Offensive push

Table Tennis Strokes and Technique

Last updated 8 years ago

mat huang

mat huang Asked 11 years ago

Hi alois,

I know that you alway insist push is a defensive stroke, but I find putting more spin and doing in a finer and quicker contact and aiming for the corner could win some easy points.

Pls tell me how to do it, and how to defend it.


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario Answered 11 years ago

Hi Mat,

A push can be an attacking stroke when played fast with good spin.  To do it bring your hand through faster and really brush under the ball on contact.  In training put some targets on the table in the corners and aim for them.

To defend it you need to step back a little to give yourself more time and then make the Forehand Topspin Off Backspin stroke.


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mat huang

mat huang Posted 11 years ago

Thanks Alois


Tim Pan

Tim Pan Posted 11 years ago

Yeah, I found that out as well... sometimes, when I really wanted to put some backspin on the ball, the ball flew long and fast across the table.


Ilia Minkin

Ilia Minkin Posted 8 years ago

Hi Alois,

How to prevent my opponents from pushing fast? Is it really possible?


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

Ilia, if you push it to difficult positions an keep them off balance then it will be harder for them to push fast and accurately.


Ilia Minkin

Ilia Minkin Posted 8 years ago

Thank you, Alois. But how about the serve? I notice that skillful long pimple defenders push my backspin serves very aggressively. The resulting nospin ball is lightning fast and I often lose the point outright. Serving topspin is not an option since they will attack it strongly.


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

If you serve longer it will give you more time to see the return. If you serve with topspin it is harder for them to attack the ball because the ball will come off their racket with backspin and float.


Ilia Minkin

Ilia Minkin Posted 8 years ago

Hi Alois,

If I play an attacker, is it possible to prevent an offensive push by serving short? If make the serve really low and tight, can it still be pushed fast?


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

Hi Ilia,

It is possible to push even a really short and low ball fast.  However, if you are in good position the fast push shouldn't give you too many problems.


Ilia Minkin

Ilia Minkin Posted 8 years ago

> However, if you are in good position the fast push shouldn't give you too many problems.

Often it does :( 


Ilia Minkin

Ilia Minkin Posted 8 years ago

So what is the best solution if I struggle to get to fast pushes? Play lots of serve-and-attack and receive-and-attack drills until it gets better?


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

Yes, I think the best thing is to practice that combination.  However, one other option is to serve a little longer, Half Long so the second bounce is still on the table but the first bounce is a little further from the net.  This will mean that they are hitting the push from a little further away from you and therefore will give you more time.


Ilia Minkin

Ilia Minkin Posted 8 years ago

Thank you, Alois!



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