The so-called terms for looping in Table Tennis

Ittipat Amonrungmetham Asked 13 years ago

Hello Coach

I've been confused with the way people call each looping stroke.

In your lessons, you have forehand topspin against block, forehand topspin against backspin, and topspin to topspin.

So far, I've heard the so-called loop drive,slow loop, and loop kill.

Now, this is my questions.

1. Is the loop drive the same as topspin against block?

2. slow loop as topspin against backspin?

3. fast loop as topspin topspin?

PS. Is the forehand drive the same as forehand counterhit?

Thanks for your explanation :)

Alois Rosario Answered 13 years ago

Hi Ittipat,

Yes terms in Table Tennis tend to be a little loose.

To me a loop is just a glorified topspin.  It is usually referred to as a slow topspin off a backspin ball.

A loop drive is similar, sometimes a bit faster.

A topspin against a topspin stroke is usually referred to as a topspin but then some people call it loop to loop. 

It can be confusing but don't get too hung up with terms as long as you can understand what someone is talking about. And in your own game try and learn different variations of topspin, some faster, some slower, and some with more spin.