Playing Offense With Better Defense

Are you an offensive or a defensive player? It’s widely accepted that if you play a defensive game you’ll have to throw in some offense. It’s just as important for offensive players to be able to mix in some defense. Most players mix offense with defense, whether they mean to or not. The problem comes when offensive players think that good offense means a constant onslaught of all out attacks. Attacking players should attack, but not attack indiscriminately. There’s an excellent chance your opponent plans to attack too. The right amount of defense begins with assuming that all your shots will be returned. If you recover quickly from your own shots, it’s possible to continue making quality shots. Quality shots emphasize spin more than speed. A strong shot with spin will land far more often than a fast shot where spin is ignored. 

There are some amazing insights that players discover when they begin to incorporate some defensive shots. Frequently, they discover that their offensive shots are far more effective, well placed, and stronger. They also discover that table tennis is even more enjoyable when they can stay in the point indefinitely. It becomes much easier to see patterns and trends, even as the point is being played out. You’ll not only play smarter, but your opponents will actually perceive you as more aggressive. All it took was a little defense.