Heels and playing helicopters – it’s all about the mindset

(By means of Larry Hodges) Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame

During a match I coached many choppers and coached more matches against them. I also have a lot of minced meat myself, in practice and in tournaments. Heels is one of the most “tactical” styles for the simple reason that you have to score the most points by finding a way to make the opponent miss. In general, I have discovered that there are three important things that a helicopter should focus on during a competition.

1. Get everything back. It sounds simple, but this is the mentality that a helicopter must have.
2. Never give an easy opportunity. No cheap or easy points for them – let them work hard Every point. Again, this is the mentality that a helicopter must have.
3. Once you are in a rhythm and are comfortable against their attack, then you really start mixing things. Vary your spider, placement, contact point and perhaps look for balls to attack. The mentality here is that you can force your opponent to miss with subtle changes in your game (plus the sudden attacks those points win or they throw them off).

One could write a book about how Choppers win points, but these three aspects are the first three to concentrate – especially the first two. But it’s hard for a helicopter to win if he doesn’t control and has the right mindset for all three of them. The right mindset is important for all styles, but even more for Choppers – it is perhaps the most important thing for them, and a determining characteristic for all good ones.

Now let’s change side. Suppose you play a helicopter that rarely misses and rarely give you an easy ball? (We will concentrate on those two, because there are countless variations for #3.) What can you do?

A helicopter (except when he attacks or gets lucky) cannot score unless You Make a mistake. So. . . not. Of course, that is easier to say than to carry out, but the most important thing is that, just like a good helicopter has a mentality to never miss and never give an easy chance, you have to have a mindset true You will not miss. That probably means changing your normal game. An aggressive loop that might be a high percentage against most players becomes a low percentage of shot against a helicopter, because you have to do it over and over again. So you have to change your way of thinking and concentrate on more consistent attacks and push until you get the right recording. Then, if you get that shot, Take it! You must be able to deal with the mentality of play consistent to the mindset of ending the point with decisive shots – which means that you have to go back and forth between the two mentities. The changing mentality and knowing when they should do this is the reason why many players have problems with Choppers.

But guess? With experience it becomes much easier and you learn how strong you can attack with consistency, and when it is time to make the winning shot – and That Become your mentality.

So whether you are a helicopter or play a helicopter, just remember – it’s all about the mindset.

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