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Many adult players donâ€t have access to a coach. The unfortunate reality is that there arenâ€t that many table tennis coaches available. Yes, some towns and cities may have a coach (or multiple coaches), but other places have none at all. And the table tennis coaches which do exist often focus more on junior players, rather than adults.

This can be very frustrating to an adult player, who is eager to improve. I have many players travel a long distance to see me, because they have no other options nearby (and the quality of the coaching, of course 😉).

Having access to a table tennis coach is undoubtedly useful. You will improve quicker and a coach can help you solve any problems you are having with your game. But itâ€s not absolutely essential. You can still improve a lot without having any personal coaching at all. Hereâ€s a few things you can do…

Analyse your game

Without someone to help you, you have to coach yourself. You can start with an analysis of your own game. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? How do you win points? How do you lose points? What shots can you play confidently? What shots are you unable to play? What standard are you playing at now? What standard would you like to get to? What do you need to change about your game to reach that standard?

By answering these questions, you will develop a much better understanding of your own game. You will become more aware of what is wrong with your game and youâ€ll seek solutions to fix it. Youâ€ll become more aware of what your strengths are and how to use these more when you play.

Every time you train, and every time you play a match, you can analyse your own performance. Do it, do it and do it again. Make analysis a habit. This will become the absolute foundation of your ability to coach yourself.

Film yourself

How we think we play can often be very different to the way we actually play. When I first started playing, I had a clear image in my mind of how I played table tennis – and it was awesome. I was in for quite a shock when I actually saw myself on video for the first time. Do I really play like that? I look terrible. My shots are all wrong. Iâ€m not moving. Iâ€m standing upright (ok, ok … not much has changed in 20 years!).

The camera never lies. Once you get over the initial shock of how you really play, filming yourself is a really useful tool. You see very clearly what is wrong (and right) with your game. This could be something technical (stance, footwork, shot execution) or tactical (ball placement, decision making, serve strategy etc).

You simply use video as another form of analysis, but one which is based on real evidence, rather than imagined evidence. You can make notes on areas you want to improve or tactics which you want to try in the future. And this can inform what you work on in your next training session. You are in charge. You are your own coach.

External feedbackÂ

Even without a coach, you can still get plenty of feedback about your game. Ask other players what they think about how you play. What do they think youâ€re good at? What do they think you can improve?

Other players are usually very happy to tell you their thoughts, often in great detail. And you can get some really useful feedback. Maybe you always play a shot to the same position, and this makes it easy to return. You were unaware of this, but with this little bit of feedback, you make a determined effort to vary your ball placement more. Instantly you have made an improvement in an area you didnâ€t know needed improving.

Or maybe you get feedback that a serve is particularly difficult to return. Itâ€s a serve you only use once a match, but with this feedback you decide to use it a little more and start winning more points.

There are so many unexpected things you can learn by seeking feedback from others. So make this another habit in your role as self-coach.

Watch coaching videos

There are loads of coaching videos on YouTube. Probably too many! You can find a video on every aspect of table tennis. And most of these videos are created by experienced coaches or very high level players (and me, of course!).

In a recent tournament, I lost to a player who told me he has never had any coaching, but he has watched all my YouTube tutorials. Damn! My videos are helping players beat me. This wasnâ€t supposed to be the plan!

But despite personal humiliation, it is a good example of how useful YouTube tutorials can be. Iâ€m sure it wasnâ€t just my videos he had been watching, but he had clearly picked up loads of technical and tactical tips and had coached himself to success.

All you have to do is go on YouTube, search the topic you want to learn more about and hey presto! Youâ€ll have a load of free coaching instruction to help you.

Training camps

Even though you may not have access to a regular coach, you can still receive some coaching. A really good option is to attend a training camp. There are many available which do cater for adult players.

Youâ€ll get access to new ideas, both technical and tactical. Youâ€ll get some personal feedback from the coaches at the training camp. And you get to play a lot of table tennis.

Itâ€s not something you need to do regularly. Just going to one training camp per year is enough. Itâ€s usually very motivating and can help you work out what you need to focus on in future training sessions.

I have a list of training camps in the UK and Europe on my website or take a look at this Facebook group, where lots of different training camps are promoted.

Tom is redundant

There is plenty you can do without a table tennis coach. You just need to approach it in the right way. Always analyse your performance. Film yourself. Seek feedback. Make use of free coaching videos and attend a training camp. Do all of this and you will improve a lot.

I feel like I am talking myself out of a job! Iâ€ll backtrack a little bit. If you do have access to a coach, then absolutely take advantage of this. You should still do all the things I mentioned above, but working with a coach will help speed up the process of improvement.

You are very welcome to come and see me in Cambridge for 1-to-1 coaching or a training camp. And if Cambridge is too far, you can join my online academy – Tomâ€s TT Academy – which is a very affordable way to get lots of regular coaching content from myself.Â

But the biggest takeaway message is this … if you donâ€t have access to a coach, you can still have great success coaching yourself. Yes, it will be a little bit harder, but definitely possible to do.

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Tom and Jarek observing opponents at Veterans British League. Photo by Pawel Meryn.

When you play a league match, or a group stage of a tournament, what do you do when itâ€s not your turn to play?

Some players sit and chat. Some players disappear outside. Some players spend the whole time looking at their phone. If itâ€s not their turn to play, theyâ€re not interested in watching the match which is taking place.

This is a missed opportunity. You can gather some vital information about future opponents if you pay attention to their matches. You can use this time to develop your tactical awareness.

But how exactly should you analyse a future opponent? Hereâ€s five simple things to look out for.

1. What is his playing style?

I always start with identifying an opponentâ€s playing style. Is he a pusher, a blocker, a topspin attacker, a chopper, a lobber, a hitter? Does he use pimples on one side?

By identifying a playing style you can quickly tune in to some pre-existing tactics. Maybe the opponent you are observing likes to play lots of pushes. You have probably faced similar opponents many times before. What worked in the past against this playing style? The same approach will probably work against this player too.

When itâ€s your turn to play this opponent, you already will have a good idea what to expect and how you need to approach the game.

2. Which side is weaker?

Almost all players have a stronger side and a weaker side. Or a more threatening side and a less threatening side. Is it the backhand or the forehand?

This is usually quite easy to identify. Sometimes a player will make many more errors on one side (e.g. the backhand). This is an obvious weakness which can be targeted.

Other players may have an overwhelming strength (e.g. the forehand), but a less threatening, but stable, backhand. In this case you still want to keep the ball away from the big strength as much as possible.

You should also observe how well a future opponent moves. If the player is a bit static, you are likely to get a lot of success hitting balls out wide or to their crossover position.

3. Topspin or backspin?

Unless your future opponent is an all-out defender, he will be using attacking shots. But how good is he at attacking different spins? Some players are great at attacking a topspin ball, but terrible at attacking a backspin ball.

Or maybe itâ€s the other way around. They are great at looping backspin, but struggle in faster topspin rallies. Maybe they have a great backhand loop, but often miss the forehand loop.

If you can observe this, then instantly have some tactics you can use. If an opponent is no good at faster topspin rallies – and you are – then you try to turn as many points into this type of rally.

If an opponent canâ€t loop backspin – but always seems to go for it – you know you will probably win some cheap points with some decent pushes.

4. How does he receive serves?

Pay special attention to how your future opponent likes to return serves. Does he try to attack? Does he try to chop? Does he vary his returns?

How does he cope with long serves? How does he cope with short serves? Are their particular spins or placements which seem to cause problems?

If you can identify one or two things where you think your future opponent will be weaker, then you can start a match with this in mind. And if your analysis is correct, and you choose serves which cause your opponent problems, then youâ€ll be in good shape to win the first game.

5. Can you read his serves?

And finally, really watch your future opponent when he serves. In particular, try to read his service spin. Does he like to use backspin serves, topspin serves or sidespin serves? Is it often the same spin or is it always changing?

This will make your opponent’s serves seem less threatening. You already have a good idea what to expect and how you can return his serves.

I remember one match, many years ago, when I observed my opponent often used a fast tomahawk serve with lots of sidespin. I often struggled with this serve. But because I knew he was going to use it, I could prepare myself for my receive strategy. My plan was to attack the serve aggressively. The first time he did the serve, I absolutely nailed it. And then he never used the serve again and had to use less threatening serves instead. This was all possible because of the observations and tactical planning I did before we even started the match.

