Can't Generate Power When Looping? Here's What to Fix
This is a brand-new, technique-focused column in a Q&A format. The mystery experts answering your questions are two former national team players who are now veteran coaches. They just want a quiet life and a good night’s sleep — no fame needed.
Sharing these technical insights with readers seems genuinely worthwhile, and a natural complement to the broader conversation about the game.
And so the “Climbing to the Peak” column was born.
I Can’t Get Any Power Into My Loop — What Do I Do?
To produce a quality fast loop, your weight must shift forward first — lean into the ball. Feel the weight transfer. Your body draws a circle, your arm draws a circle, and your wrist snaps and retracts. At the moment of contact, engage your fingers, brace your core, and concentrate your whole body’s force into a single point.
Keep your weight pressing forward, and make sure the stroke stays in front of your body — not off to the right side — otherwise you can’t generate force.
What’s the Fastest Way to Level Up?
Multi-ball training — nothing else comes close. That said, it requires a feeder with genuine skill, especially when delivering structured drills. Rhythm, speed, height, and angle all demand a high level of coaching ability. Drills like push-loop-drive, push-loop-smash, push-loop-flick, and push-loop-continuous rally are common patterns. The pace between balls and the rhythm simulation need to mirror real match conditions as closely as possible.
My Opponent Uses a Penhold Grip, Steps Around, and Loops to My Forehand — Sometimes Heavy, Sometimes Sidespin, Sometimes Fast. I Can Never Find the Right Blocking Contact Point. Help.
Keep your blade more vertical — aim for around 65 degrees to the table surface. When your forearm is at about 45 degrees to your body, redirect the ball in front of you. Keep your hand relaxed and let your body rotation carry the stroke; for shakehand players, the index finger drives the paddle through and the forearm follows back in naturally. You can practice this pattern systematically.
If the loop to your forehand is too fast, step back first to give yourself more space, stay balanced forward (don’t sit back), and keep your hand loose — that gives you better control over the incoming spin. And most importantly: the ideal contact point is right around net height. At that moment, you can still borrow the ball’s own energy while actively adjusting the spin. Get the contact point right and your success rate climbs.
Whether the ball is heavy or explosive — keep your arm relaxed throughout.