Is Liu Shiwen's Compact Stroke Impossible for Amateurs to Learn?
This is a brand-new, technique-focused column in a Q&A format. The mystery experts answering questions are former national team players who are now veteran coaches. They prefer to stay anonymous and live a quiet life.
Q: Is Liu Shiwen’s technique worth studying for recreational players? How does she generate such short, explosive power while recovering so fast?
A: The vast majority of national team players have techniques that amateurs can at least partially study. Liu Shiwen’s game is the exception. It looks simple, but it is close to impossible to replicate. Without more than a decade of eight-hour daily practice, you cannot approach that level. Here is why:
- Extremely compact motion, yet achieving full friction;
- Contact at the rising mid-phase — meaning her spatial judgment and timing are precise to a degree that requires an extremely tuned sense of ball placement;
- This speed of play requires sustained, very high concentration with extremely fast reflexes;
- The forehand-backhand transition is so smooth that there is no margin for error — any flaw and there would be a stutter;
- Extremely compact motion generating extremely concentrated power — every movement is condensed efficiency;
- Every step must be precise.
Liu Shiwen’s strokes look simple but are harder to learn than those of most national team players. In terms of transition continuity, coordination, and quality, today’s younger players lag far behind her near-table exchange game.
Q: For the backhand stroke, is elbow up or elbow down the correct form?
A: There is no “correct” here. Generally, a backhand with elbow up tends to produce stronger backhand quality and a slightly weaker forehand, with slower transition between the two. The advantage shows up in higher backhand contact quality.
Backhand without elbow up produces faster transition and better continuity. The tradeoff is slightly less friction sensation and a somewhat weaker feel on backspin balls.
Q: For a beginner, should you learn backhand or forehand first?
A: The backhand shows results more easily. But precisely because the backhand motion is small and easy to train, you should learn the forehand first. Otherwise the backhand’s initial motion is a “push,” and that push habit bleeds into the forehand too, making it very hard to correct later. The two strokes won’t mesh properly.
Q: During extended mid-table topspin rallies, aside from footwork, is it better to keep the arm compact and rely mainly on the forearm for stability?
A: That tends to work, yes. But in reality, once rallies get going, footwork rarely gets to the ball fully. You end up compensating with the arm. At that point, you drive the incoming topspin with body weight pushing forward, using sheer force to cancel the rotation. Then the arm works furiously to adjust the arc through friction.
Q: How do you understand “defending with body weight”?
A: Pressing into the ball with body weight is the feeling of “wrapping the ball in your arms so it has nowhere to go.” You defend with your center of gravity, not your hand — the hand stays relaxed and passive.