Hi Alex, Glad you enjoyed the recent videos and are finding them helpful. In the long term you will be able to stay close to the table and still counter these fast heavy topspin shots with this same Hariomoto action. It just needs the correct timing and feel to control the incoming speed and spin but can be done. To begin with I would say taking a small step away but not to far is a good way to gradually learn this. The stroke will be the same as long as you don’t step back too far which I wouldn’t recommend as it’s tricky to get back in and this shot is effective fairly close. So start with a focus on keeping the stroke short still and using the pace on the ball from your opponent. Make sure you still keep your body forward and don’t get upright. If there is a lot of spin and speed you will need to close the bat angle slightly and brush over the top a bit more to stop the ball going long.
A great way to practice this is get someone to fast topspin to your backhand and you block it but then gradually add in a little Harimoto type counter attack, this will help you get used to transition from the block to a more attacking shot. Dan
