In table tennis, sometimes the best offensive shots are defensive shots. The chop shot is used to return a ball hit by an opponent who has an aggressive style of play, and hits with heavy topspin. When hit correctly, the defensive chop shot puts backspin on the ball, and causes the ball to have a low trajectory and bounce. You can counter your opponent's attacking game with this shot, and you may cause him to make enough errors to give you the edge in the game.
Forehand Chop
Step 1
Face the table and your opponent. Begin the stroke in a ready position. This is where your paddle, sometimes referred to as a bat, is held out in front of your body, your weight is evenly balanced on the balls of your feet and your knees are slightly bent.
Step 2
Focus on the ball as your opponent hits it. Turn your body slightly sideways, to the right, as the ball approaches your side of the table. Transfer most of your weight onto the back foot.
Step 3
Lift the paddle, head high, near the right ear during the back swing. The face of the paddle, the hitting surface side, is slightly open and pointing up toward the ceiling. Keep a comfortable bend in your elbow.
Step 4
Move your hitting arm down on the forehand swing to contact the ball. Maintain the bend in your elbow and an open paddle. Allow the ball to fall below the level of the table before making contact with it.
Step 5
Brush or graze the lower, back side of the ball on the forward swing. This puts back spin on the ball. The forward swing is more vertical when the approaching ball is fast and with a slower ball, the motion is more forward. Don't stop your swing at contact. Finish the follow through near your knees and allow your hitting arm to be nearly straight at the end of the stroke.
Step 6
Return to the ready position to prepare for the next shot.
Backhand Chop
Step 1
Prepare to return the ball in the same way as when hitting a forehand chop. Get into your ready position.
Step 2
Turn your body to the left as the ball approaches and transfer your weight onto the back foot. Take your paddle back near your left ear with an open face. Your elbow has a tight bend in it.
Step 3
Move your hitting arm down and forward in a similar way as when hitting a forehand chop. The angle of the paddle's face, how you contact the ball, the location of the ball at contact, whether your swing is vertical or more forward and where the stroke ends is the same as with a forehand chop.
Step 4
Return to the ready position to prepare for the next shot.
Tips and Warnings
- Reverse the directional references for left-handed players.
Things You'll Need
- Table tennis table
- Paddle
- Table tennis ball
Member Comments