Pushing

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Hello everyone, i’ve been wanting to learn the push and i’ve watched many videos on youtube but still can’t seem to get it. here are my questions:Â
1. When should i push? Can i push a topspin ball or only backspin?
2. if pushing a topspin is possible, does the motion remain the same as pushing a backspin?
3. can i decide to push a ball if it goes long but i don’t have a good position? if so, what are the adjustments i need to make in contrast from pushing a short ball?
 
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is it easier to flick or push a short backspin? is it possible to push a heavy long backspin, or is it better to loop it?

You can push long and short backspin but it is better to loop a long backspin.

Topspin should rarely if ever pushed.

Short backspin can be flicked if it is higher but pushing generally is easier and lower risk albeit a bit less dangerous to the opponent.

 

Brs

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Brs

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Find a partner and play pushing games. Like one of you feed a backspin ball and then you both only push until someone makes a mistake. Try to mess him up by varying the spin, speed, depth and placement. Keep score to eleven as usual.

Time spent that way will be better than watching Youtube videos.
 
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Hello everyone, i’ve been wanting to learn the push and i’ve watched many videos on youtube but still can’t seem to get it. here are my questions:Â
1. When should i push? Can i push a topspin ball or only backspin?
2. if pushing a topspin is possible, does the motion remain the same as pushing a backspin?
3. can i decide to push a ball if it goes long but i don’t have a good position? if so, what are the adjustments i need to make in contrast from pushing a short ball?

strange coz for me, pushing is so instinctive so much so that it was my first stroke I do in TT. I mean it was so natural to me, I did not learn it.

Ok back to your question:

Push is for backspin ball only. If you push topspin ball, the ball will pop up high and will be killed immediately by your opponent.

Generally if long ball, you should attack with loop aka topspin. I you don't have good position then push or drop shot but know that this is a weak return generally.

Adjustment needed for pushing short ball is to step inside the table, as a guide, your knee have to be inside and under the table.

 
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If you take a vid of some TTT player in a match, and look at the points the player LOSES when that player declined to attack, you can see some things that were happening (or not) that contributed to the loss of the point.

You would be SURPRISED at how many points you lose when you didn't attack and WHY. Knowing why is a first step to improving quality of pushing to give you better chances. Often, a quality push can win a point or set you up to attack or at least keep you in the point.

Especially in doubles, but frequently in singles, the player declining the attack made a POOR QUALITY push. There are several things that can make a poor quality push.

- Standing behind table, alllow ball to bounce, then travel .5 meters or more then push, then ball goes back .5 meters to original spot of first bounce. At these slow speeds, giving the opponent a full meter of space and time is making it WAY TOO EASY to be attacked, usually you lose the point.
(NOT striking ball near the bounce)

- Indecisive... when opponent strikes the ball, often before, you ought to know if you are getting a ball you can attack. MANY players do not receognize what is going to happen... so they do not commit and somehow look surprised the ball is a weak ball and do not take the ball early... also do not control the ball well, so ball is too slow, too high, too long - one or more. Often, the ball lands in hte middle depth, bounces high, weak spin... easy finish for opponent who can see it coming.

- Poor depth... a quick push going fast and landing near endline is trouble for many players and often gets bummped back declined like maxed-out credit card at the store.

- Poor placement... often, a player just pushes it whever it comes from... easy to do, but often bad idea. NOT finding the middle, or not making player move is a huge lost opportunity and invitation to get attacked. So many attacking players are just waiting for that weak ball where they do not have to move a lot

- Poor height and spin... again, weaker, slower, and higher pushes are easy targets. Even at 2000 level, you will be surprised at how many players struggle to attack a heavy underspin, especially if it is fast or placed to middle... or even placed in the fat part of the BH or FH zone... many never learned how to attack any underspin that is medium or heavier. You get heavier spin from your impact control... how you can make bat accellerate within only a few cm and controlling grip at impact.

These are a huge chunk of what players are doing than makes their push NOT an asset, but a huge liability. Especially in doubles, if I have a partner who does not push very well, the team loses 4-5 points per game minimum just from that. You look at my doubles matches and see what happens on serve receive if I do not attack the serve, but push long... my opponents do not attack it much if at all... the times they do, often they hit it into the net. It is because I impact the ball very early off the bounce very unpredictably with my placement. Opponents go macho and lose points, or get to wary and too safe.

That creates opportunities to attack decisively if you are ready. A good push is a good setup.
 