Keep it simple

Iâ€ve outlined a few different ways you can analyse a future opponent. This might feel a little overwhelming if you have never done this before. How is it possible to analyse so many things and think about so many tactics, all at once?

To start with, you will probably need to simplify. You might need to focus on just one type of analysis. Start with a basic analysis of whether your future opponent has a stronger forehand or backhand. This is the easiest to identify, and probably the most useful. Whichever side you identify as weaker, simply put more balls to this side.

But as you get more used to analysing an opponent and thinking tactically, you will find your brain can process more information. Youâ€ll be able to identify the playing style, strengths and weaknesses, serve and receive patterns, and probably many other things Iâ€ve not mentioned here.

Your goal with all of this analysis, is to start the match with a plan. And if your plan works, youâ€ll get off to a flying start. The more you do this, the better you get at developing your tactical awareness and it can become a major strength of your game.

Improve your tactical game

If you want more tactical tips, I recommend you join Tomâ€s TT Academy. You will also get access to a wide range of coaching content, including:

• in-depth courses
• training drills
• video analysis
• fitness videos
• robot training videos
• member discussions
• pro match analysis
• skill challenges
• and lotâ€s more!

You can access all this content for less than £1 per week. New content is added regularly. Join hundreds of table tennis players around the world today at tomsttacademy.com

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Just 12 months ago, I was a fourth-division provincial player. After 500+ hours of applying the tips Iâ€ll share with you now, I have risen to the second division. That puts me just a step below all the professional players and national team members here in Argentina.

In these past 2-3 years, Iâ€ve progressed from a lower intermediate player to now playing at an advanced level. Every year, my improvement rate has accelerated as I learned more about the sport and gained more momentum.

If you want to speed up the pace of your improvement, this is the article to read. There is no doubt in my mind that, if you apply these tips, you will be able to get anywhere you want within the sport.

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Take Yourself Seriously

Most, if not all of this article will revolve around this one tip. The main difference between how I think and act now compared to all of my previous versions is that I take myself a lot more seriously now.

What do I mean by this? Taking yourself seriously means giving your absolute best at everything concerning table tennis. It means consistently holding yourself to higher and higher standards to achieve better results.

You see, when I was a fourth-division player I used to think like this:

“I can skip training one day per week, Iâ€m already training more than most peopleâ€

“I donâ€t need to practice serves very often, my serves are already good enough for my divisionâ€

“Thereâ€s no need to give 100% focus when blocking for my partner, I can return the ball well enough regardlessâ€

“I wonâ€t be able to beat this higher-rated player, heâ€s just better than meâ€

“As long as I show up to training, I will improve. Thereâ€s no need to focus on every single exercise. Giving 70% of my focus and energy is good enough.â€

Does any of this resonate with you?

Hereâ€s how I think now:

“I canâ€t skip training under any circumstances. My training plan is well-detailed and it must be followed strictlyâ€

“If I practice my serves more now, theyâ€ll still be effective in the future when I have to play against even stronger playersâ€

“If I give all of my attention when blocking for my partner, I will be able to block many more balls when Iâ€m playing in a tournament. If I miss the table, I lose the point!â€

“I can beat this higher-rated player. I give all of myself for this sport. I can beat him because of the effort I put in every weekâ€

“I have to focus 100% for every single round of the exercise. If I miss, I lose the point, and it can mean losing a tournament finalâ€

As you can see, the difference is massive. When I was a fourth-division player, I thought that giving 60 or 70% of my potential energy was good enough. Hence, my playing level was a 6 or 7, exactly what I put in! Table tennis is incredibly fair in this respect.

Now, I make sure to focus all of my energy when training and competing, and giving my all to the sport.

There is no doubt in my mind that I will achieve my goals because Iâ€m doing everything in my power to get there. This is how I gained two divisions in a year and this is also the strategy Iâ€ll use to progress up to the division of the professionals and semi-professionals.

Even if youâ€re a beginner or intermediate-level player, try to train and compete to the absolute best of your abilities, every single time.

Many people donâ€t feel as motivated because theyâ€re beginners or intermediate-level players and theyâ€re “already too oldâ€. They think that because they didnâ€t start playing before 10 years old, they canâ€t reach anything “meaningfulâ€, so they donâ€t even try their hardest.

As I said at the beginning of the article, I was a lower intermediate player at 20 years old. I knew from the start that I was never going to be a professional player or be at the very top of the Argentine rankings.

2 years later, however, I have reached an advanced level and Iâ€m in the top 100 of my country. I have won many, many tournaments, and lots of people within the circuit know who I am.

I have also traveled to many places to play tournaments, I have played in the Argentine Open, and I have beaten players I would never even have thought I could get games off of.

I also make a living from table tennis! Table tennis is my passion and being able to share it with you by writing on this website is what pays for my table tennis expenses – and some.

In addition, I can become a coach in the future as a side job (or even a full-time job) if I study and earn coaching certifications. I have exceeded my expectations by a long shot.

When I was a lower intermediate player I thought it just wasnâ€t possible for me because I had never gotten to a very high level in 5 years of training, and thus, I didnâ€t give 100% of my energy and focus.

Take yourself seriously, train, and compete as if your salary depended on your results, and youâ€ll see results in no time. Strive for the best, and donâ€t settle for less!

I can assure you that if you give 100% of your focus and energy, you will also exceed your own expectations. Donâ€t expect immediate results, though, go one week at a time, and over months and years youâ€ll reach places you never thought you would at the beginning.

Practice

In this section, weâ€ll go over our two main tips related to practice: practicing more, and practicing better.

Practicing more

One of the deciding factors of my rapid improvement was simply that I started training more. I upped my training from 6-8 hours per week to 10-16 hours per week.

I was talking to my coach one day (a former Argentine top junior player) and he concluded that, if you want to get to a very high level, you need to train at least 15 hours per week.

Then, it dawned on me. I was training about half of that! I then decided to up my training to 10-12 hours, and I saw massive improvements.

These past 2 months, Iâ€ve been training around the golden 15-hour-per-week mark, and I immediately noticed the difference as well!

Table tennis improvement isnâ€t quantum physics. Itâ€s a matter of training more if you arenâ€t training enough, and training better.

However, you canâ€t always train more. All of us have lives and obligations outside of table tennis, and thatâ€s perfectly fine. If you canâ€t train more, you can always train better, so keep reading if youâ€re interested in that and other tips.

I highly suggest you train even an hour or two more if you can fit it into your schedule, and also, train upwards of 10 hours each week if itâ€s possible for you. I can guarantee itâ€ll make a world of difference.

Make sure that the increase in hours is gradual. 15 hours per week should be the end goal. Train two hours more than youâ€re training right now and see how it feels, and keep increasing your training hours if you feel like you can handle it.

Training 10, 15, or even more hours per week is very demanding on the body, though, so I want to give a brief explanation about load management and why itâ€s important.

Load management

Load management refers to knowing when to stop a practice session and knowing how to prevent fatigue or deal with it accordingly.

As we said before, we recommend training around 15 hours per week, if possible. That would be the equivalent of 5 training sessions per week of 3 hours each.

If you follow this training plan or even a 10-hour-per-week training regimen, you might find that your muscles are sore all the time or that you are tired before even going to training.

This is why load management is so important. With proper load management, we can prevent this from happening.

In my opinion, you should never leave a training session completely exhausted. Always leave 20-30% in the tank.

This isnâ€t to say that you shouldnâ€t give 100%. You should give 100% of your energy, your focus, and your physical abilities for as long as you can, and once you feel like youâ€re quite tired, but not completely exhausted, you should stop training and stretch.

Stretching is the other key factor in this equation. Stretching is your best friend.

Stretching helps us feel fresher, it helps loosen up the muscles, and it even helps us not feel as sore the day after training, enabling us to feel fresh before every training session.

If youâ€re at the club, you have already trained for 2-3 hours and youâ€re quite tired, donâ€t start mindlessly playing matches.

