Table Tennis Forehand Topspin Backspin Loop and Drive
Objective
The backspin chop is a stroke which attempts to reverse the attacking strokes of your opponents. It often depends on a player having good movement and the right type of table tennis rubbers. Backspin is considered as the best technique for getting a ball into position.
How to Perform
To play the backhand, stand away from the table and face the line of play. For the forehand chop, you have to take a sideways stance facing the line of play. With the use of a medium stroke, your racket arm should move downwards and forward in the direction that the ball will travel. Ensure that your free arms should point towards the ball to help with your balance and body turn.
During your stroke, make sure that you use the elbow and wrist joints to produce maximum spin. It would help if you also pushed firmly with your legs to highlight your body movement. According to experts, the racket angle should also be slightly open to pass on backspin. Then, you have to hit with excellent stroke action before hitting the ball. If you are new to forehead backspin stroke, here are the necessary steps you need to follow:
The Ready Position
To hit a forehand, you need to get into position before hitting the ball. To do this, you need to bend your knees and assume a comfortable crouch. It would be best if you also racketed with your hands gripping your racket at a convenient grip. Then, stay relaxed and focused your eyes on the ball at all times.
Grip the racket in a continental grip
It means that you have to position the V making your forefinger and thumb on the top of the handle. Then, balance the racket using your free hand. It would help if you also held the racket out in front of you.
Step back with your right foot
Turn your body sideways to the net. Then, you have to execute your backswing with the racket head. You also need to spin around your body towards the ball and swing your racket forward. With accurate footwork, you can quickly move and dont need to rush towards the ball.
Forehand Slice Backswing
It also plays a vital role in executing an effective and perfect slice forehand shot. It starts with a shoulder turn. As you swing your racket back, always ensure that it is positioned up. It means that your hand holding the racket is placed behind and above your head. The racket head also needs to be higher than the direction of the ball.
Hit the ball
Upon hitting, make sure that it can reach a high point after bouncing. It is also best to strike the ball in a chopping-like movement. To hit the ball, you have to develop your speed. You can beat your opponents using accurate table tennis techniques.
If you are a novice table tennis player, you have to learn how to improve your forehand backspin strokes. For your guide, here are the best steps you shouldnt miss to follow:
Step 1: Perform the Skill
The first thing you need to do is to perform the skill. Say, for instance, hitting a forehand position topspin on the table in a continuous way. Maybe you will ask why you have to repeat it. Through continuous repetitions, you can quickly know where you commit mistakes. You will also learn to minimize your mistakes and improve your forehand backspin strokes.
Step 2: Perform with Speed
To become a professional table tennis player, you have to develop your speed. It would be best if you boosted your muscles because you need them to play the shot precisely. If you keep trying to make a precise movement at speed, you will not do it consistently. It only leads to a lot of mistakes and possible injuries.
Step 3: Try and Try Until You Mastered It
Forehand backspin strokes and other body movements are not fast and easy to master. You have to spend enough time and effort to have an excellent table tennis performance.
By following the simple steps about forehand backspin, you dont have to worry about beating your opponents. You also dont need to spend more time to think about how to change your styles to win the game. Since practicing a table tennis game is not an easy task, you can seek help from experts. You need to discipline yourself and improve your skills to get a successful training result.
If you love table tennis, you can quickly learn its various strategies. Whether you want to improve your forehand backspin strokes or body movements, it is easy for you to understand it. Just take note that you should not underestimate the ability of your opponent. Therefore, you have to make the right forehand backspin and proper movements to ensure that you win the game!
Table of Contents
- Forehand Table Tennis Topspin Loop
- How to perform:
- Forehand Drive Against Block
- How to Perform
- The Forehand Counterhit
- How to Beat a Big Forehand Looper
- Strategy against this style
Forehand Table Tennis Topspin Loop
Objective:
There are two main types of table tennis topspin techniques: the topspin drive and loop. This tutorial shows how to perform forehand topspin, table tennis loop, which is commonly used against backspin ball. It is an advanced technique which has a lot of different styles to control the spin. This tutorial will, however, introduce a common one.
When to Perform This Technique:
The forehand topspin loop is used against the backspin ball.
How to perform:
Step 1: Prepare position [for right-handed players]
1.1 The right foot is around 7-10 centimetres behind
1.2 Your weight should be mostly on the right leg
1.3 Your bat height should be around your knee level and should be at the back of the knee.
1.4 Watch the bouncing ball closely and try to use only your shoulder to adjust the direction and height when approaching the ball.
Step 2: Beginning of forwarding swing
2.1 The swing begins once the ball starts bouncing from the table.
2.2 The swing should be almost vertical [about 15 degrees with the normal]
2,3 Before your rubber hitting the ball, your leg remains as the ready position.
