How to Generate More Power in Your Table Tennis Strokes
How to Generate More Power in Your Table Tennis Strokes
This is a brand-new, technique-focused column presented in a Q&A format. The mysterious experts answering your questions are two former national team players (both are now senior coaches) who prefer to remain anonymous. They value peace and quiet and don’t seek fame. The team at Heima Pingpang believes that sharing these technical insights is highly valuable and serves as a great supplement to our ‘Heima Talks Table Tennis’ content. Thus, the ‘Reaching the Peak’ series was born.
How to Generate More Power in Your Strokes
If you want to improve the quality of your forehand loop, it’s crucial to shift your weight forward and brace against the ball. Focus on the sensation of transferring your weight. Your body and arm should move in a circular motion, with your wrist snapping and then recovering. At the moment of contact, exert force with your fingers and tighten your core, concentrating your entire body’s power into a single point.
Your weight should be firmly planted, and your arm should strike the ball in front of your body, not to the right, otherwise, you won’t be able to generate power effectively.
What is the Fastest Way to Improve Your Game?
Multi-ball training is the fastest way to improve, without a doubt. However, to execute multi-ball drills effectively, especially when practicing patterns, the coach’s skill level is crucial. The coach must control the ball’s rhythm, speed, height, and angle. For example, drills like push-loop-attack, push-loop-smash, push-loop-chop, and continuous push-loop require the ball’s speed and rhythm to closely mimic real match conditions.
How to Handle a Straight Forehand Loop from an Opponent
When your opponent executes a straight forehand loop (sometimes spinning, sometimes sidespin, sometimes fast), and you struggle to find the right point to block, try the following:
- Keep your racket more upright, at about a 65-degree angle to the table.
- With your forearm at a 45-degree angle to your body, guide the ball in front of you.
- Keep your hand relaxed and use your body’s rotation to guide the ball. (For shakehand grip) Use your index finger to guide the racket and gradually retract your forearm.
During practice, you can train this way. If the opponent’s straight shot is too fast, first move back to create more space, then brace your body (without leaning back), and keep your hand relaxed. This will give you better control over the incoming spin. Most importantly, the ideal contact point is around the height of the net. At this height, you can leverage the ball’s speed and actively change its spin. Hitting the right spot will also increase your success rate.
Regardless of whether the incoming ball is spinning or fast, always keep your arm relaxed.