These matches wonâ€t help you that much because you wonâ€t be able to play at 100%, and all theyâ€ll do is tire you even more. Youâ€ll get fatigued and youâ€ll probably limit your capacity to train the following day and the day after that!

Try to listen to your body and stop once youâ€ve exhausted 70-80% of your energy.

The last 20% of energy you have should be preserved not only because of load management but also because it yields the least results.

When youâ€ve only got 20% left in the tank, your movement will be slower and itâ€ll be harder to focus. Hence, it will be very difficult for you to get quality practice in this state. This is the time to call it quits, stretch, and recover for the following day.

I donâ€t think you should ever get to the point where itâ€s hard to walk after a training session because youâ€ll accumulate fatigue very rapidly and you will probably pick up injuries if you train like this day after day.

Practicing better

Practicing better is the other key factor in this equation. But how do you do it? Itâ€s quite simple. You just have to pay more attention to it, every step of the way.

In my opinion, the three most important factors to improving the quality of your training sessions are to focus better, target your weaknesses, and always look to improve your training environment.

Focusing better

This year, I had a moment of realization. A moment in which everything clicked.

This happened one day when I arrived just 20 minutes before a tournament. I like getting to the tournament venue up to an hour early to warm up and do some quick mobility and coordination drills, but that day, I had very little time.

I quickly warmed up my forehand and my backhand. After that, I only had like 5 or 10 minutes left so I decided to do some rounds of a mobility drill: backhand, middle, backhand, wide forehand.

As I had so little time, I decided that consistency would be the key. I needed to get as many rounds of the exercise in as possible to play my best in my first match.

In addition, I needed to do the exercise as well as I could in terms of technique. If I did the exercise with poor technique and I didnâ€t move correctly, that would definitely affect my upcoming matches, so I put all of my attention into doing the exercise with perfect technique.

I focused on consistency. I paid a lot of attention to the spin and the placement of the ball. I paid attention to the feeling of friction of the ball with the rubber. I made sure to move correctlyand to always hit my backhand behind the ball.

I did the exercise and I felt like I couldnâ€t miss. I couldnâ€t believe it, as, a few days prior, I had done this very same exercise with much worse results. This was when it all clicked.

I was trying my absolute best to do the exercise as well as I possibly could. I gave everything in my power to do the exercise to the best of my abilities.

Training with focus and attention.

After I realized that I hadnâ€t normally been training with this level of attention, I decided to start focusing a lot more on my training exercises, and the results have been incredible.

Since that moment, I have been doing every exercise as if each round was a point in a tournament match. If you miss, you lose the point.

This way of thinking has made me train to my fullest potential, and this way, I have been able to reap the most benefits out of every single exercise I did.

Targeting your weaknesses

You should always keep in mind what your weaknesses are and aim to correct them. These may be technical mistakes, tactical mistakes, or mistakes derived from a lack of consistency.

As for myself, Iâ€m currently working on rotating my body more on my forehand loop (technical) and getting used to pivoting in backhand-backhand rallies to enable my forehand (tactical).

It is important to be mindful of your weaknesses so that you can focus your attention on them while youâ€re training.

Your strengths are the way you win points, whereas your weaknesses are the areas that your opponents can exploit to win points themselves.

When training, try to improve your strengths and “bulletproof†your game by working on your weaknesses as well.

If you think about it, every table tennis player on Earth has weaknesses, even the best of the best. However, they have worked so much on these weaknesses that theyâ€re so subtle they become very difficult to exploit. This is what you should aim for.

You should aim to achieve a bulletproof game by working on your weaknesses one at a time so that there is no easy way to win points when playing against you.

Strive to improve your training environment

Improving my training environment has been the other deciding factor that made me improve so rapidly in such a short period.

For my first 5 years of training, I trained at the club that was nearest to home. However, I always recognized that the quality of the training sessions wasnâ€t very good.

I was merely an intermediate-level player, and yet, there were only 2-3 players that were as good as I was. This meant that I had to do about half of my training exercises with beginners who couldnâ€t block the ball properly for me.

In addition, the coaches at the club didnâ€t give us many training tips, and there were only 2-3 training days.

Even though I gave all of myself, my environment was my limiting factor. Training at that club was like trying to water a rock and expecting a plant to grow out of it.

I felt frustrated at the situation, so I looked for a change, and that was the stepping stone for everything that would happen later.

After 5 years at that club, I decided to switch clubs from the nearest one to one that was 1 hour away from home, and that was by far the best decision I ever took in my table tennis journey.

This upped my available training hours from 4 to 9, and I now had a proper coach who would correct my technique.

This got me from a lower intermediate level to an intermediate one. After this, I decided to invest in getting private lessons with my coach. This made me improve even further.

1 year later, I got notice that my previous club was in a much better state, so I decided to sign up and train at both clubs at the same time. I am currently training at both clubs, with 6 days of group sessions plus private lessons.

In the beginning, it was nearly impossible to improve, given the training environment I was in.

Now, it is nearly impossible NOTto improve. This is the importance of being in the proper environment.

Improving at table tennis is equal parts giving it your all as it is being in the proper environment.

I highly recommend you make friends with other players in your area and ask if they want to train with you – you can invite them over to your house if you have a table, go over to theirs, or rent a table at a table tennis club.

Keep in mind that you can also practice table tennis alone in various ways. If you want to get more training at the table but you canâ€t train with a partner, it may be a good idea to invest in a robot or a return board.

Match play

Now that weâ€ve covered how to practice effectively for optimal improvement, weâ€ll look at how to improve match play.

The thing with matches is that most people focus solely on playing the match. However, if you want to improve long-term, itâ€s not about just playing the match. There are more steps involved!

You see, in business, and every project in life, there are at least 3 very important steps: Planning, executing, and monitoring.

Playing the match is just the execution phase of the whole process. However, the other 2 steps are just as important for long-term success. Weâ€ll now go over how to improve match play integrally.

Planning

If you want to win matches, you need a winning plan!

Itâ€s important to devise a game plan that focuses on your strengths as much as possible. When playing, you should feel like youâ€re doing the things youâ€re good at over and over again. Thatâ€s when you know your planning was on point.

Devising a winning game plan starts from the ground up: the serve and receive.

You should have serves that give you opportunities to win points outright or make points develop in your favor (or both, ideally).

When receiving, you should know what youâ€re going to do in any situation before it even presents itself.

When thinking about my own game, I know my plan:

1. If my opponent serves long or half long, I open up or loop.
2. If my opponent serves short topspin/no-spin, I target their backhand and step around with my forehand on the next ball.
3. If my opponent serves short backspin, I touch short 70% of the time and push long to their backhands 30% of the time, then step around with my forehand.

This reduces “chaos†and unexpected situations greatly.

Before going and playing the match, I already know that Iâ€ll be serving in ways that help my game, and Iâ€m mentally prepared to receive any serve that could be thrown at me.

Once youâ€re playing the match, you will notice that some things will work better than others.

Maybe my opponent isnâ€t feeling confident with their backhand so Iâ€ll push long and serve long to their backhands more often, maybe theyâ€re having trouble with my open-ups so Iâ€ll serve backspin and open up more often, etc.

Itâ€s very important to strike the right balance between having a very solid game plan before playing and adapting that game plan as required during the match.

Another thing that can be very beneficial is analyzing your opponents before the match.

If you can find videos of them playing or you can see them playing in the venue, pay attention to their playstyle, their serves, and their receives.

This will give you a very good indication of what their game plan is and what you can do to impose your game over theirs.

Executing

Executing refers to actually playing the match – ie. to try and put your game plan into action.

Some of our top tips in regards to playing matches better are to:

• Focus and look at the ball at all times during the point.
• Try to be as active with your feet as possible.
• Between points, try to relax and think about tactics.
• Try to impose your game plan with clever serves and receives.

Above all, try to put into practice what youâ€ve been training during the week. Execute your set plays, and play to your strengths.

If you want to learn more about how to play matches better and win more table tennis matches, we have written a separate article with important match strategies for table tennis players that you can read.

Monitoring

Monitoring refers to the act of controlling and reviewing your matches. This step is where you can learn many things that you may have missed during the match.

I highly recommend recording all of your tournament matches so that you can watch them again and analyze them at home.

