DEXTERITY
 
Every table tennis player should strive for dexterity.  This is a skill that some players are naturally more gifted with and some players are not.  The good news is that it can be trained as well.  So what is dexterity???
 
Dictionary Definition of “Dexterity”
dex·ter·i·ty
noun \dek-ˈster-ə-tē, -ˈste-rə-\
 
: the ability to use your hands skillfully
: the ability to easily move in a way that is graceful
: clever skill : the ability to think and act quickly and cleverly
 

The #1 topic in table tennis is serve & return. This week, I decided to feature some of my videos. Regardless if you are developing a new serve or just perfecting an old favorite, I would highly recommend that you take a minute and check out these videos...

Most of the questions that I receive are about spin - importance of spin, types of spin, how to read spin, how to generate spin, how to generate more spin, etc...
Today, I wanted to share some of my best videos on spin. Check them out!

Attacking Short/Half-Long Balls
-By Samson Dubina

US Nationals Online Entry: http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis/2017-US-Nationals
Previous US Nationals Article: http://www.samsondubina.com/coaching/playing-high-altitudes

 
 
 
 
Many of my previous articles have been geared toward beating loopers.  In this article, I would like to give advice to you (the looper) and talk about improvements that you need to make in order to reach the next level in your looping game.
 
 
 
If you are a beginner looper (0-1400 rated) and looking to make good progress this year.  I recommend taking the following steps:

International Table Tennis Skills - DVD TRAILER:

During this 2 hour and 17 minute DVD you will learn the details of game strategy, anticipation, advanced strokes, footwork, serve, serve return, and much much more. This DVD is now available in North America and will soon be available in Europe and Asia.

 
I receive hundreds of table tennis questions.  Here is a very common question that you might be asking as well...
 
Hi Samson.  Great clinic, thanks again.  If you don't mind, I've got one follow up question.
Since the clinic I've played 3 times so far at local clubs.  I've been focusing on attacking just about everything with loops and flips, and throwing in some punch blocks from time to time.  It's worked pretty well, and I'm winning against players who i normally lose to.

You probably know that you need to vary your loops.  However, it is very difficult to consistently give good variation if you haven’t trained for it in practice.  In this article, I’m going to suggest 4 variations that you should add to your forehand loop.

Looping serves is a bit more challenging than many players imagine.  However, if you follow the right thought process and use the right technique, then you will be on your way to major improvement.  Here are some steps…
 
1. Watch the opponent’s positioning at the table and body language to possibly see if he will serve short or long.
 
2. Next, watch his backswing, contact point, and where the ball contacts his side of the table.  At this point, you need to start adjusting your feet while keeping your hand in front.
 

When looping, where should I place the ball?
Most players would answer by saying that there are 3 main locations that you should be aiming your loop at:  wide backhand, wide forehand, and at the elbow (the backhand/forehand transition point).  This is the correct answer.  In this blog, I’m going to detail when you should loop to each location for a righty playing against a righty:
 
#1 Wide Forehand