How do you defend against smashes?

[PenHoldSandro]

Hello! A friend of mine told me that I have to defend against smashes. I'm a Jpen player, so I can't just lob it or my style would be a waste. How do you defend against smashes but also utilize offensive tactics?

 

[JJ Ng]

Hello! A friend of mine told me that I have to defend against smashes. I'm a Jpen player, so I can't just lob it or my style would be a waste. How do you defend against smashes but also utilize offensive tactics?

A few things:

1) attack first so you don't have to defend.

2) read the spin better because it sounds like you pop the ball up so the other person can smash it.

3) You can lob with your backhand as a Jpen player. I am going way back to the 1980's and 1990's. Yoo Nam-kyu was a Jpen player from Korea. He played mid distance from the table and he lobbed here and there so it can be done. There are still some YouTube videos of him playing here and there. Kim Taek-soo, also a Korean player around the same area, also defended using lobs but he did not do it as often as Yoo Nam-kyu. It is probably easier for you to find YouTube videos of Kim Taek-soo than Yoo Nam-kyu. They both have legs that look like a tree trunks! That's the only way any Jpen could have survived at the pro level (and another reason I switched from penhold to shakehand because I cannot run around like I was a kid anymore).

4) If you are too far away from table and you don't want to lob, you can put a black sheet of ox long pips (i.e. no sponge) and just chop the ball back. The long pips will actually help you grip the Jpen paddle better too and does not add much weight if any.

5) Whether you are Jpen, Cpen or shakehand, everyone needs to "defend" against loops and smashes so do more drills in that area.

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

If you are getting smashed at, chances are you did something wrong that allowed your opponent the opportunity to smash. Smash is a high risk high reward shot meant to try and end points as early as possible and unless you win the lottery standing at the table or are in the right position backing off the table, there is little you can do to handle it. If you can't hold the table and block then you need to back up and play defensive topspin, you don't necessarily need to resort to lobbing as you can just fish, but if you're that far off the table and want to try to stay in the point then you kind of need to lob. You watch any decent level single sided penhold player and they tend to use ranged defensive topspin on their bh side when they are forced into that position.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

1) attack first so you don't have to defend.

What I'm asking for is if they attacked me after an attack that was too weak. Thanks tho

2) read the spin better because it sounds like you pop the ball up so the other person can smash it.

Hmm... Alright...

3) You can lob with your backhand as a Jpen player. I am going way back to the 1980's and 1990's. Yoo Nam-kyu was a Jpen player from Korea. He played mid distance from the table and he lobbed here and there so it can be done. There are still some YouTube videos of him playing here and there. Kim Taek-soo, also a Korean player around the same area, also defended using lobs but he did not do it as often as Yoo Nam-kyu. It is probably easier for you to find YouTube videos of Kim Taek-soo than Yoo Nam-kyu. They both have legs that look like a tree trunks! That's the only way any Jpen could have survived at the pro level (and another reason I switched from penhold to shakehand because I cannot run around like I was a kid anymore).

The thing is, I do not want to lob. This gives a chance for another smash. That's why I want to learn how to block them.

4) If you are too far away from table and you don't want to lob, you can put a black sheet of ox long pips (i.e. no sponge) and just chop the ball back. The long pips will actually help you grip the Jpen paddle better too and does not add much weight if any.

I play offensively with short pips, I don't think it works...

5) Whether you are Jpen, Cpen or shakehand, everyone needs to "defend" against loops and smashes so do more drills in that area.

Alright!!! Thank you

 

[driversbeat]

Practise blocking

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Practise blocking

The thing is, how to do it well?

 

[greenbeanmachine]

The thing is, how to do it well?

Get a partner, and have them smash the ball to you over and over

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Get a partner, and have them smash the ball to you over and over

Alight thx

 

[blahness]

Countersmash the smash, ala He Zhi Wen style. Just be faster xD

 

[JJ Ng]

Ok I am confused by this thread by now. Not knowing how the OP plays, in general, when I played Jpen, I tended to position myself close to the table because, well, I could only block on my backhand side. My forehand loop was positioned to start a rally with slow spinny loop. After that, I would try to finish point with more loop drives after that.

When I played Jpen, if the other player smashed (and assuming I am close to the table due to my style of play), the only choice I had was quick reflex. So either you have the reflex or not. That's why the other posters say, more practice. Without quick reflex, I am not sure what answer you are looking for.

As for other suggestions,

1) once you are forced into a defensive position by the opponent, then you could take a couple steps back or some to buy yourself more reaction time.

2) Is the other player smashing flat or with topspin or with backspin? Most smashes from SP are flat so you have to open the angle up a bit. Most smashes from inverted has some top spins. If the ball is high and close to the net, the person might chop smash the ball so it has lots of backspin.

