Blocking - How to contact the ball

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This is probably pretty basic for most people – but I’ll ask it anyway. I’m having a bit of trouble with my block – especially my forehand block against heavy topspin. A lot of it probably has to do with racket angle, but I’m also wondering about how I should contact the ball. When you block do you passively let the ball contact the rubber or do you actively (though softly) hit the ball? Or do you do both and it depends on the incoming speed/spin on the ball? And if you do actively hit the ball – is it more of a tap or do you let the ball sink into the sponge? What effect does passively blocking or actively tapping/hitting have on the existing spin on the ball? And where the babies come from?

Hope all this makes sense!
 
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This is probably pretty basic for most people – but I’ll ask it anyway. I’m having a bit of trouble with my block – especially my forehand block against heavy topspin. A lot of it probably has to do with racket angle, but I’m also wondering about how I should contact the ball. When you block do you passively let the ball contact the rubber or do you actively (though softly) hit the ball? Or do you do both and it depends on the incoming speed/spin on the ball? And if you do actively hit the ball – is it more of a tap or do you let the ball sink into the sponge? What effect does passively blocking or actively tapping/hitting have on the existing spin on the ball?


Well, as i've already wrote before, i ain't no coach, so all I can write is mostly from self experience.
That being said, I've started with first learning to block passively. After a while when you start feeling more comfortable with it, you can go more 'against' the ball and play more actively.
But it's not only the racket angle, it also depends WHEN you hit the ball. Blocking directly after the ball's bounce recquires a little different hit than when you wait a little longer.
I would say it mostly depends on your ability to 'read' the spin and how you deal with it.
Hope this helps a little, but since there seem to be quite a few of them on this forum, maybe one of the coaches can chip in here.
;)
And where the babies come from?
Well, since I don't want to spoil you, you should rather go ask your father...
[Emoji23]
 
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Well, as i've already wrote before, i ain't no coach, so all I can write is mostly from self experience.
That being said, I've started with first learning to block passively. After a while when you start feeling more comfortable with it, you can go more 'against' the ball and play more actively.
But it's not only the racket angle, it also depends WHEN you hit the ball. Blocking directly after the ball's bounce recquires a little different hit than when you wait a little longer.
I would say it mostly depends on your ability to 'read' the spin and how you deal with it.
Hope this helps a little, but since there seem to be quite a few of them on this forum, maybe one of the coaches can chip in here.
;)

Well, since I don't want to spoil you, you should rather go ask your father...
[Emoji23]


Thanks for your reply! Yes, you’re right – I suppose it does have to do with experience. Intermediate/Advanced players are more likely to block more aggressively and therefore hit the ball. You’re also right about blocking after the bounce. Since the ball hasn’t reached its peak it has upward momentum which transfers into your block. But balls that are at their peak don’t have this momentum therefore often requiring more of a ‘hit’. Do you think, though, that hitting/tapping makes it easier to control the spin on the ball than passively just getting your racket in line with the incoming ball? My guess is yes … but I’m not sciency enough to know why!
As for the other question ... I think it's somewhat bounce related too
 
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You just gave me a good laugh.
[Emoji23]
Thanks for that.
I guess you're right the second question surely seems bounce related to me too.
For the first part I would say it depends. One person can read spin better and finds blocking passively easier, the next person has got quick feet and rather likes to wait for the ball to un-spin (if there is such a term)
But keep in mind takin' the ball a little later recquires fast feet to get quickly in position but allows to play more aggressively. So there is actually not just one correct way.
I personally play closer to the table against someone who rather plays speedy shots and doesn't spin so much, if someone plays more spin related i mostly play from a step back and play a little different.

Man, where are the coaches when you need 'em...
I guess one of them could say it a bit better than I do.
But I still hope you can find this somewhat useful.
 
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I find blocking actively to be much easier and safer. If you block passively, your racket angle has to been quite closed and sometimes this might not be suitable for certain shots. With active, I can have a more open racket angle. I dont find active blocking agressive thou as I gently brush the topside of the ball rather than going after it.
 
