Fast Backhand Loop (Close-to-table) Tutorial

Thanks for sharing.

My 2 cents. The majority of the acceleration looks like is achieved with the forearm and wrist.

For a RH player, a R to L weight transfer for a more aggressive BH loop away from the table makes no sense to me, because it is going against the torso rotation which is going L to R.

If you're RH and you have an orthodox stance, a left jab thrown with weight transfer from R to L makes sense because it is going in the direction of the strike, not against it. Therefore, I don't think it's the right comparison for the RH BH loop in this case.

You need to power your BH more with your forearm when close to the table if you're wrist is getting sore, which is a sign of overuse. When away from the table and you have time, it's perfectly acceptable to start the swing with the paddle past the hip as you describe. You can also twist your torso more when "loading up." That allows you to use more shoulder and torso rotation to power your swing.

L-R is correct for this shot. R-L transfer would be for the take back then L-R for going into the ball. Movement is relatively small because it's more over the table. It could also be more even from both legs while leaning forward slightly, more like a control block with small arm extension. R-L transfer would be for very active punch block or counter hit with the BH like FZD would do.

Edited by V-Griper - 07/04/2014 at 10:09am

Right to Left whe hitting the ball seems to make more sense. But in this aggressive active motion, do u guys think which is a priority to learn for an intermediate player
This technique or the backhand banana flick? n

Think, if one is right handed, prepares for a BH shot by rotating trunk even a little counterclockwise, it is natural for one to rotate clockwise (weight transfer L to R) in order to perform a BH shot. Weight transfer L to R for a righty is the way to go is one is in position already. If one has rotated counter clockwise in prep for a BH shot, yet starts the weight transfer with the right foot, your balance and timing will be ruined, it will force you to your left. There may be a time where you want this, like when you need to move left to get to the ball and you have to impact the ball while moving (no time to plant left foot to push off with it to start the stroke)

Edited by BH-Man - 07/04/2014 at 12:27am

This is the primary backhand stroke that I use for close-to-table play. I can tell you, it is very effective.

As a right-handed player, I transfer weight from the left to right for a backhand shot. And the opposite for the forehand shot (right to left). Weight transfer follows your torso or hip rotation.

PS. Both videos are great.

Edited by hithithit - 07/04/2014 at 2:27am

kenneyy88 wrote: V-Griper wrote: Things should look more clear in this vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlBd0LWP6lM Wrong stroke, this thread is about the fast backhand loop (close to the table).  If you like Ma Long, in this video, the stroke is in slow-mo after the opening backhand loop.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvAc6phK4bg some in full speed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VHKF5pPJrs

Why is the music from this channel so horrible all the time haha.

BH-Man wrote: BH vs underspin is WAY different and there are a few ways to hit that shot too.

I have never, ever as far as I can remember used R-L weight transfer on a backhand shot.  AFAIK, weight transfer should always follow the direction of the shot if you want to add power.  The most powerful backhand would be with the right foot in front off the left foot for a right hander.    To save time, most people do not go this far.  There is some coiling for power from R to L to prepare on the backswing is is not different from people turning and coiling from L to R on the forehand before unloading.  However, weight transfer can help the power on the backhand, but there is a lot of power in the wrist and the arm for the backhand so it is not critical unless you are at a very high level.

Edited by NextLevel - 07/04/2014 at 10:01pm

yogi_bear wrote: NextLevel wrote: BH-Man wrote: BH vs underspin is WAY different and there are a few ways to hit that shot too. There are many ways to hit all the shots.  It's all a matter of how dedicated you are and how far you want to go.   I find that while it is important to learn to hit the ball very well one way, there are times you need to learn other ways and incorporate the pluses (and sometimes minuses) of other ways into your shot selection. Richard McAfee in his "Table Tennis: Steps to Success" and other articles prior to this book makes clear what is common to most techniques - he focuses on three things : where to contact the ball (top, bottom, back, side etc.), when to contact the ball (rise, top of the bounce, fall) and how to contact the ball (friction or force) - the rest of the stuff about footwork etc. tends to be important for generating quality racket head speed but is apart from the stroke. richard trained me as an ittf course conductor. he teaches specific strokes on specific kinds of incoming balls. a loop vs underspin and a loop vs topspin are 2 different things. it doesn't mean that when you can hit a ball in different kinds of manner it is the same stroke. there has to be a distinction of strokes to avoid confusion hence the specific terms used like in the ittf coaching manual the word "loop" is not used that much instead it is the word "topspin" and further specified as topspin versus underspin, topspin versus topspin, etc.

yogi_bear wrote: sorry i confused your statement with that of the video of another poster that i thought you were disagreeing on the stroke

Edited by NextLevel - 07/05/2014 at 9:01am

Reinecke wrote: This is the worst music I have ever heard.  A couple of questions: First off he says transfer weight from left to right. This seems completely wrong. Everything I have ever learned about backhand loop says transfer weight right to left, same as FH. This is how you efficiently transfer weight and power from your legs through your body to your shoulder and arm. Same as when throwing a punch. A jab is similar to a BH, and you transfer weight right to left. Check out Yang Guang's weight transfer at around 2:45+. When it is in slow motion you can see that his right foot leaves the ground just after contact with the ball. This means he is transfering right to left not left to right as stated. Second, anybody else get wrist pain after doing too many of these? Maybe I over exaggerate the wrist motion. I also find that if I bring my paddle further to the left on my opposite hip, I don't have to use as much wrist and I get lots of power. However I feel this is less controlled  and may be improper form.

Contradicting, right? My stance on this.

As for the wrist pain, you're probably forcing the wrist to uncock. There should be minimal participation of the wrist in force production. The wrist should ideally uncock by inertia upon release of the stroke.

As a final comment, raising your right foot can be a way of facilitating L to R weight transfer. I sometimes push off both feet but with a transfer from L to R when doing my BH. Food for thought.

NextLevel wrote: As a final comment, raising your right foot can be a way of facilitating L to R weight transfer. I sometimes push off both feet but with a transfer from L to R when doing my BH. Food for thought.

Sorry, and without being disrespectful, I disagree.

To facilitate weight transfer from left to right, bend the left knee slightly more than the right, thus putting more weight on your left leg. At the strike of the ball, push off your left leg without necessarily lifting your left foot off the ground, to tilt the weight onto your right. Your left knee should now be less bent in the process. Also, a way to facilitate weight transfer, is to do a slight left to right rotation at the hip.