This kind of push exchange is what amateurs commonly fall into. Serve-and-attack has its difficulties, but after the first transition, you end up in push rallies. Going long is actually easier to fix, but netting is more common. First reason you go long: you're trying too hard to add quality. You want to kill with the push — but you're adding force, not spin. You're just pushing harder without adding friction, so you lose control and the ball goes out. Second: many penhold players push by shoving forward, not by spinning. Look — he's not engaging in a spin push. He's shoving it. When the incoming ball isn't very spinny and you add spin, it goes out. Third: arm pushing. Once the arm gets involved, it's really hard to add spin. But if I use my fingers and wrist, I can add both spin and force without making errors. Use the forearm and arm — it flies out. When producing spin, it's all about fingers and wrist. In looping, we'd rather go long than net. Netting is the hardest to adjust in a match. Going long we can fix with more friction, faster arm close, smaller stroke, and less force. But alternating between netting and going long — that destroys your match form. Because the moment you touched the ball, your stroke stopped. That braking action means the ball doesn't get pushed through. Even with a flat racket angle — if you stop early, the ball still won't clear. The key point: against heavy backspin, your forearm must not stop at contact. Second reason for netting: no forward drive through the ball. Big take-back, then stops on contact — just like our looping problem. What should happen? Contact the ball, then send it through. Don't take a big backswing. The second half of the action should be after contact, not before. This is absolutely the main reason for netting. Second cause of netting: getting jammed by a deep fast ball and rushing the contact point. Slow. Long balls must be pushed slow. The returning ball will float — it's hard to handle. The worst thing on return: rushing to take the ball early. With a slow push, the ball floats — hard to deal with, as long as your arc is low. When can you push fast? On a short push — take it off the bounce. That's the one time to rush. When can you take it at the high point? On a deep push — when you feel you can control the spin. Against a fast backspin serve where you don't know the spin — you must use a slow, soft push. Slow and soft — only this way can you at least get the ball back on the table. The push creates initiative through control and movement — it's an extremely high-percentage technique. Now — do you want to learn the short push? I'll teach you. Even a slightly shorter ball — they can't time it. This technique is really useful, especially on forehand short and middle short. It's actually quite simple. The concept: your return is just doing a serving motion inside the table. Short push: you don't need it super short. Just a bit shorter — they lose timing. First: you must take it at the rising phase. Second: how to push. Same spin — if I push the back of the ball, even I can't keep it short. But if I push the side of the ball — I can push it short. That was excellent. Why can't you push short? Because the opponent serves sidespin — and you keep contacting the back of the ball. Move slightly to the right or left of the ball's center — you'll push and deep-push much better. If you're advanced: left or right both work. If you're a beginner: use the mirror principle. Whatever racket angle they use, you use the same — same side of the rubber facing. Don't contact the back of the ball — unless it's pure backspin. This also applies to your return of serve. You should receive the same way. If it's pure backspin — contact the middle-lower part. That works. If it's left sidespin — match their racket angle. Right sidespin — match that too. Third point on short push: it's a top-down relationship. So many of you — when you try to push short, it pops up. Why? Because you're under the ball. Even with a downward motion — your starting point is under the ball. Someone says: stand the racket up. But even standing it up — if you're under the ball, you still pop up. If your racket is above the ball — the arc comes down. Short push: get above the ball, go downward. Applying force from above — that's completely different. Smashing down is much harder to handle. To deep-push or short-push well — you need this top-down relationship. Above the ball, push downward. Why do people hesitate to attack my pushes? Behind the ball — they can borrow power. From above — much harder. But this top-down only works against half-spin serves. If it's very spinny and I go top-down — I net myself. So when you can't read it clearly, or when it's extremely spinny — use the back of the ball, go forward. The "back" of the ball is the high point after the bounce. Being "above" the ball means it sits on the lower half of your racket. Option one: not too spinny, I want control — hand above, chop down. Option two: very spinny, can't read — ball's back, flat, forward. Option three: I can handle this, want spin — block the back, middle-back contact, deep-push with pressure. short serves aren't that spinny. Let me share my match experience. Against an unfamiliar opponent — my first choice is conservative. I carry from behind, forward-downward — no snap power — afraid it might be spinny and I'll net. I push it over, see what he does. If he pushes back — great, I'll just land it. If he's aggressively attacking everything — then I change tactics. So many players self-destruct on returns right from the start. Your opening strategy must be the easiest to land. For example: opponent serves middle sidespin-backspin. I loop gently first — see his reaction. If he blocks — OK. If he smashes — then I add quality. Land more — they'll get impatient. They panic, add quality, start flailing — and you win. First: find the easiest way to land. Example one — half-long ball: I don't deep-push. Example two: backhand sidespin-topspin — I don't add power. I just press and guide forward. Example three: forehand short no-spin — I don't need a huge flip. Just a slight press with a push-flip. Put the ball over gently first — observe. If he can't beat me — OK. If he can — level two. Level two: lift the hand slightly, deep-push to the middle with 30% snap. Conservative. Switch placement — backhand deep. If he drives straight at me — add more friction, start press-brushing. That slight driving quality — now he can't just blast away. He's forced to block. Step three: he serves forehand short. Earlier I push-flipped gently — he swung me wide. OK — on the flip, add forearm speed. Push it out a bit more. That's progression. If he still handles it — switch tactics entirely. Middle: side-chop. Or flip upward. Or cut short. Change. This is why amateurs lose — push push push, start to finish, no variation. Step around. Go down the line. Change rhythm. Loop it. Don't stay stuck. In matches: don't eat sidespin first. Match their racket angle — just guide it over. Doesn't work — slightly add. Still doesn't work — switch to forehand. Try a little flick. Never stubborn with one move. Level one: prioritize landing. Stay close to the ball. Press, guide, push-flip, push-carry. Not enough — gradually add 30-50% more quality. Still not enough — change tactics entirely. Don't keep adding quality to the same technique. True experience comes from winning — but you only reflect when you lose. Everything I've shared comes from losses. I lost many matches growing up — I share these lessons early so you don't have to.