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Master hitting the ball EXACTLY the way Jorgen Persson and Oh Sang Eu are doing it here in the first 30 seconds of the video - take the racket back, start at ball height and swing forwards (not upwards) into the ball. Finish at chest height at most (not head height), no matter whether you are standing straight or bending over. Lifting the ball with topspin is the one thing that ruins most forehand blocks. You need to come forward into and over the ball without imparting spin.

If you can swing this way, your forehand blocking issues will vanish mysteriously.

 
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Master hitting the ball EXACTLY the way Jorgen Persson and Oh Sang Eu are doing it here in the first 30 seconds of the video - take the racket back, start at ball height and swing forwards (not upwards) into the ball. Finish at chest height at most (not head height), no matter whether you are standing straight or bending over. Lifting the ball with topspin is the one thing that ruins most forehand blocks. You need to come forward into and over the ball without imparting spin.

If you can swing this way, your forehand blocking issues will vanish mysteriously.


Hey,sounds like good advice.though,the first thirty seconds are drives rather than blocks,aren't they?they start looping and blocking a bit later on.but the interesting thing is how similar the block and drive look.something I'm always coming back to is how unhelpful the language of table tennis sometimes is.because one is called block and the other is drive we force ourselves to do very different shots.at least I tend to do.same goes for loop and powerloop.anyway,according to what everyone says,and the video,I'm leaning towards a hitting or tapping block rather than a passive one.though as suga d pointed out it depends on distance from the table amongst other things
 
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Hey,sounds like good advice.though,the first thirty seconds are drives rather than blocks,aren't they?they start looping and blocking a bit later on.but the interesting thing is how similar the block and drive look.something I'm always coming back to is how unhelpful the language of table tennis sometimes is.because one is called block and the other is drive we force ourselves to do very different shots.at least I tend to do.same goes for loop and powerloop.anyway,according to what everyone says,and the video,I'm leaning towards a hitting or tapping block rather than a passive one

The block and the counterhit are very similar strokes with one just being a shorter version of the other. The problem is that if you don't have a proper counterhit motion, you can't have a proper block motion because the arm motions are exactly the same apart from the length. The inward turn of the wrist as well as the forward (and not upward) motion is required on both strokes, but it is imperceptible on the block and doesn't seem relevant until the topspin is heavy enough to make you realize you can't just touch the ball anymore. But if you haven't trained a proper counterhit, your active block will just behave like your bad counterhit and lift the ball with light topspin off the table. If you have a forehand counterloop, then you can use a forehand kick block and get good results. But most people who have your problem don't have a counterloop close to the table so they use their lifting counterhits.

 
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The block and the counterhit are very similar strokes with one just being a shorter version of the other. The problem is that if you don't have a proper counterhit motion, you can't have a proper block motion because the arm motions are exactly the same apart from the length. The inward turn of the wrist as well as the forward (and not upward) motion is required on both strokes, but it is imperceptible on the block and doesn't seem relevant until the topspin is heavy enough to make you realize you can't just touch the ball anymore. But if you haven't trained a proper counterhit, your active block will just behave like your bad counterhit and lift the ball with light topspin off the table. If you have a forehand counterloop, then you can use a forehand kick block and get good results. But most people who have your problem don't have a counterloop close to the table so they use their lifting counterhits.


The funny thing is I have a good counterhit/drive but for some reason was forcing myself to do a whole different shot when blocking.i have to keep the counterhit mindset when blocking and keep the motion shorter then,I guess?
 
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Even worse is that Japanese call pretty much all topspin shots a duraibu, or "drive" here in the west. :p

I would also call that a drive. I think 2:20 is more accurate to what an active block is.

EDIT: Oh dear, Katakana is not supported on this forum!