Itâ€s also a very good idea to ask your coach or higher-rated players to watch your matches and tell you their thoughts.

Using these recordings, you can write down what you did well, what you didnâ€t do well, and what you should have done more of.

After watching many of your matches, youâ€ll start to see many patterns in your play, both positive and negative.

Itâ€s very important to write down all of these ideas and work on both the strengths and weaknesses during practice.

Itâ€s crucial that you work on the things that are setting you back so that you donâ€t have recurring problems that lose you matches time and time again.

When I look at matches of mine I played a year ago, I lost time and time again when my opponents realized that I struggled a lot with heavy topspin serves.

I had to take a step back, recognize that this was happening, and voice this concern to my coach. We worked on this during our training sessions and it was never an issue again.

Discussing ideas with your coach is crucial

As you improve, more strengths and weaknesses will surface, so youâ€ll have to work on different things at every step of your development. Itâ€s important to always be on the lookout for what you can improve so that youâ€re always working on something to become a better player.

5 Steps You Can Take Today

Iâ€ve written this article aiming to be a small source of inspiration to players across the world who want to become better table tennis players.

Improving isnâ€t easy. It takes many hours of dedication and hard work, utilizing both physical and mental effort. If youâ€re ready to take on that journey, these are the 5 things I would recommend you kick-start from today:

1. Start taking yourself more seriously and hold yourself to higher standards.
2. Add 1 or 2 training hours to your weekly routine.
3. Focus better when you’re doing every exercise, if you miss the table, you lose the point.
4. Look for opportunities to improve your training environment.
5. Ideate a winning game plan with the help of your coach, record your matches, analyze them, and write down your strengths and weaknesses to work on them at the club.

Iâ€d love to hear your thoughts! Drop us a comment below if this article has helped you.

Alvaroâ€s a qualified ITTF Level 1 Coach who’s been playing Table Tennis since he was 15 and is now ranked within the top 50 in his native Argentina. He loves to compete in provincial tournaments and is always looking for ways to improve. Alvaro made his favorite memories with a racket in hand, and he joined the RacketInsight team to share his passion with other players!

Blade: Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC | Forehand: Butterfly Dignics 09c | Backhand: Butterfly Tenergy 19
Playstyle: The Controller

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For most of us, our forehand is our biggest weapon. Itâ€s where we win most of our points.

Thatâ€s why itâ€s absolutely critical to have the right forehand rubber that works perfectly with your playing style.

Based on years of coaching and playing, as well as hundreds of hours of dedicated equipment testing, weâ€ve compiled a list of our favorite forehand rubbers.

Choosing a table tennis rubber is unique to every player, so itâ€s impossible for us to suggest the same rubber to everyone. However, weâ€re confident that at least one rubber in this list will be perfect for your game.

Comparison of the Best Forehand Table Tennis Rubbers

You can also check out our detailed list of the best table tennis rubbers on sale today.

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In-Depth Forehand Table Tennis Rubber Reviews

Without knowing your unique table tennis experience, style, and skill level, itâ€s almost impossible for us to get our recommendations perfect. Thatâ€s why we add ‘player styles†to each of our recommendations, so you get a clear idea of whether a rubber is suitable for you.

If you havenâ€t already, go and find out what your player style is.

Iâ€ve had my coaching qualifications since 2012 and have seen players make some crazy equipment decisions, so hereâ€s my top advice when choosing your next forehand rubber:

• Donâ€t just choose the fastest or spinniest rubber you can find. Choose rubbers that you can be consistent with.
• Do replace your rubbers on a regular basis (every 4-6 months) or their performance will degrade.
• Donâ€t change your rubbers just before a major tournament. They always take a few weeks to get used to.
• Do consider brands that arenâ€t as well known. Brands like Xiom, Yasaka, Andro, and 729 produce some incredible rubbers (often at cheaper prices).

Before we do a deep dive into the top 10 forehand rubbers, thereâ€s a common debate on whether Chinese or European rubbers are best for using on your forehand.

Personally, I prefer to recommend European rubbers as they are more forgiving to players without perfect technique, and they donâ€t require boosting. However, itâ€s fair to say that boosted Chinese rubbers are often cheaper, last longer, and can be extremely effective in the right hands.

Best Overall Forehand Rubber – Butterfly Dignics 09C

Specifications

• Speed: High
• Spin: Very High
• Control: High
• Tackiness:Medium tacky
• ITTF Approved:Yes
• Sponge Thickness:1.9mm or 2.1mm

Summary:Overpower opponents with serves, receives, loops, and counters with the ultimate hybrid rubber.

Recommended For:

The Dignics 09c is the best forehand rubber you buy, as it puts together the most desirable characteristics of the two previous best forehand rubbers of the past years: Tenergy 05 and Hurricane 3 NEO.

Playing characteristics

Dignics 09c has the speed, safety, high arc, and explosiveness of the Tenergy 05, paired with the monstrous spin and dwell time of the Hurricane 3 NEO.

The Dignics 09c is capable of looping and counterlooping with great speed, spin, control, and safety, which simply no other rubber can replicate.

This is why the Dignics 09c is currently used by the best professional players in the circuit, such as Fan Zhendong, Timo Boll, Dimitrij Ovtcharov, and Dang Qiu, among many others.

These professional players have mentioned that they value the Dignics†control, as its sticky topsheet grants them more time with the ball. What they value most is the ease of the short game and counterlooping, two of the most important aspects of high-level play.

For more information, read our detailed review of Dignics 09c.

Who Dignics 09C is suitable for

We recommend the Dignics 09c for players who train a lot and want the best of the best performance available. This rubber is designed for the offensive player who plays an active game and wants to dominate their opponents with a wide variety of topspin shots.

The only two key disadvantages of this rubber are that it requires good technique to get the most out of it because of its hard sponge, and its steep price.

If you can handle it and you can afford to pay for it, Dignics 09c is comfortably the best forehand rubber you can purchase today.

Benefits

• Unparalleled control and safety.
• Lots of dwell time with the ball.
• Superb grip and spin.
• Limitless power reserves.
• Great durability.

Drawbacks

• Very steep price.
• Not as explosive as the Tenergies.
• Not the best for flat hitting.

Best Forehand Rubber for Speed – Butterfly Tenergy 05 Hard

Top Speed

• Weight (Cut):Not Directly Tested (Yet)
• Manufacturers Speed: 130
• Manufacturers Spin: 115
• Manufacturers Control:Not Provided
• Tackiness: Slightly Tacky
• Hardness:Very Hard
• Sponge Thickness:1.9 or 2.1

Summary: The Butterfly Tenergy 05 Hard is both the fastest and spinniest Tenergy available. It is probably the fastest rubber in the market, but it has enough topsheet grip to make the ball dip in time to produce blazing-fast shots that bounce near the end line.

Recommended For:

If I had to define the Tenergy 05 Hard with one word, it would be “dangerâ€. The Tenergy 05 Hard is the fastest table tennis rubber Iâ€d recommend to any player.

Playing characteristics

The Tenergy 05 Hard, as its name implies, is a very hard rubber. It is a rubber made for the advanced power looper who has sound technique and wants the best rubber in terms of producing the highest shot quality possible.

The arc it produces is also fairly direct. In contrast to its predecessor, the Tenergy 05, the ball doesnâ€t make as high as an arc. The Tenergy 05 Hard shoots the ball straight towards the opponentâ€s side.

The downside to this is that you donâ€t have as much clearance over the net as with other rubbers, but you shouldnâ€t need this extra safety if your technique is sound and you have good footwork.

In practice, itâ€s hard to hit shots out of position with the Tenergy 05 Hard, as its high speed means you have little dwell time to control the ball properly.

This is the price to pay for all that added speed: the loss of control. If you donâ€t need the extra control, the Tenergy 05 Hard is a superb rubber, and thatâ€s why itâ€s used by Taipei #1 Lin Yun-Ju.

Who is Tenergy 05 Hard suitable for?

We recommend the Tenergy 05 Hard for advanced offensive players who want the maximum performance out of their rubber, both in terms of speed and spin.

This rubber is for the player who wants the maximum speed possible to end the point outright and is able to handle the loss of control that comes with it. Not sure if it’s the right Tenergy rubber for you? We have you covered with our detailed Tenergy comparison.

