ultra Express 2.0

Coach, thanks for all of your feedback during this topic. I hope this means you are going to be a regular poster here now, as time permits. This has been a real pleasure to read.

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"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5