Interesting.material for a phd here!a friend told me that the word for forehand in Greece is 'drive'.so you could potentially have a 'drive drive'.confusing
 
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The funny thing is I have a good counterhit/drive but for some reason was forcing myself to do a whole different shot when blocking.i have to keep the counterhit mindset when blocking and keep the motion shorter then,I guess?

Yes. If your counter hit is like Persson's (I actually think Henzell's finishes too high for someone of his height), then yes, use the same motion to block. Someone described the motion as wiping the ball up and down with your wrist while hitting through it.
 
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The easiest way to improve is keep counter hitting and ask you partner to counterhit once and loop once , thats all you need to figure out the right technique. Try to take the ball as early as possible and have a slight follow through , weight transfer . Don't make it a stick block , even though we end up doing it in a match especially to block down the line , its not the right technique to practice. Blocking is all about timing and you will have to revisit this as you keep improving , you will come against different loopers , advanced , more powerful , more spinny and your brain will automatically figure out a way to process the information from the sound and the flight of the ball on when to block, then it will me more an unconscious thing and the only thing you will have to tell yourself is where to place and whether to block passively or actively. Right now, just focus on the timing and the follow through
 
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Yes. If your counter hit is like Persson's (I actually think Henzell's finishes too high for someone of his height), then yes, use the same motion to block. Someone described the motion as wiping the ball up and down with your wrist while hitting through it.

Ok great.thanks a lot.something to work on at training tomorrow
 
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The easiest way to improve is keep counter hitting and ask you partner to counterhit once and loop once , thats all you need to figure out the right technique. Try to take the ball as early as possible and have a slight follow through , weight transfer . Don't make it a stick block , even though we end up doing it in a match especially to block down the line , its not the right technique to practice. Blocking is all about timing and you will have to revisit this as you keep improving , you will come against different loopers , advanced , more powerful , more spinny and your brain will automatically figure out a way to process the information from the sound and the flight of the ball on when to block, then it will me more an unconscious thing and the only thing you will have to tell yourself is where to place and whether to block passively or actively. Right now, just focus on the timing and the follow through

Believe it or not, you don't have to take the ball as early as possible if you have the right technique. Just do the right stroke and eventually, you will figure it out. It's actually better to wait for the ball and catch it at the right point in your stroke. It will not rush the opponent, but it will give you a higher and more relaxed chance of putting the ball on the table. The main reason I posted the Henzell video is that he showed the slower blocking version of the motion and he always labels his videos as "counterhit/block" on TTEdge.

If your technique is right, the main change is how high you have to be on the ball relative to the incoming spin. Heavier spin, higher racket, less spin, lower racket tends to be the main adjustment. And the wiping technique tends to come around the side of the ball with some spin avoidance as well.
 
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NextLevel already said that the motion is the same as the counter hit but shorter... i would like to go into more detail on that and say that you actually have to shorten your back swing. i find most people who have problems blocking make the mistake before they even contact the ball - their back swing is the same as if they were driving. to fix this i urge my students to have the bat resting above the table at the start of the stroke. most people find the backhand block easier to learn because the body prevents a large back swing.
 
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I was taught that way @NextLevel, just passing on the information. What you are saying makes sense , different strokes for different folks :)
Believe it or not, you don't have to take the ball as early as possible if you have the right technique. Just do the right stroke and eventually, you will figure it out. It's actually better to wait for the ball and catch it at the right point in your stroke. It will not rush the opponent, but it will give you a higher and more relaxed chance of putting the ball on the table. The main reason I posted the Henzell video is that he showed the slower blocking version of the motion and he always labels his videos as "counterhit/block" on TTEdge.

If your technique is right, the main change is how high you have to be on the ball relative to the incoming spin. Heavier spin, higher racket, less spin, lower racket tends to be the main adjustment. And the wiping technique tends to come around the side of the ball with some spin avoidance as well.
 
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I was taught that way @NextLevel, just passing on the information. What you are saying makes sense , different strokes for different folks :)

Haha - and you have had some pretty great coaches too. I am doing that too so great point.
 
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