Step 3: Contacting the ball
3.1 Once the rubber contacting the ball, push your right leg up to increase your power and acceleration
3.2 Start accelerating your bat with your biceps [brushing up]
3.3 Start transferring your weight from the right leg to the left leg.
3.4 When brushing the ball up, your bats angle should be almost vertical [10-15 degree with average]
Step 4: Finish Position
4.1 your bats height should be around forehead level and slightly across the middle of your body.
4.2 Balance your body weight between left and right.
Tips: The main power of your loop should come from your leg, not your shoulder or arm.
Forehand Drive Against Block
Objective:
This tutorial demonstrates how to perform a forehand topspin drive, the main offensive strokes in the table tennis game. The topspin drive generates light to medium topspin that produces low ball projectile. It is also the foundation of other higher-level technique, such as topspin loop.
When to Perform this technique:
Use against a block.
Use against long medium topspin.
How to Perform
Step 1: Ready Position [for right-handed]
1.1 Balance: You should balance your weight between left foot and right foot equally
1.2 Feet: Your feet should be slightly wider than your shoulder-width apart, and left leg should be a bit further in the front. However, some player may remain their square on.
1.3 Knee: Your knees should be bent and leaning body slightly forward.
1.4 Bat: Your bat should be around between your hip and knee height in front of your body.
Step 2: Back Swing
2.1 Transfer your weight to the right leg.
2.2 Slightly turn your hip to the right side.
2.3 Your bat should be moved back from the front to the same level as your body.
2.4 Your triceps should be around 90 degrees respect to your biceps.
2.5 The backswing should be finished just before the ball starts bouncing the table.
Step 3: Ball Contact
3.1 Hit the ball at its peak or just right after the peak and slightly in front of your body.
3.2 turn your hip back from the right to the front
3.2 Brush up the ball rather than just hit it.
3.3 Control your speed and power by adjusting the face of your bat. For example, turn your bat more forward if you need more speed.
3.4 Transfer weight from the right leg to the left
Step 4: Finish Position
4.1 Brush your bat up to just slightly above your head.
4.2 Your biceps should be around 90 degrees respect to your shoulder
4.3 Your bat should be slight across the middle of your body
4.4 Your body should completely turn to the front side.
The Forehand Counterhit
The guys at Pingskills have done a fabulous job in putting all their video tutorials together. In this post, Im going to go through the steps and add a little bit more about my ownexperience when practicing this technique.
The forehand counter-hit is an enjoyable stroke. You can use it to warm up before a session, and its also going to be one of your best arsenals to get points during a match. To get the technique right, you need to make sure that your feet are slightly bent.
You should also have one foot slightly ahead of the other foot to add spin to the ball. When you hit the ball, bring your hand forward just ahead of your face. Every time Im about the hit the ball, I repeat that in my head as it prevents me from swinging my arms aside.
In the beginning, dont try to hit the ball hard and if you get the technique right, focus on consistency rather than speed. As I said, its a fun stroke, and sometimes you get a little bit dragged away and start hitting the ball faster and faster. So work on your consistency more than anything.
Your swing starts at hips level and continues up until you reach the middle line of your body. Swinging your arm further than this will put you off balance and consequently it will take you more time to readjust to your starting position.
How to Beat a Big Forehand Looper
A player with a powerful forehand with a big stroke and a consistent backhand, i.e. the player doesnt try to make the point right away from the backhand. However, it is a safe backhand, and it is just a setup for the forehand topspin to finish the point.
Strategy against this style
You would like to avoid going to the forehand with a slow ball because then you are sure youll receive a bullet. However, I believe that players with a big swing for their forehand topspin, a useful tactic, emphasize returns on their backhand and then quickly change to the deep forehand corner.
This way they wont have time to adjust their heavy forehand topspin, and then you go back to the backhand. Another scenario is to play against their backhand and quickly change to the middle [i.e. the elbow].
Also, players with powerful forehands usually do not have a speed-oriented game that is taking the ball right at the bounce. They dont play too close to the table but at a mid-distance. It would be then a good idea to mid-distance rhythm. For instance, modify the speed of your forehand topspin and the location, i.e. topspin to the backhand and then to the middle.
Besides, what I noticed is that if you are a left-handed player such as myself and you are playing against this particular style, when the opponent [assuming his right-handed] is changing from backhand to backhand down the line rallies to deep to your forehand, try not to topspin with your forehand cross but instead go with a fast topspin down the line to his forehand.
Your opponent wont have time to adjust his forehand topspin. It usually works pretty well. All though, make sure your topspin is fast enough; otherwise, he can block the ball back and wide to your backhand.
Regarding the service placement from a left-handed perspective, once in a while, extended services [a kicker serve if possible] are efficient if from the return you try to change right away the direction with a fast pace to the forward corner or the opponents elbow. If the player has as a consistent backhand, he would need less likely pivot.
Check out for more related posts on table tennis spins:
* Ways to Spin The Ball
* Backhand Topspin and Blocking Topspin Loop
* Table Tennis Forehand Backspin
- By Warren Davies
- Last updated on February 3, 2021