Benefits

• Unparalleled offensive potential.
• Very direct.
• Superb for active blocks and flat hits.
• Great for 3rd ball attacks.

Drawbacks

• Less control than most other offensive rubbers.
• Hard to touch short.
• Steep price.

Best Forehand Rubber for Looping – Butterfly Tenergy 05

Top Looping

• Weight (Cut):49g
• Manufacturers Speed: 13.0
• Manufacturers Spin: 11.5
• Manufacturers Control:8.0
• Tackiness: Slightly Tacky
• Hardness:Medium-Hard
• ITTF Approved: Yes
• Sponge Thickness: 1.7mm, 1.9mm or 2.1mm

Summary:The Butterfly Tenergy 05 has been among the best rubbers for looping for more than 15 years, and for good reason. It has very high speed and spin levels, and its unique high arc gives this rubber surprisingly good control and feeling when looping.

Recommended For:

The Butterfly Tenergy 05 is and has been, the trademark rubber for looping in table tennis for more than 15 years. Timo Boll, Zhang Jike, Ma Long, Dimitrij Ovtcharov, and Jun Mizutani, among many others, have used this rubber for years.

Playing characteristics

The Tenergy 05 has been the most popular table tennis rubber ever since its release, and for good reason.

When we reviewed the Tenergy 05, we noted 4 key attributes about this rubber:

• Its grip is outstanding, so you can generate tons of spin, and the ball will never slip out of your racket.
• Its sponge is medium-hard, so it has a very high speed potential without being too difficult to use.
• It is very fast, but itâ€s not too bouncy.
• Its trademark high arc gives the player a very high margin for error.

All of these characteristics combined make for the perfect looping rubber.

The Tenergy 05, however, isnâ€t a very forgiving rubber if your technique isnâ€t consistent. Even though it does give you great safety over the net, the Tenergy 05 is a very fast and spin-sensitive rubber, so you do need good technique and timing to use it correctly.

For more information, read our detailed review of Tenergy 05.

Who Tenergy 05 is suitable for

The Butterfly Tenergy 05 is the perfect rubber for intermediate, upper intermediate, and advanced attackers who want the best of the best out there for looping.

It is a rubber made strictly for players with good technique and who train often, given that it is not forgiving if your timing is slightly off.

Benefits

• Very high levels of speed and spin.
• Unique arc gives it a superior margin for error.
• Great for serving.
• Very durable.

Drawbacks

• Unforgiving for players with improper technique/timing.
• Steep price.
• Hard to control the passive serve receive.

Best Value Forehand Rubber – Nittaku Fastarc G-1

Top Value

• Weight (Cut):49g
• Manufacturers Speed: High
• Manufacturers Spin: High
• Manufacturers Control:Medium
• Tackiness: Slightly tacky
• Hardness: Medium-hard
• Sponge Thickness:1.4mm, 1.8mm, 2.0mm, or MAX

Summary:The Nittaku Fastarc G-1 is our pick for best value as it’s a superb rubber for offensive players, it’s reasonably priced, and it’s incredibly durable. It has a very good balance between speed and control, a safe high arc, and tons of grip.

Recommended For:

The Nittaku Fastarc G-1 is the best-selling rubber on lots of online sites. It is one of the most popular rubbers there is, and thatâ€s because of its superb value.

Playing Characteristics

The Nittaku Fastarc G-1 is a fast, spinny, and controllable offensive rubber.

It isnâ€t as fast nor as spinny as, say, a Tenergy 05, but it has 80% of its speed and spin while being half the price and nearly twice as durable.

The Fastarc G-1 is a very capable offensive rubber, and there are lots of advanced attackers boosting it and using it as their forehand rubber of choice, as its topsheet grip is top-notch.

The features I liked the most about the Fastarc G-1 when I tried it were the spin it generated when serving and when opening up against backspin. The Fastarc G-1 is, to this day, one of the best rubbers Iâ€ve used for these two shots.

It is a very good rubber both for rally play and for third-ball attacks. Its medium-hard sponge gives it lots of potential speed and it can be used by attackers of every level, except for beginners.

The main con I found with this rubber is that its high arc meant that I had a tendency to overshoot the table when I didnâ€t angle my racket perfectly or when I contacted the ball a bit too thickly.

What surprised me the most about the Nittaku Fastarc G-1 was its durability. I could use a sheet of Fastarc G-1 without changing it for 8 months, while Tibhar MX-Ps only last me 1 month, and Tenergy 05 and Xiom Vega Xs last me 4 months.

This is also why I think it has been a best-selling rubber for more than 10 years straight. Once youâ€ve tried it, itâ€s hard not to buy it again as itâ€s a great rubber, itâ€s reasonably priced, and itâ€s very, very durable.

For more information, read our detailed review of Fastarc-G1.

Who it is for

The Nittaku Fastarc G-1 is the perfect rubber for lower intermediate, intermediate, upper intermediate, and advanced offensive players who want a reliable, balanced rubber for their forehand side.

The Fastarc G-1 is perfect for players who donâ€t want to spend that much on table tennis equipment, as one sheet costs around $40 USD and it lasts longer than any other rubber Iâ€ve tried.

Benefits

• Superb durability.
• Great balance between speed, spin, and control.
• Great for looping.
• Excellent for serving.

Drawbacks

• Not as fast or spinny as top-of-the-line offensive rubbers.
• Tendency to overshoot when you slightly mishit the ball.

Best Forehand Rubber for Intermediate Level Players – Xiom Vega X

Best Intermediate

• Weight (Cut):48g
• Manufacturers Speed: Medium-High
• Manufacturers Spin: High
• Manufacturers Control:Medium-High
• Tackiness: Slightly tacky
• Hardness: Medium-hard
• Sponge Thickness:1.8mm, 2.0mm, or MAX

Summary:The Xiom Vega X is a superb controlled offensive rubber. It has enough speed and spin to be used at intermediate-level play while having lots of dwell time, superb feeling, and a safe medium-high throw.

Recommended For:

If I had to recommend one forehand rubber for lower-intermediate and intermediate-level offensive players, it would be the Xiom Vega X.

It is a very confidence-inducing rubber for attacking, and itâ€s the best rubber to choose if youâ€re an improver wanting to take your game to the next level.

Playing Characteristics

I have extensive experience with the Vega X, having gone through 3 sheets myself. I used it when I was an intermediate-level player and it was just what I needed at the time.

The Vega X is a relatively fast and spinny, very controllable rubber. If I had to rate it, I would say itâ€s an 8 for speed, an 8 for spin, and a 9 for control.

It is capable of hitting outright winners past opponents with its speed and spin levels, but not to the point where the rubber gets too spin-sensitive and fast to control for an intermediate-level player. Thatâ€s why I think itâ€s such a great rubber.

With the Xiom Vega X, I learned how to counterloop consistently, and my loops and open ups also had more consistency than ever before.

The Vega X is the ideal rubber to stick on your blade and train with, and itâ€s also a very good rubber to play tournaments with as itâ€s very reliable and confidence-inducing.

For more information, read our detailed review of XIOM Vega X.

Who Xiom Vega X is suitable for

The Xiom Vega X is the perfect rubber for lower-intermediate and intermediate-level attackers who want to get their game to the next level. Itâ€s also a great rubber for more advanced players if they pair it with a fast blade.

It is also a very good rubber for blockers due to its great touch and control.

Benefits

• Superb control and ease of use.
• Very confidence-inducing.
• Great speed and spin.
• Great value for money as it has above-average durability.
• Linear and not too spin-sensitive.

Drawbacks

• Not as fast or spinny as high-end offensive rubbers.

Best Forehand Rubber for Beginners and All-Rounders – Yasaka Rakza 7

Best Beginner

• Weight (Cut):50g
• Manufacturers Speed: Medium
• Manufacturers Spin: Medium-High
• Manufacturers Control:High
• Tackiness: Slightly tacky
• Hardness: Medium-hard
• Sponge Thickness:1.8mm, 2.0mm, or MAX

Summary:The Yasaka Rakza 7 is a very balanced, controllable rubber. Its topsheet is made out of natural rubber and its sponge is of medium hardness. It is a medium-fast, grippy rubber made for players who want a balanced, reliable, consistent rubber.