3) Are you looking for counter-smashing? If so, I still would recommend fishing and blocking as opposed to counter smashing because, well, there is no time!

A smash is meant to finish the point. It is a high risk, high reward play. Once the other player decides to smash, there are only three scenario's: they hit it into the net, they hit onto the table, or they hit it off the end of the table. If it is scenario 2, then you just gotta rely on your reflexes and your reaction time. If you want to counter smash back, I would not recommend that because if your opponent is of any decent caliber, his smash is going to end the point and there is no time for you to counter smash back.

 

[Lazer]

Hello! A friend of mine told me that I have to defend against smashes. I'm a Jpen player, so I can't just lob it or my style would be a waste. How do you defend against smashes but also utilize offensive tactics?

The only way to do this is to prevent Your opponent from getting the opportunity. Once Your are being smashed against You will loose most duels.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Countersmash the smash, ala He Zhi Wen style. Just be faster xD

XD but how tho? that's what I'm asking

 

[PenHoldSandro]

...Without quick reflex, I am not sure what answer you are looking for.

How do you get quick reflex? TT is my first physical sport, so I am still trying to speed up my reflexes.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

The only way to do this is to prevent Your opponent from getting the opportunity. Once Your are being smashed against You will loose most duels.

Cheers
L-zr

Yeah, I'm not trying to give my enemy one. However, what I am asking for is how to defend if they do?

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Ok I am confused by this thread by now. Not knowing how the OP plays, in general, when I played Jpen, I tended to position myself close to the table because, well, I could only block on my backhand side. My forehand loop was positioned to start a rally with slow spinny loop. After that, I would try to finish point with more loop drives after that.

When I played Jpen, if the other player smashed (and assuming I am close to the table due to my style of play), the only choice I had was quick reflex. So either you have the reflex or not. That's why the other posters say, more practice. Without quick reflex, I am not sure what answer you are looking for.

As for other suggestions,

1) once you are forced into a defensive position by the opponent, then you could take a couple steps back or some to buy yourself more reaction time.

2) Is the other player smashing flat or with topspin or with backspin? Most smashes from SP are flat so you have to open the angle up a bit. Most smashes from inverted has some top spins. If the ball is high and close to the net, the person might chop smash the ball so it has lots of backspin.

3) Are you looking for counter-smashing? If so, I still would recommend fishing and blocking as opposed to counter smashing because, well, there is no time!

A smash is meant to finish the point. It is a high risk, high reward play. Once the other player decides to smash, there are only three scenario's: they hit it into the net, they hit onto the table, or they hit it off the end of the table. If it is scenario 2, then you just gotta rely on your reflexes and your reaction time. If you want to counter smash back, I would not recommend that because if your opponent is of any decent caliber, his smash is going to end the point and there is no time for you to counter smash back.

Oh ok thank you for these

 

[Amayzde]

Defending smashes close to the table is a tough ask.

The first active meassure you should take is to not give the opponent the oppertunity to smash. But depending on how the opponent plays this is easier said then done.

Try to remember where he smashed the ball. Lots of players tend to smash thowards the same side when executing a full power shot. Next time he gets the oppertunity try to be ready to block it.

 

[blahness]

XD but how tho? that's what I'm asking

You just have to train 10,000 hrs!

 

[Lazer]

Yeah, I'm not trying to give my enemy one. However, what I am asking for is how to defend if they do?

There is no defense unless You are lucky ta take one.... Normally the ball comes too fast... They will either miss or You will miss. Every once in a while You may take one, but You have to make sure they have no opportunity...

Cheers
L-zr

 

[anjoooo]

OK so here's my 2 cents in case you're not getting the advice you wanted. I have a friend who plays with very little spin and will just slap the ball even when I have played a nice low shot that should be hard to smash. He just cannot loop with spin. He will even smash balls that have back spin on them with varying degrees of success. The first time I played him I'm pretty sure I lost because I just could not block his smashes and my returns would always go into the net because his shots did not have much spin. Even if I dropped back and tried to fish or lob I couldn't because I wasn't used to the lack of spin.

What I learned over time is that: yes, I do need to stop him from smashing and flat hitting all the time but this is just the way he plays and he will smash any ball that he thinks is attackable. But also, that his smashes were returnable if I played more blocks a bit more actively and tried to really guide them back with more forward momentum. Sometimes, I feel like I can even put a little bit of top spin back on the ball while I'm blocking his smashes. The key is to not just passively block like you might block a ball that has top spin on it. I hope that helps.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

...But also, that his smashes were returnable if I played more blocks a bit more actively and tried to really guide them back with more forward momentum. Sometimes, I feel like I can even put a little bit of top spin back on the ball while I'm blocking his smashes. The key is to not just passively block like you might block a ball that has top spin on it. I hope that helps.

What do you mean by "active blocking" and "passive blocking"? What's the difference?