Aggression

"Master, how can I be more aggressive?" asked Po, the young player.

"What does that mean, Grasshopper?  To be aggressive?" asked the Master.

"Hmm, I've heard the word used a lot, I think it means hitting the ball harder or scoring more points or something?"

"If we think of the opposite of aggressive, perhaps we can understand this concept.  What is the opposite, Young Po?"

"Passive, I guess."

"And what is that?"

"Hitting the ball to the opponents and waiting for them to make a mistake?"

"We can start with that.  While it is not a bad way to play, the game is rumored to be about the mistakes and not the gems of wonderful hits.  Let me suggest a more interesting way to play.  

"Let us consider returning a ball to the opponents and if we do it well, they will have to do a couple of things.  They will have to move their feet, and their paddle, and perhaps due to those things, produce a modestly awkward return.

"While that is going on, what are you doing, Po?"

"I'm waiting to see what they hit back."

"Precisely and now we want to think about that.  If you hit a shot that requires the foe to move and stretch; to be aggressive, you must expect a less than perfect return, and move before the return comes back.  Get into position to hit a winner, to attack, to force the foe to deal with a better shot than the last one.  You deliver chances to fail to your opponents.  There in lies "aggression."  Bring trouble to your foe, don't just trust errors will occur," said the Master as he reached for his cup of green tea.

"So aggression is not about hitting the ball harder, it's about anticipation," said Po.

"Well put Po.  But always with movement to take advantage of your good shots, always!  Do not stand and admire them, use them as stepping stones help you cross a creek, they are tools for stealing the opponents time and space.  You can feel a good shot as it comes off the paddle.  Trust this feeling and run like the wind.

"Think of the game of Go, or if you must Chess, where we build the middle kingdom position for control and a base from which to attack.  Attack from the High Ground as the Kitchen Line used to be be called, force weak shots from your opponents and be in a position to hit them to your advantage.  Mark well, Po, if you move early you are also well prepared for miss-hits, net top hits, and other items that a desperate opponent might produce.

"Finally, Po, like things in the heavens, it will not always go according to plan.  Sometimes your shots are not as good as you expected or the opponents find an excellent return and you will lose the point quickly.  But do not give up.  Your moving earlier than expected will make the play more complex for your foes.  Even if they hit a few winners, you will get them back from the time and space pressures you create.  Now, I fear the room is as cold as the tea, shall we find a fire for our feet and a warmer drink for my old bones?"