Recommended For:

The Yasaka Rakza 7 is one of the most popular rubbers in the market, and for good reason. It is a superbly balanced and controllable rubber that suits the vast majority of playing styles.

Playing Characteristics

The Yasaka Rakza 7 is a medium-fast, grippy, controllable rubber. Even though itâ€s designed as a primarily atacking rubber, itâ€s versatile enough be used as a chopping rubber on a defensive blade without any control issues.

I used the Rakza 7 on the forehand side of my racket for years and I really liked it. It is the ideal rubber to learn the sport with, as itâ€s fast enough to finish points against beginners and intermediate-level players whilst giving you confidence that you wonâ€t miss.

The Rakza 7 has good grip and gives you plenty of dwell time with the ball, making it hard to overshoot the table or miss wide.

It is also ideal for blocking and for touch shots such as pushes or open-ups due to its speed level and its control.

For more information, read our detailed review of Rakza 7.

Who Rakza 7 is suitable for

The Yasaka Rakza 7 is the ideal rubber for beginners and lower intermediate attackers on either side of the racket to learn how to attack with quality and consistency.

It is also a very good rubber for all-rounders, blockers, and even defenders when paired with the right blades.

Benefits

• Very controllable and easy to use.
• Quite grippy and spinny.
• Above average durability and great value.
• Very balanced and linear.

Drawbacks

• Not as much speed or spin as top-of-the-line offensive rubbers.

Best Chinese Forehand Rubber – DHS Hurricane 3 NEO

Best Chinese Style

• Weight (Cut):53g
• Manufacturers Speed: Medium
• Manufacturers Spin: Very High
• Manufacturers Control:High
• Tackiness: Very tacky
• Hardness: Hard
• Sponge Thickness:2.1mm, 2.15mm, or 2.2mm

Summary:The DHS Hurricane 3 NEO is the best Chinese rubber ever, no doubt about it. Its main characteristic is its stickiness, which gives it tons of spin. It is a linear, medium-speed rubber that can be boosted for optimal offensive performance.

Recommended For:

The DHS Hurricane 3 NEO is the most iconic Chinese rubber. It comes in 3 different versions, commercial, provincial, and national.

The commercial H3 NEO is the most common version, selling for around $20 USD apiece. Itâ€s an excellent rubber, but it can experience performance variations from batch to batch, and it may also suffer from quality control issues.

The provincial and national versions are more expensive at roughly $40 and $65 each, but you get better quality rubbers and you donâ€t have to worry about any manufacturing defects.

Playing Characteristics

The Hurricane 3 NEO is a superb rubber for Chinese-style players, that is, players who play actively, have good footwork, and put all the weight of their body behind each stroke.

The Hurricane 3 NEO is a medium-speed rubber that doesnâ€t put any additional power into your shots, unlike tensor rubbers. With the Hurricane 3 NEO, your ball-speed is as fast as your swing speed.

This rubber is only for players who have high swing speeds. In return for having to hit harder, you get much more control in the touch game, when opening up, when looping, and when counterlooping.

In addition, the spin this rubber creates is unparalleled. The only rubbers that are at the Hurricaneâ€s spin level are the Dignics 09c, the Dignics 05, and the Tenergy 05.

However, this rubberâ€s throw is quite flat, so if you donâ€t contact the ball right, you are likely to clip the net or overshoot the table.

For more information, read our detailed review of Hurricane 3 NEO.

Who Hurricane 3 NEO is suitable for

The Hurricane 3 NEO is perfect for players who are physically fit, have good footwork, have high swing speeds, and want to play a Chinese-style game.

Benefits

• Tons of spin.
• Great control.
• Limitless power reserves.
• Very affordable.

Drawbacks

• Quality control issues.
• Hard to use.
• Heavy.

Best Budget Forehand Rubber – Yinhe Mercury 2

Top Low-Cost

• Weight (Cut):51g
• Manufacturers Speed: Medium
• Manufacturers Spin: Medium-High
• Manufacturers Control:Very High
• Tackiness: Very tacky
• Hardness: Medium
• Sponge Thickness:MAX

Summary:The Yinhe Mercury 2 is one of my favorite rubbers. When I tried it to write my review for the site, I was blown away by this rubber. It’s very grippy, quite spinny, it has enough speed to play an attacking game and it’s very controllable.

Recommended For:

The Yinhe Mercury 2 is one of the rubbers I recommend the most to players at my club, and itâ€s not just because of its $10 price tag. The Mercury 2 is an excellent rubber that happens to be extremely cheap.

In my native Argentina, most people donâ€t have that much money to spend on table tennis equipment. So, theyâ€re looking for a rubber with great performance at a low price.

Even in first-world countries, lots of people arenâ€t willing to spend $40, $60, or even $100 on a rubber theyâ€ll have to replace in a few months. The Mercury 2 is perfect for these players.

Playing Characteristics

The Yinhe Mercury 2 is a medium throwing, medium hardness, tacky rubber. Its speed is medium, it is very controllable and it is quite spinny.

As you can tell, the Mercury 2 is a very “standard†rubber. It excels at being simple and effective. Its speed is sufficient to play an attacking game but not to the point where you lose out on control.

It excels at touch shots such as serving, receiving, and opening up due to its high grip and its speed levels.

If you arenâ€t an upper intermediate or advanced player, its speed is just fine for attacking. This is the perfect rubber to use if you want to improve your consistency and you want to get as many balls on the table as possible.

For more information, read our detailed review of Mercury 2.

Who Mercury 2 is suitable for

The Yinhe Mercury 2 is perfect for beginner, lower intermediate, and intermediate-level attackers, for all-rounders of all levels, and for defenders of all levels.

It is the ideal rubber if youâ€re a hobbyist who isnâ€t at a very high level and you want a high-quality rubber without breaking the bank.

Benefits

• Very affordable.
• Great spin.
• Very good control and touch.
• Versatile and easy to use.

Drawbacks

• Not as fast or spinny as modern offensive rubbers.
• Mediocre at flat hitting.

Best Short Pips Forehand Rubber – Yasaka Rakza PO

Best Short Pips

• Weight (Cut):40g
• Manufacturers Speed: Very High
• Manufacturers Spin: High
• Manufacturers Control:High
• Tackiness: Non-tacky
• Hardness: Medium
• Sponge Thickness:1.8mm, 2.0mm, or MAX

Summary:The Yasaka Rakza PO is the short pips rubber used by Swedish star Mattias Falck. It is very spinny for a short pips rubber, enabling spinny loops and open-ups while also being outstanding for blocking and flat hitting.

Recommended For:

The Yasaka Rakza PO are the short pips of choice of Mattias Falck. They are the best short pips you can buy for an offensive short pips style.

Playing Characteristics

The Yasaka Rakza PO is a very fast and spinny short pips rubber.

Like every short pips rubber, it produces a flatter arc than with traditional offensive rubbers. This makes it a lethal rubber for flat-hitting the ball.

The modern forehand short pips style is made possible with this rubber as itâ€s also superb for opening up. In the past, the main disadvantage of short pips was that it was hard for short pip players to produce good-quality open-ups, but this isnâ€t a problem for the Rakza PO.

The Yasaka Rakza PO is a very fast rubber. If you strike the ball at the peak of the bounce, the Rakza PO is one of the most effective rubbers you can use.

Most opponents arenâ€t used to blocking fast, flat shots, and thatâ€s why the forehand short pips style is so effective. The Rakza PO, with its speed and spin, is the perfect rubber to utilize on the forehand side of your racket if you want to play with short pips.

In addition, the Yasaka Rakza PO is a very light rubber, so itâ€s also a very good choice if you want to lower the weight of your racket.

Who Rakza PO is for

The Yasaka Rakza PO is perfect for attackers of all levels who want to play with short pips on their forehand side.

Benefits

• Very affordable.
• Great spin.
• Very good control and touch.
• Versatile and easy to use.

Drawbacks

• Not as fast or spinny as modern offensive rubbers.
• Mediocre at flat hitting.

