OOAK Table Tennis Forum

To be a good chopper you will need specific drills that will help you with the other aspects than the actual chopping stroke. The most important things for being able to execute a good chop is to be in the right place, in the right position and at the right time. This demands good footwork, timing and prediction of what stroke your opponent will do. Also, it can be a good idea to practice twiddeling with specific drills.
The drill I use the most is a version of the classic Falkenberger:
Opponent starts with BH-drive to my BH,
I chop with BH (pips) to his BH,
he pushes to my elbow,
I step around and brush-loop with FH from BH-side to his BH,
he blocks to my FH,
I loop FH to his BH,
he blocks to my BH,
and so on....
Like this:


Here is a video (found it on the blog Tabletennisdefenders) with multiball drills for a defender:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_PpI7_pOOI[/youtube]

I have a few more drills, and some vids...will add them later.

Please feel free to contribute!

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My blog: Def-attack's attempts to find balance between defence/attack | Serving techniques and strategy section

Thanks Def! Great idea to collect some drills here.

I think indeed those kind of drills help executing good chopping strokes but also al the others strokes. It is exactly the combination of chops with looping attacks that forms the basis of modern defence. Footwork, timing and stroke technique are crucial.

The drill with the Mexican defender is great. I've seen it a couple of times before. From the comments on that video, we can see he uses Tibhar Nimbus on FH and Feint Long II (thickness?) on BH, on a (which?) Matsushita blade. Wonder what level he plays, he really looks good.

I embedded the video:

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Exclusive OOAK-Interview with Joo Saehyuk | Masato Shiono | Panagiotis Gionis

He moves really well and has the strokes but his BH chop is incredibly short.

Those drills are superb for footwork but not ideal for actually practising the chop. In a match if your opponent loops off heavy backspin from your serve or push, the spin on their loop will be infinitely higher than you can ever manage with multiball.

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[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, Butterfly Joo Saehyuk, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 2.1), TSP Spectol Speed (1.3), TSP Super Spinpips Chop Sponge 2 (0.5, 1.3)
LPs: Butterfly Feint Long II (1), Butterfly Feint Long III (0.5, 1.3), Tibhar Grass D.TecS (OX), TSP Curl P1-R (0.5, 1, 1.3), TSP Curl P4 (1.3)
Full list (PM me for price): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xNLwjz5uZq_FcCowBgZ4zk1NwU83xVyCRoo0zhphu3w/edit?usp=sharing
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My blog: "Learning to play: as a modern defender": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22254
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtazeX ... oICGS9bqNg

True, for praticing the actual chop it is better to find a good looper. Multiball can be good, but most people can't hit the ball like a good loop at a multiball session.

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My blog: Def-attack's attempts to find balance between defence/attack | Serving techniques and strategy section

In a way your observations are correct, but it seems you are missing a BIG point here..

1) At a higher level biggest problem for choppers are the "killers". Fast, hard loops/drives. Most of the time you just aren't able to move fast enough to be in a position for a proper chop. Where does that leave you? - it leaves you in a position where the best way to chop back those balls is by doing a fast and short chop stroke. I think it's really good that he is practicing this.

2) If in a real match opponent loops from heavy backspin the ball will be slower than in this training (in most cases) and this defender will have plenty of time to adjust his stroke for high spin ball. Or he even will have time to counter loop it if the opponent positions his attack badly.

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Setups (click on writings to read reviews):
1) Defence III / TSP P4 (0,5) / M3 (2,0)
2) Defence II / Joola Octopus (0,5) / M3 (2,0)
3) Ross Leidy "White Shadow" / P1R (1,3) / Hexer PS (1,7)

I agree that such multiball drills are especially helpful for timing (& fast reactions), footwork and general fitness. Wish I had a coach like that sometimes. OTOH, it is true that those balls are artificial, just like with a robot. So if you'd only train multiball and/or robot, you will lose your matches.

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Exclusive OOAK-Interview with Joo Saehyuk | Masato Shiono | Panagiotis Gionis

Yeah, definitely. But those balls aren't gentle, mid-pace shots like multi-ball feed. It's all well and good being in the right position and being ready for them but if you haven't practised chopping against those strokes you'll still miss them fairly consistently! Personally I don't believe that his stroke is the right one to deal with powerloops OR flat drives, either.

Now I hasten to add that obviously not all coaches can do this and finding a partner to drill with can be hard but surely it'd be better practice to find someone to third-ball attack you? A lot of offensive players are looking for exactly that kind of practice.

For me the benefit of that drill is the footwork. His footwork is superb. Constant bouncing. I just think it'd be a more focused practice if he tried to white-line even the multi ball feed for consistency purposes.

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[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, Butterfly Joo Saehyuk, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 2.1), TSP Spectol Speed (1.3), TSP Super Spinpips Chop Sponge 2 (0.5, 1.3)
LPs: Butterfly Feint Long II (1), Butterfly Feint Long III (0.5, 1.3), Tibhar Grass D.TecS (OX), TSP Curl P1-R (0.5, 1, 1.3), TSP Curl P4 (1.3)
Full list (PM me for price): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xNLwjz5uZq_FcCowBgZ4zk1NwU83xVyCRoo0zhphu3w/edit?usp=sharing
==================================================================================================================================================
My blog: "Learning to play: as a modern defender": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22254
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtazeX ... oICGS9bqNg

Like everything in life: a multidimensional approach is the best.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjUwMTE5OTA4.html

some drills are very effective like 1st one
short backspin to fh
punch/chop deep bh
straigh fh attack along line

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Butterfly Defence II / TSP Curl P1r 0.5 / DHS Hurricane 3 no22 2.15mm -185g

I know i lack some sort of fantasy, but this video really fits well everywhere

In particular, for the purpose of this thread, from 26:40

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My Paddle
Blade: Butterfly Defence III ST
FH: Baracuda 1.8 (black)
BH: Curl p1-r 1.0 (red)