OOAK Table Tennis Forum

For offensive penhold player, what's the best distance to stand from the table? I try to stand 1 metre from the table but as soon as I start to counter-loop I get pushed back 2.5 - 3 metres from the table to compensate for slow reactions (I will try and improve on this). Am I positioning myself correctly?

A lot depends on how you like to play the game and what your strengths and weaknesses are (and what your standard is).

If your reactions are a bit slow and find yourself always pushed back, there is nothing wrong with that. But you will need to develop your shots around that. Can you hit hard or spinny enough from 3m back to hit winners to the corners? Can you run in fast enough when your opponent drops the ball short when they sent you back? Do you lob the ball (fishing) from that distance, and if so can you return opponent smashes a significant amount of the time?

Do you play mainly from the FH, and do you rpb or hit from just one side of the bat for FH and BH? I do not play penhold, but I play enough of them to know how they play and what works for a broad range of skill levels. There aren't any of them that regularly get pushed back to 3m. Most I'd say play at the table or perhaps 1-2m back at most. That doesn't mean its not right for you though.

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
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The last crop of cpen players is the best example of playing styles and using ones gifts. Ma Lin was a close to the table attack player. Awesome blocker especially on his backhand side. He reveled in quick serve and attack. Wang hao would serve long and played as a mid court looper using his devistating rpb to dominate close and over the table shots but seemed to step back after that. Xu xin rarely plays close but his aggressive long game is devistating. I don't feel the younger Cpens block as well. But ball and rubber changes may have something to do with that. Seem I really have to wind up now to get any top on a polyball.