Hou Yingchao on Pushing with Short Pips:

[AutomaticBackhand]

Here is my little experiment.

I found this interview / talk with Hou Yingchao titled
"搓球的种类和技巧 讲师侯英超" original
"Table Tennis Push Techniques and Variations with Coach Hou Yingchao" in English

It is in Mandarin (duh) and has no Captions.

So I used my AI skills to come up with this tutorial, I hope you like it:

" Hou Yingchao says pushing with short pips is an effective and versatile technique, but emphasizes the importance of these key factors:

Understanding Short Pips:

• Spin sensitivity: Short pips are inherently less affected by incoming spin than inverted rubber.
• Spin generation: They don't create as much spin as inverted, making it harder to generate heavy topspin.
• Speed and deception: Short pips are known for faster, lower-trajectory shots that can deceive opponents.

Key Principles:

• Active, not passive: Avoid simply blocking the ball. Engage your wrist and fingers to generate your own force and neutralize the incoming spin.
• Contact point is crucial: The location where your short pips meet the ball dramatically impacts the resulting spin and trajectory.
• Adapt to the serve: Analyze the incoming serve's spin, speed, and placement to decide how to push effectively.
• Variations are key: Short pips allow for pushing with spin, no spin, and even backspin, making your returns less predictable.

Specific Scenarios:

• Pushing with spin: Brush the ball longer, engaging it from the middle to bottom for maximum contact and spin generation.
• Pushing with backspin: Best against an opponent's heavy backspin serve. Hit underneath the ball with a quick, thin brush for a dead return.
• Pushing against no-spin: Use a more upright racket angle and brush from the middle to bottom, maintaining a forward pushing motion.
• No-spin serves: Short pips excel at fast, low serves, but they are often obvious. Inverted rubber offers more spin and deception for serves.

Additional Tips:

• Don't dwell: Keep the contact brief when pushing with backspin for the best effect.
• Control the distance: Ensure proper spacing between your racket and the ball to avoid hitting with your fingers.
• Experiment and practice: Every player is different. Develop your own feel and variations through practice and experimentation.

Hou Yingchao stresses that consistent practice, active engagement, and understanding the unique properties of short pips are essential for mastering this essential technique.
"

If you are interested, I can share the full transcript or a link to the AI so you can talk to the video basically and gain personal insights.

Feedback is welcome.

 

[AutomaticBackhand]

Here is another answer to the question:

"When receiving a serve, how can one determine the spin on the ball?"

"When receiving a serve in table tennis, there are several ways to determine the spin on the ball:

●Speed: A ball with a lot of spin, regardless of the type of spin, will travel slower than a ball with less spin.
For example, a fast serve will be faster than a long serve with backspin.

●Logo: When an opponent serves a short ball with no spin, the logo on the ball will be visible as it travels over the net because the ball is rotating slowly.
If the logo is not visible, it means the ball is spinning.

●Opponent's Habits: After playing an opponent for a few games, it is possible to identify patterns in their serves and get a sense of what kind of spin they typically use.
Once those patterns are recognized, you can adjust your receiving strategy accordingly.

●Feel: When the ball makes contact with the racket, the receiver can get a sense of how much spin is on the ball.
If the ball feels heavy, it is spinny."