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If you take a vid of some TTT player in a match, and look at the points the player LOSES when that player declined to attack, you can see some things that were happening (or not) that contributed to the loss of the point.

You would be SURPRISED at how many points you lose when you didn't attack and WHY. Knowing why is a first step to improving quality of pushing to give you better chances. Often, a quality push can win a point or set you up to attack or at least keep you in the point.

Especially in doubles, but frequently in singles, the player declining the attack made a POOR QUALITY push. There are several things that can make a poor quality push.

- Standing behind table, alllow ball to bounce, then travel .5 meters or more then push, then ball goes back .5 meters to original spot of first bounce. At these slow speeds, giving the opponent a full meter of space and time is making it WAY TOO EASY to be attacked, usually you lose the point.
(NOT striking ball near the bounce)

- Indecisive... when opponent strikes the ball, often before, you ought to know if you are getting a ball you can attack. MANY players do not receognize what is going to happen... so they do not commit and somehow look surprised the ball is a weak ball and do not take the ball early... also do not control the ball well, so ball is too slow, too high, too long - one or more. Often, the ball lands in hte middle depth, bounces high, weak spin... easy finish for opponent who can see it coming.

- Poor depth... a quick push going fast and landing near endline is trouble for many players and often gets bummped back declined like maxed-out credit card at the store.

- Poor placement... often, a player just pushes it whever it comes from... easy to do, but often bad idea. NOT finding the middle, or not making player move is a huge lost opportunity and invitation to get attacked. So many attacking players are just waiting for that weak ball where they do not have to move a lot

- Poor height and spin... again, weaker, slower, and higher pushes are easy targets. Even at 2000 level, you will be surprised at how many players struggle to attack a heavy underspin, especially if it is fast or placed to middle... or even placed in the fat part of the BH or FH zone... many never learned how to attack any underspin that is medium or heavier. You get heavier spin from your impact control... how you can make bat accellerate within only a few cm and controlling grip at impact.

These are a huge chunk of what players are doing than makes their push NOT an asset, but a huge liability. Especially in doubles, if I have a partner who does not push very well, the team loses 4-5 points per game minimum just from that. You look at my doubles matches and see what happens on serve receive if I do not attack the serve, but push long... my opponents do not attack it much if at all... the times they do, often they hit it into the net. It is because I impact the ball very early off the bounce very unpredictably with my placement. Opponents go macho and lose points, or get to wary and too safe.

That creates opportunities to attack decisively if you are ready. A good push is a good setup.
thank you for the excellent and detailed information. where can i see you play?
 
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hi anton
taking your posts altogether they bear some similarity to spoof posts pretending deep ignorance in order to waste members time, I apologize if this is not the case

i apologise if it seemed that way, i’m just a teenager with a teenager personality trying to learn about this sport. therefore my talking and my posts may be informal and likely ignorant in some way. should i stop posting instead and find a coach to talk to, to respect all the members’ time?

 
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i apologise if it seemed that way, i’m just a teenager with a teenager personality trying to learn about this sport. therefore my talking and my posts may be informal and likely ignorant in some way. should i stop posting instead and find a coach to talk to, to respect all the members’ time?

sorry for the misunderstanding no offense intended, By all means continue I would suggest googling
Pingskills the austraian website which has some excellent coaching videos
or
Tom Lodziak an english coach who is really good at spelling it out for beginners,
assuming you have been playing or trying to play you should engage with your practice partners and ask them to explain in person the basic shots you have questions about

you need to understand :
push
chop
drive
Spin
topspin
backspin
service
attack
defence
and it would be good to have viewed a youtube video of someone like Ma Long while listening to a commentary in your own language
good luck

 
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i apologise if it seemed that way, i’m just a teenager with a teenager personality trying to learn about this sport. therefore my talking and my posts may be informal and likely ignorant in some way. should i stop posting instead and find a coach to talk to, to respect all the members’ time?

No worries or need to apologize...
Nobody if forced to spend time or answer.

No questions are stupid except the one's never asked...

Cheers
L-zr

 
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There are a few different types of push.
There is a good video by Tom Lodziak with Mark Mitchell, (who pingpongpaddy mentioned) 'footwork and recovery for short balls' is one and there is another where Mark demonstrates 3 basic push strokes, light back spin/no spin, back spin, heavy back spin.
You can then add side spin into the mix later on when you have mastered the basic push strokes.
 
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