OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hi all. I've been using long pips on my backhand for probably at least 15 years now, if not more. This is my Year of EJ, so I'm trying all kinds of different rubbers. I have been testing short pips on my forehand, and after a tournament I have on Saturday, I want to see what the potential is like for my game to play a frictionless anti on my backhand instead of long pips.

I play close to the table and have been working on taking balls quickly off the bounce, my natural tendency was to let balls drop, but I'm trying to get up quickly on them on both wings. I never used the frictionless pips, and have tended towards ones that are on the grippy side.

I have a couple of sheets of the ABS 2. I've hit with them a couple of times just for fun. I think I've figured out the backhand against back spin, using a punch motion and using a side swipe motion. But against hard hit flat balls and top spin balls I haven't figured it out yet. I feel like if I open the blade slightly, I pop it up. But if I close it slightly, it goes right down into the table.

If anybody has any advice they can give me I'd appreciate it. I've watched a lot of videos of frictionless anti players and I still don't feel like I have a good handle on what the proper blade angle and technique is to return hard loops and flat hits and serves. Do I chop block? Pull back block? Hold steady? I know I have to take the ball as quickly as I can, but some tips (especially from someone who's attempted the same switch) could be helpful as I play around with this during the summer.

_________________
"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

Hi! You have an interesting path ahead of you .

How and then to block with frictionless anti depends on incomming speed and spin and on your blade and rubber. As a rule of thumb - block as early as you can, hold the bat steady, and the more spin there is in the loop the more you opend your bat.

But, if you block early the ball still is moving upwards after the bounce when you block it and it can be on its way up when you block it so it goes high after your block. Then hold your bat a little higher above the table, right above net height. And close the bat a little. So the ball bounces, goes up to just above net level and you block it and try to get an arc straight forward (slightly closed bat) or almost pointing down. This will help to keep the ball low and make it hit the other side of the table. Look at the second point in this clip for an illustration:
http://youtu.be/4OGJF_MEets

If you chop block you remove some of the spin reversal. That can trick your opponent a lot if you don’t do it often.

You want to minimize the time the ball touches your bat in order to remove as little spin as possible. But stopping the balls speed is also a very effective way, especially if you can keep the ball low.

When you attack back spin, make sure to chop the ball with force. Hit the ball with a chopping movement over the table as hard as you can and still keep the ball on the table. This will confuse your opponent a lot. Then, when they get used to it, make the movement against back spin slower. That will throw their timing off and your return will be a slow top spinned ball.

Also try lifting back spin like a banana flick, especially if there are some sidespin in the ball .

Don’t give up, this will take some time to learn .

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Def-attack's attempts to find balance between defence/attack | Getting better - health and game |
My Youtube

on that video, looks like he pulled the paddle back a little on contact (to take off power?) but catches early to spin reverse and paddle is closed. is that how you see it also?

_________________
Custom Defense::: Friendship 802 : Dr. Neubauer Super Block

Maybe I pulled back the bat a little, I do that sometimes when blocking. It can be very effective against some attacks.

The angle of the bat when blocking has more to do with trying to guide the ball back in the best possible angle/path. So with that block I created a double bounce by taking the ball a little higher. For more spin reversal I should have taken the ball a little earlier I think.

_________________
Def-attack's attempts to find balance between defence/attack | Getting better - health and game |
My Youtube

Thanks for the great advice! I'm going to watch more of your video too, but I just watched the beginning, I see what you mean on that point. Really appreciate the tips!!!

_________________
"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