Establishing good forehand movement

marek maruli Asked 1 week ago

I’m a beginner player and I already know how to position my arm, hand, and forearm during a forehand stroke, but unfortunately, in practice, my movement is not correct. It’s too short, I don’t bring the racket up to eye level, and worse — when I execute the stroke, the racket is not angled downward but rather pointing toward the ceiling.

How should I perform the swing to develop a proper forehand stroke that creates spin on the ping pong ball?

greetings marek

Alois Rosario Answered 1 week ago

Hi Marek,

It’s great that you’re focusing on the correct technique early on. Improving your forehand stroke comes down to a few key aspects:

1. Start with Shadow Practice – Without a ball, slowly go through the correct motion, ensuring your racket follows the right path. Start low (around your waist), swing forward and slightly upward, finishing around eye level. This helps train muscle memory.

2. Relax Your Arm and Wrist – A common mistake is keeping the arm too stiff. Keep your wrist relaxed but stable, and let your arm flow smoothly through the stroke.

3. Racket Angle and Brushing Contact – If your racket is pointing too much toward the ceiling, adjust your starting position. Keep the racket slightly closed (tilted forward) and aim to brush the ball rather than hit through it. This will help create topspin.

4. Slow Down and Focus on Form – It’s tempting to rush and hit the ball with power, but slow, controlled strokes with the right mechanics will improve consistency and spin.

5. Use Multiball or a Robot – If possible, have someone feed you balls, or use a robot to get more repetitions while maintaining the correct technique.

6. Video Yourself – Recording your strokes and comparing them to professional techniques can highlight areas to improve.

Keep practicing with patience, and over time, your movement will become more natural. Let me know how it goes.