Switching quickly from forehand and backhand
Table Tennis Strokes and Technique
Last updated 7 years ago
Bob Van Deusen Asked 8 years ago
Hi! I seem to have challenges, going quickly from back to forehand and forehand to backhand. I tend to get stuck and am not back fast enough. Any ways to improve this?
Alois Rosario Answered 8 years ago
Hi Bob,
This is usually about watching the ball carefully rather than the strokes themselves.
Take a look at the lesson on Anticipation for some help with this one.
Thoughts on this question
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Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago
And a good way to practice this Bob, is to have a training partner play one ball to your forehand and one ball to your backhand. Once you get comfortable with this, have him play one or two balls to your backhand, and then one or two balls to your forehand. That way your not sure whether you need to switch after the first ball but if he plays 2 in a row you know he will. This allows you to develop fast switching but it's not a completely random drill so you have a bit of time to recover if you get caught out on a single ball. Give that a try and let me know how it goes.
Jason Ferdinand Posted 7 years ago
I prever use my forehand than my backhand. My backhand side is good at spin (Super 999T) and my forehand is good for speed (Stiga Power LT). If I use my backhand side to serve and then I turn my bat to use my forehand side, is it legal?
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
Hi Jason,
Yes that is perfectly good to do.
Jason Ferdinand Posted 7 years ago
I'm sorry. I still a little bit confused. I mean I do a forehand serve with my backhand side (red) and then I turn my bat (not my hand) so if I do the forehand strokes in the game I will do it with the forehand side (black). Is it legal?
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
Yes Jason that is legal. You are allowed to switch the side of the racket.
Jason Ferdinand Posted 7 years ago
How about in the game?
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
Yes you can change in a game as well.
Jason Ferdinand Posted 7 years ago
OK. Thanks Coach :)
Jo Boermans Posted 7 years ago
I do it a lot of times also. It is a great way for me to confuse the opponent.
One thing I can tell is that you really need to practice that switch.
If you are not fast enough you end up with a bad position of the bat. The last thing you want is giving the opponent a high ball...
Bob Van Deusen Posted 7 years ago
Thanks for all the responses! To all of you, I think I have identified where I get stuck in switching from forehand to backhand. I tend to make a shot (in this case, a backhand), finish the shot, and just sort of wait in the finish position until I see what the outcome is of that last shot. Should I be moving toward a more neutral position after I hit a shot? If so, what is that position? Thanks for all of your help!
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
Hi Bob,
You need to keep the bat moving to the next position but I don't think you have time to move it back to a neutral position. Instead follow the path of the ball with your bat. This will mean that it then naturally flows to where the ball is coming next.
Jason Ferdinand Posted 7 years ago
Yes. I think that is an effective technique if we successly do that. Is there any professional player that do that?
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
All players at the top level follow the ball with their bats.
Jo Boermans Posted 7 years ago
In my case, I just follow the ball with my bat and as soon as the other player hit the ball, I know where the ball is going. Then move to the correct place. In any case if you wait, the slower you can react.
I can advice you to not just wait. Prepare yourself for the next shot. Our trainer let us train to think at least 1 stroke ahead.
Most of the times, when i return a ball I know instinctively where the opponent will play the next ball. (It doesn't work against a player that is faster than me. But then I train more to be faster :) )
Bob Van Deusen Posted 7 years ago
Thanks, everyone. Alois, following the path of the ball with the bat is a brilliant idea! I am going to try it tonight. Thanks very much!
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
Let us know how you get on Bob.
Zaki Roshnaiwala Posted 7 years ago
RESPECTED ALOIS AND JEFF SIR,
I WANT YOUR HELP, THAT WHEN I PRACTISE STROKES LIKE F. H. TOP SIP AND F. H CHOP ETC. IT GETS ON THE TABLE CORRECTLY. BUT WHEN I TRY TO MAKE THE SAME STOLE IN THE REAL MATCHES I ALWAYS FAILS.
I WANT TO OVERCOME THIS.
PLEASE PLEASE GIVE YOUR VALUABLE ADVICE THAT HOW TO MAKE STROKES PROPERLY AND PRECISE IN TABLE TENNIS MATCHES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ZAKI.
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
Hi Zaki,
Now you know you have the physical ability to do the stroke it is a matter of allowing yourself to be able to do it in a match situation. In the match think about the technique rather than the result of the match. Focus on the execution of the strokes. If you do this like you are doing in a training situation, you will start to be able to do the strokes in a match as well.