Long pimples Blocking!

Thanx again for your answer Alois! Let me share some more thoughts about this subject with you.

the flat stroke block is indeed too risky even when the ball is high enough

i think you are absolutely right about blocking without moving my arm at all.. This is currently my preferred solution most of times. It is extremely efficient against topsins that come far from the table no matter how speedy or spinny they are!! this slow block gives a lot of trouble to the attacker and they usually lose control!

My main problem is blocking tospins that come from very near the table! (e.g the third ball attack which always comes from near the table), unfortunately this passive block is a veryyyy poor solution in this case. i have no ball feeling and i do not control at all my stroke. i think i need to counteract more actively (maybe with some wrist movement- like a counterspin) which is more effective but very difficult to execute properly!

Sometimes i try to skip this -3rd ball attack block- problem by covering most table width with my forehand (with which i block very well), but you understand this is no permanent solution as most topspins of right handed players come straight deeply on my left handed backhand..

Lastly i wonder about this dropping wrist advice that you gave me. (kind of chop block?). i ve heard about this before but have never seen it being executed. seems to me that if i try this kind of block against a -near the table- spinny topspin the ball will go 1 meter high over the table :)

Thanx again for your time!

With appreciation.. michalis

Keep your wrist relaxed to absorb some of the speed.  If you drop your wrist vertically it will also help to lessen the impact of a fast topspin.  This is not an easy stroke but one that can be learned over time.  The dropping of the wrist will actually make the ball go lower not higher.

thanx! i ll try to execute this dropping wrist technique and let you know what happens after few weeks' training :)

Hi,

I´m playing my long Pimples (Feint long 2), when I´m not defending, like a normal Inverted Rubber, thats sounds crazzy, but it works for me. It should works with the Grass D-Tecs, but it will not work with every lomg Pimple Rubber, Long Pimpel Rubbers can be very differnt. The "Hackblock", as we in Germany call the stroke that is shown in the video, I only use in emergency situations, if I was to slow to get into a good position. But then the up-down movement its a lot faster.

So, maybe try this: turn your Racet (or maybe change to a second Racket and don`t use Long Pimple for some weeks) and practice your Backhand Strokes (Conterstroke and Block) with an Inverted Rubber to learn a clean and good Technique (I do this every trainings session for some minutes). If you have learn to Block with an Inverted Rubber, you can Block with Long Pimples. Then switch to the long Pimpels and try the same Technique with them, you only have to adjust the blad a litlle, the movements can be the same.

Aktive played conterstrokes with long Pimples can be very dangerous, because they are very fast with a real flat trajectory and maybe a little backspin. Your oppnent will drop a lot of them into the Net. And thats another reason to practice your Backhand with an Inverted Rubber, its easier for your oppnent to return the Ball and thats better for your traning.

Normal Blocks with Long Pimples take the speed out of the balls, its partially a property of the rubber (attacking rubbers are mutch faster then defence rubbers and thats wath Long Pimples are) and partially a property of the Long Pimples. I only play normal Blocks without any arm movement, if I want to slow down the game or if the oppnent is far away from the table and I want to let him run :)

I have heard it said that in international competition the first player to attack wins the point approx 60% of the time. With 1.5 mm sponge, attack is an option that appeals to me.

how can i defeat the long pimples?

We have a lesson in our Match Strategy lessons on Playing Against Long Pimples.

Really thank you Frank.

Just a silly question.. when you say 'inverted rubber' you mean an antispin rubber or a normal fast attacking rubber?

Hi Michalis,

Yes sorry, it is a normal fast attacking rubber that can generate spin.

Table Tennis Glossary: Inverted Rubber