backhand and staying close to table

Paul Davenport Asked 13 years ago

Hi Alois,

I have two problems

My backhand: I hit it hard with a good technique but many hit the top of the net, a couple of centimeters too low. What can I do to get a little more arc in the ball?

 I tend to back away from the table from the very beginning of the rally. How can I train myself to overcome this 'instinct' and stick to the table?

Yours,

Paul

PS Your interview videos with Jeff are good but tend to narrowly focus on Australian table tennis stars. I'd suggest you paying more attention to international stars like Ma Lin, Timo Boll, etc. 

Alois Rosario Answered 13 years ago

Hi Paul,

To get the backhand to have more arc you need to generate more topspin. The topspin is what gives the ball that flight. Try slowing the stroke down a little and getting a little more brush on the ball and see if you can see the dip on the ball.

For the problem of backing away, you could try putting a barrier behind you when training.  Make sure it is something safe though that won't hurt you if you run into it.

This will be a constant reminder of where you are at the table.

Thanks for the interest in the interviews.  We have started them with players that are more easily accessible.  As they become more available we will try to branch out to other players.