How to Use Your Table Tennis Table Expertly: Types of Defensive Shot

Whilst playing table tennis can be a lot of fun, to really play professionally, it's best to learn a few defensive table tennis table shots to counter those offensive pro's!

Although you'll need to practise the table tennis shots that you are not particularly familiar with, a few of these can be adapted from the amateur's table tennis table play as it is. One of the first defensive table tennis shots is the push shot. This shot is also called the slice shot by table tennis players in Asia and is used to create offensive opportunities against your table tennis opponent and keep the point alive.  A push shot is similar to that of a tennis slice but in table tennis obviously the game play is closer and needs to be more accurate to remain on the table tennis table.

To carry out a push shot, your table tennis bat needs to slice underneath the table tennis ball, imparting backspin but cutting underneath the ball and making the table tennis ball float onto the other side of the table tennis table. For your opponent to attack your push shot, they would need to use a loop shot to loop the table tennis ball back over the net onto the other side of the table tennis table. Also because you are reducing the speed of the ball as it crosses to the other side of the table tennis table your opponent is going to have to impart power on the ball themselves which can cause mistakes.

For beginners, the push shot is best counter acted with another push shot resulting in a pushing rally over the table tennis table until a more offensive shot becomes available to play.

Another great defensive shot to use whilst at the table tennis table with an aggressive opponent is the chop which is ideal to counter the highly offensive table tennis shot of the loop drive. A chop shot in table tennis is basically a heavier, stronger push shot but taken well back from end of the table tennis table.  Mastering a chop shot can be tricky, but due to opponent's finding it almost impossible to come back from, it makes it one table tennis shot well worth mastering. To play this shot, the blade of your table tennis bat would need to be horizontal if not slightly facing upwards with the direction of your stroke downwards towards the table tennis table.

From deep or even back from the end of the table tennis table the objective with this chop shot is to match your opponent’s topspin with your own large amount of backspin. This means that the amount of spin when the ball reaches your opponent’s side of the tale tennis table is even more exaggerated and can be very hard to return.

One of the most simple defensive shots that you can play at the table tennis table is the block. This shot involves placing your table tennis bat directly in the path of the ball just as it has bounced (literally just as it leaves the table tennis table surface – like a half volley). Often if used directly after a smash, loop drive or a particularly fast speed drive, it makes it impossible for your table tennis opponent to counter because they've put so much effort into their offensive shot, they simply do not have time to prepare for this defensive table tennis shot back to them. You will need to press forward on the table tennis table to meet the balls bounce in order to play this shot effectively.

The final defensive table tennis shot, and possibly one of the most impressive but often useless shot you can play at the table tennis table is the lob shot. This results in the table tennis ball travelling a distance of approximately 15 feet in the air before landing on the table tennis table in front of your opponent with a huge amount of spin and bounce. This shot is only to be used when desperate or well back from your end of the table tennis table. Generally good players will just wait for the ball to bounce on their side of the table tennis table and then smash the ball back at you in an un-returnable way! It may confuse or unbalance average players though and often beginners will actually smash the table tennis ball well beyond the end of the table tennis table meaning that you win the point!

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