Pushing or topspin

Table Tennis Strokes and Technique

Last updated 8 years ago

Shaant Mittal

Shaant Mittal Asked 8 years ago

When practicing, I have a match type of thing. In that, you can only chop.

So, me and both of our opponents only have to chop. (We can't attack. It's to improve your defense?

Now, I am more kind of an attacking player. In a regular game, I will only attack.

My opponent can always chop and chop and chop, but I run out of patience.

Can you please tell me what to do? How can I improve my chop? What to do so that I don't run out of patience?


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario Answered 8 years ago

Hi Shaant,

I think it is better for you to focus on your topspin against the chop stroke.  Take a look at the lesson on the Forehand Topspin Off Backspin.  If you improve this then his chop won’t worry you.

You can also improve your pushing.  Focus on watching the spin and direction of the ball and then adjust the angle of your racket slightly to compensate for each spin.


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Shaant Mittal

Shaant Mittal Posted 8 years ago

No, I don't think you have fully understood the question. 

The aim of the practice is to improve your defense as you can't really have a strong attack with a weak defense. 

So, whenever I play, I run out of patience as my opponent keeps chopping and chopping and chopping. I suddenly force a mistake from him and it ends as my mistake. 

So, what should I do to keep the ball in play? And what can I do to get a patient mind?


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

OK, I think then working on your pushing is what you want to work on.  The best way in training is to aim to get a certain number of balls on in a row.  Start with 50 and then work your way up.  Also get your training partner to vary the spin and placement of their pushes.


Shaant Mittal

Shaant Mittal Posted 8 years ago

Thanks! That's the tip I wanted.

Just Another request. It's not that I can't push or chop, it is like after some 40 or 50 chops, I run out of patience and gift my opponent the point.

So what's your tip>


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

Become more patient… Practicing consistency in training will help.


Shaant Mittal

Shaant Mittal Posted 8 years ago

Thank you very much. Thanks for spending some time to answer my questions. Really helpful. 


Dakota Castleberg

Dakota Castleberg Posted 8 years ago

hey Alois,

Do you think pushing is a weakness if you can do a rally of even 50 pushes in a row? It seems like that should be sufficient as after a few pushes in a row during a match it would be very hard to keep the ball short, instead of having the ball being long enough to open up.


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

In a match you would rarely need to do more than 10 pushes.  If you are talking about short pushes I think 2 or 3 is usually the limit.



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