Best Forehand Rubber for Defenders – Butterfly Tackiness Chop II

Best Defensive

• Manufacturers Speed: Low
• Manufacturers Spin: High
• Manufacturers Control:Very High
• Tackiness: Medium tacky
• Hardness: Medium
• Sponge Thickness:1.5mm, 1.8mm

Summary:The Butterfly Tackiness Chop II is the ideal chopping rubber. Defenders will love it for its low throw, its very slow sponge, and its medium tacky topsheet. This rubber was created with the sole purpose of being the best inverted rubber for chopping.

Recommended For:

The Butterfly Tackiness Chop II is the best inverted rubber for chopping. It is the ideal rubber for classical defenders.

Playing Characteristics

The Butterfly Tackiness Chop II is a very, very slow rubber. Its sponge and topsheet were made for optimal energy absorption, making it the ideal rubber for defending.

It’s the perfect rubber for chopping and pushing with consistency. If you use a Tenergy 05 for chopping, for example, you can also produce high-quality chops but you always have to pay close attention to your racket angle and your contact.

The Tackiness Chop II makes defending a whole lot easier, especially when paired with a defensive blade.

The main downside of the Tackiness Chop II is that itâ€s not good for attacking.

You can produce spinny loops and open-ups, but they will be very, very slow, as this rubber is made for absorbing speed, not producing its own.

Who Tackiness Chop II is suitable for

The Tackiness Chop II is the ideal rubber for the classical defender who will push and chop the ball endlessly unless they get a very easy chance.

If youâ€re the kind of player who pushes and chops until your opponent makes a mistake, the Tackiness Chop II is the perfect rubber for you.

If youâ€re a modern defender, you might be better off picking a faster rubber with better offensive qualities.

Benefits

• Very fast and powerful.
• Very spinny for a short pips rubber.
• Flat arc throws opponents off.
• Superb for blocking and flat hitting.

Drawbacks

• Not as spinny as inverted rubbers.
• Flat arc can be hard to get used to.

Forehand Rubber Buyerâ€s Guide

The forehand wing is absolutely decisive. For most attackers, the forehand is their way to win the point outright.

The greatest player of all time, Ma Long, has built his whole career based on his thunderous forehand. Thatâ€s why he uses a heavily boosted and very hard Hurricane 3 rubber.

Other players, such as German legend Timo Boll, value spin, consistency, and safety above power. Hence, he chose the Dignics 09c as his rubber of choice when it was released.

However, most players arenâ€t yet at the level where they can take full advantage of these top-of-the-line rubbers, and thatâ€s perfectly fine. These players can go for more controllable rubbers such as the Vega X or the Rakza 7.

As you can see, it is crucial to pick the rubber that supports your level and playing style. Picking the right forehand rubber will allow you to win more matches and improve faster.

Otherwise, youâ€ll have to suffer the disadvantages of using a suboptimal rubber for your level and style. Missed shots, match losses, and unlimited frustration.

Speed vs Control

Speed and control are two inversely proportional variables.

The more speed a rubber has, the less dwell time itâ€ll have, meaning the ball stays for less time on the racket, shooting right out.

The faster a rubber, the more dangerous it is, both for the opponent and for the user.

If youâ€re an advanced offensive player, you can use faster rubbers as your technique is already very good and you donâ€t need the extra dwell time of more controllable rubbers. It doesnâ€t matter if the ball shoots right out if you consistently hit the ball with the correct racket angle and you produce good contact with the ball.

However, most beginner and intermediate-level players arenâ€t able to hit the ball nearly perfectly on a consistent basis. This is why we recommend that they use slightly slower rubbers.

With these rubbers, such as the Rakza 7, the Xiom Vega X, the Yinhe Mercury 2, and even the Fastarc G-1, the ball doesnâ€t shoot right out, so your technical errors will be “forgiven†to some extent.

In addition, recently, professional players have moved away from bouncy rubbers such as the Tenergy 05 to hybrid rubbers such as the Dignics 09c.

Alvaroâ€s a qualified ITTF Level 1 Coach who’s been playing Table Tennis since he was 15 and is now ranked within the top 50 in his native Argentina. He loves to compete in provincial tournaments and is always looking for ways to improve. Alvaro made his favorite memories with a racket in hand, and he joined the RacketInsight team to share his passion with other players!

Blade: Butterfly Fan Zhendong ALC | Forehand: Butterfly Dignics 09c | Backhand: Butterfly Tenergy 19
Playstyle: The Controller

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The chop is a crucial defensive stroke in table tennis, usually used as an effective weapon by defensive player styles. It relies on heavy backspin to make the ball difficult for the opponent to return.

A well-executed chop can disrupt your opponent’s rhythm and give you an opportunity to seize control of the game. It requires precision, timing, and excellent footwork to be effective.

Being able to perform effective, consistent chops can be the difference between winning and losing. I posted a video on Reddit about chopping and was asked by many players how they could learn to chop like the featured national team player.

This article is my answer to that question, showing you 7 ways you can turn your chop into a match-winning weapon.

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1. Impart Strong Backspin on the Ball

An effective chop in table tennis generates very strong backspin with an extremely low arc. That makes it extremely difficult for your opposing player to lift back over the net.

To generate powerful backspin, you fundamentally need to brush the ball with a thin contact between the rubber and the ball. The faster and more vertical your stroke, the more backspin you’ll produce.

Youâ€ll immediately be able to notice that this playerâ€s technique cuts down on the ball very quickly the moment his racket makes contact with the ball. In particular, he is actually using a ‘long pips†rubber on the backhand, helping make the ball float with exceptionally heavy spin.

When you impart super strong backspin on the ball during a chop like this, it forces the ball to have a lower trajectory over the net. This makes it more challenging for your opponent to attack the ball aggressively, as they must lift it higher to clear the net. Sometimes when the ball is a little bit higher, it would leave the ball open to a counter-attack.

Apart from that, a ball with backspin tends to slow down after bouncing, making it more difficult for your opponent to generate speed and power in their return shot. This forces them to generate their own pace, which can lead to mistakes and less effective attacking shots.

To build this technique yourself, you have to practice this motion repeatedly with both forehand and backhand strokes. Only through repetition will you perfect your backspin and make your chops harder to return.

2. Master the Timing

Like all the other strokes, shot timing is an important issue when you are chopping.

You want to aim to contact the ball just after the ball has reached its peak height and starts to descend. This timing allows you to apply maximum backspin and control on the shot, making it more difficult for your opponent to return.

A common mistake made by beginners is staying too far away from the table when attempting chop shots.

This is problematic because when the ball is returned shorter than expected, it becomes difficult to execute the chop in a timely manner. The ball is falling and losing speed quickly. As a result, itâ€s likely the chop will impart insufficient backspin and have a higher trajectory.

Therefore, you need to constantly adjust your positioning during chop shots to find the peak of the bounce when executing your shots.

If the ball starts to descend and youâ€ve already missed the ideal moment to chop it, my recommendation is to strike the bottom and side of the ball simultaneously. In these instances, your returns will have a slightly higher trajectory, but they will possess an unusual combination of spins.

The shot will have both backspin and sidespin, making it similar to a snake shot that changes its trajectory after landing on the table. This unpredictable movement and the strange spin can effectively confuse your opponent.

3. Adjust the Angle of Your Paddle

Like with most table tennis strokes, applying a different racket angle will lead to a different outcome. Choppers must experiment with different paddle angles to determine the one that best suits their playing style.

When you use a closed paddle angle (which means the paddle is tilted slightly forward) you create a faster and lower chop. This type of chop is more aggressive and requires your opponent to react quickly.

If you watch the video of Chen Weixing, you will find that many of his shots are like this. The returns are really quick and profound, forcing his opponents to make mistakes.

On the other hand, when you opt for a more open paddle angle (where the paddle is tilted slightly backward), the result is a slower, higher chop with increased backspin. This type of chop gives the ball a higher trajectory over the net and generates more backspin.

Your opponents will have to make a greater effort to lift the ball due to its reduced speed, but their advantage is that they will have sufficient time to prepare for the shot.

Apart from that, a vertical angle can generate some sidespin at times when youâ€re chopping with an inverted rubber. This sidespin adds an extra element of unpredictability to your shots, making it even more challenging for your opponent to anticipate and return the ball effectively.

