Forehand Training Drills When Alone

What are some forehand training drills I can use when I have no partner to train with?

G'day Bruce, great to hear you're keen to work on your forehand! Practising alone can still be very effective with the right drills. Here are a few that you can try: 

1. Shadow Practice: Without a ball, practise your forehand strokes focusing on your form and footwork. This helps in improving muscle memory. Watch this video for more information.

2. Robot or Return Board: If you have access to a table tennis robot or a return board, these are fantastic tools for solo practice. You can set up the robot to deliver balls to your forehand, allowing you to practise various types of returns. We have some blog posts on the use of robots:

Learning Table Tennis with a Robot

Table Tennis Robots

PingPod #37 - Robots vs Multiball

3. Target Practice: Place targets on the table (like small cones or areas marked with tape) and try to hit them with your forehand from different distances and angles. This improves your accuracy and precision.

4. Multiball: If you can get someone to help, even if they're not playing, they can feed you balls quickly to simulate a game-like environment. This helps in building your reaction time and stamina. We have tutorials on Multiball.

Each of these drills can be adjusted in complexity and intensity to match your current level and to keep pushing your boundaries. Remember, consistency is key, so regular practice will definitely see your forehand improve.