Table Tennis Table is a kind of sport where players need to play using different strategies by following international specified set of rules. They need to use different type of strokes and spins so that they can earn more points from his opponent.
Types of Strokes: In Table Tennis Table Sports, two types of strokes exist:
1. Offensive Strokes
2. Defensive Strokes
Offensive Strokes: It is the stroke where 5 conditions occur and these are as following:
Speed Drive: This stroke is generally used to keep the ball in play, apply pressure on the opponent and potentially opening up an opportunity for a powerful attack. It is a direct hit propelling it forward back to the opponent. In this the racket is primarily perpendicular to the direction of stroke after that the energy is applied to the ball that results in speed rather than the spin that creates a shot that does not create arc but it is fast enough and difficult to make return by the opponent.
Loop: It is considered as the reverse of speed drive, in this the racket is parallel to the direction of the stroke and then the racket hit the ball that results in creating topspin. A good loop will make arc quite a bit and once striking from the opponent’s side of the table will jump forward.
Counter Drive: The counter drives are considered as the high loop drives; in this the racket is closest to the ball and hit immediately after hitting the table so that the ball travels faster to the other side.
Flick: When a player tries to hit the ball that has not bounced to the edge of table and player does not have the room to wind up in a backswing. After that the ball still be attacked and resulting a shot called flick because the backswing is converted into quick wrist action and that stroke can be resemble as drive or loop.
Smash: This stroke is used by player when his opponent returned a ball that bounces too high or too close to the net and then player use large backswing and rapid acceleration that results as much speed on the ball as possible. The main goal of smash is to get the ball to move so quickly that the opponent cannot simply return it.
Defensive Strokes: In this stroke 4 conditions occur and these are as following:
Push: It is used to keep the point alive and create offensive opportunities and it resembles tennis slice as the racket cuts underneath the ball by communicating backspin and causing the ball to float slowly to the other side of table. A push is difficult to attack because the backspin on the ball causes it to drop toward the table upon striking the opponent’s racket. If you want to attack a push, a player must usually loop the ball back over the net. As you are beginner, you must push the ball back again that results in pushing rallies but remember if your opponent is good player, it would be the worst option for you because he will counter the ball with a loop, in that case you must flip the ball when it is close to the net.
Chop: It is considered as a bigger, heavier push and can be taken well back from the table. In this stroke, the racket face points must be horizontally and little bit upward and then the direction of stroke would be straight down. If the ball comes with enormous amount of backspin, this kind of chop is difficult to return.
Block: It is a simple shot and executing by just placing the racket in front of the ball right after the ball bounces that result in the ball to rebound back toward the opponent with same energy as it come in with. In this situation, it is possible for an opponent to execute a perfect loop, drive or smash.
Lob: It is considered as the most impressive shot of the defensive stroke because it pushes the ball about five meters in height towards the land on the opponent’s side of the table with spin. To execute this stroke, players must firstly back off towards the table up to 4-6 meters and then the stroke consists of lifting the ball to an enormous height before it falls back to the opponent’s side of the table. It is considered as the best shot that can have any kind of spin.
All good players used these both strokes Offensive and Defensive for better representation and become winner. If you are beginner, you would learn all these skills by just doing practice, practice and practice.