In my experience, I prefer to mix these angles during both training sessions and matches. The goal is to keep my opponent uncomfortable and prevent them from adapting to my playing style. They might find themselves thinking, “What the hell spin is this, and why is it so strange?”.

You see, this type of shot not only leads to errors and lost points for your opponent but can also mentally defeat them, causing them to lose confidence in their own abilities.

4. Incorporate Body Movement

To maximize the power and effectiveness of your chops in table tennis, it’s crucial to involve your entire body in the stroke.

Many beginners, including my younger self, tend to chop the ball using only their arm. In fact, understanding how to harness the power of the entire body is what sets advanced players apart from average ones.

You should consider the movement across your entire body. Each element helps build speed, power, and consistency into your strokes.

Legs

Maintain a slightly bent-knee stance, which helps you stay agile and ready to move in any direction. Use your legs to generate power by pushing off the ground when performing a chop. This action transfers energy from your legs through your torso and into your arm, adding force to your shot.

Shoulders

Keep your shoulders relaxed and level while executing a chop. Tense shoulders can restrict your range of motion and hinder the fluidity of your stroke. Maintaining a relaxed upper body will allow for smoother, more effective chops.

Arms and wrists

Your arm and wrist movements should be well-coordinated with your body rotation. As you initiate the chopping motion, use your forearm and wrist to generate spin and control. Keep your wrist flexible to ensure proper contact and spin on the ball.

Hips and waist

During the chop, rotate your hips and waist to create additional spin and power. This rotation not only adds momentum to your stroke but also engages your core muscles, contributing to a more stable and controlled movement.

5. Enhance Your Footwork

Footwork is incredibly crucial for choppers. Unlike offensive players, choppers need to cover a lot of front-to-back ground during matches.

As a result, I believe footwork is even more important than hand techniques. This is because if you can’t reach the ball or fail to be at the right place when the ball approaches, it becomes nearly impossible to return it with sufficient quality, regardless of your skill level.

Footwork can be best improved through multi-ball training.

Let’s envision a training session where you are the chopper and I am the coach providing multi-ball practice. You should stand slightly away from the table while remaining in the center. I would then send balls to the four corners of the table.

There are two modes for this exercise: one where I deliver the balls in a consistent pattern, allowing you to move continuously, and another with irregular ball placement, requiring you to anticipate the ball’s direction before I send it.

Regardless of the method used, both approaches require you to move, hit the ball, then reset and prepare for the next stroke. I can recall that during my younger years, I had to practice with several large containers of balls every day. There were several times that I would need to change clothes multiple times during the training sessions due to the intensity.

Apart from regular and intense practice, there are also two smaller tips that will transform your game:Â

Tip 1

During the match or training, you can stay on your toes. Always be on the balls of your feet, ready to move quickly in any direction. This posture allows for faster and more agile movements, enabling you to reach the ball more effectively.

Tip 2

You should practice lateral movement without a ball, table, or racket. Choppers need to move side-to-side efficiently, as they often face wide-angle shots from opponents. Incorporate lateral movement drills into your practice sessions to improve your agility and footwork in these situations.Â

Even the best players will struggle to win matches with poor footwork. Make footwork part of your regular training routine and youâ€ll see a quick improvement in your chopping ability.

6. Twiddle the racket to use different rubbers

Twiddling refers to the technique of quickly rotating or flipping the racket in your hand to change between the two sides, each with a different rubber. Itâ€s quite common to see players change the two sides between an inverted rubber and a long pips or short pips rubber.

Different rubbers produce varying amounts of spin and speed. By skillfully twiddling your racket, you can switch the rubber type in the middle of a rally, which adds an element of unpredictability to your shots. Ultimately making it more challenging for your opponent to anticipate the spin and speed of your returns.

As I mentioned, once the opponent gets used to your rhythm and playstyle, itâ€s super easy for them to win the game. Therefore, we have to constantly adjust our returns and surprise opponents with variations of spin, speed, and placement.

7. Utilize Ball Placement and Direct Shots to Their Weaker Side

Strategically aiming your chops at specific areas on the table can disrupt your opponent’s game.

I tend to test the weaker side of the opponent in the first few points of a match, and then aim at that area repeatedly.

For example, most players have weaker backhand, so I would send 80% of my chop shots to their backhand area and sometimes suddenly direct at their forehand area to surprise them.

Also, I recommend targeting the crossover point, or “elbow,” on my opponent’s weaker side to cause confusion and indecision. This can lead to errors or slower returns, giving us choppers an advantage.

A very good chop will land deeper on the table, which will make it super uncomfortable for your opponent to return the ball. For beginners, this should be used sparingly as the technique requires quite strong control and excellent ball feeling. When aiming deep the slightest misplacement will see the ball float long off the table..

What makes a good chopper?

Becoming a chopper in table tennis is not an easy feat. Even though many people may perceive defensive playing style to be elegant, they are very difficult to master.

However, I must emphasize that if you aspire to become a chopper, you must first accept that you will face fierce attacks and experience passive losses repeatedly until you gain enough experience and solidify your techniques.

During my first three years, I lost countless games to my peers, particularly when facing skilled attackers. Sometimes, I would fear their powerful loops, allowing them to score points easily with even average shots.

My coach constantly reminded me not to be afraid of my opponents. He explained that many of them were not as skilled as I imagined. He encouraged me to actively seek the ball and attempt to chop back some shots. Gradually, I gained courage and tried chopping more shots.

I discovered that after my first or two returns, around 60% of my opponents would make mistakes, especially with my long pips. This realization boosted my confidence, and I began to chop with more calm and focus, generating spinny shots and lowering my trajectory. Soon, I started winning matches.

Over time, I grew stronger, more powerful, and more confident. However, it was not an easy journey. So, if you ask me what makes a good chopper, I would say: confidence. My advice to you is to believe in yourself and practice consistently! Come on guys, we can make it!

Xinyu started playing table tennis when he was 8 years old in China and he’s also the owner of popular table tennis blog ppongsuper . He has trained with the Chinese provincial team and now plays competitively in the Spanish national league. He’s constantly striving to improve his skills and tactical abilities, as well as deepen his understanding of table tennis. He joined the Racket Insight team to share his passion and promote table tennis to more people!

Blade: Nexy Joo Sae Hyuk | Forehand:Butterfly Sriver FX | Backhand: Dawei 388d-1
Playstyle: The Defender

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By: Ed Weaver  /  September 7, 2018  /  Photo: The Home Page Network

The Wellsboro Varsity Volleyball team improved to 2-0 after sweeping Towanda in their home opener on Thursday, September 6.

Wellsboro jumped out to an early 6-0 lead only to have the Lady Knights battle back and get to within a point. Wellsboro began to rally and eventually pulled away for a 25-14 first set win. The second set however belonged to Towanda early, as they managed to take advantage of some Wellsboro miscues and well-timed blocks at the net.

Wellsboro trailed 7-3 early on but began to battle back and eventually took a 15-14 lead a on kill by junior Caitlyn Callahan. From that point on the Lady Hornets allowed just three more points in the set, winning 25-17 to go up 2-0. Wellsboro dominated the third set. After dropping the set’s opening point the Lady Hornets went on a 12-2 run to distance themselves from the Lady Knights. The Lady Hornets went on to win the third and final set 25-6 to claim their second straight NTL Large School Division victory.

“We like to come out, prove our point and then sit back and think they can go on autopilot. We’re going to fix that,” head coach Sharon Zuchowski said. “(Overall) I was pleased with what I saw. Our serving was a little sketchy tonight but we served very well on Tuesday. I just think everybody’s beginning and we have things to work on, so that’s what we’ll do.”

Callahan led Wellsboro with 15 kills, 2 blocks, and 8 digs, junior Megan Starkweather had 18 assists, 7 points, 4 aces, and 5 kills, and senior Heidi Zuchowski recorded 6 kills, 18 points, and 4 aces.

Junior Ryann Adams added 10 points and 3 aces to go along with 9 digs and freshman Jordan Judlin had 8 assists.

Wellsboro also won the JV game (25-19, 25-10) to also improve to 2-0.

The win improves the Lady Hornets’ record to 2-0 (2-0 NTL Large School Division). The team will be back in action on Monday, September 10 as they host Williamsport.

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