Forehand counterhit bat's face direction
Strokes
Nikolay M Asked 8 years ago
Hi Alois and Jeff!
In the forehand counterhit tutorial video Alois stresses how important it is that the bat's whole face should be facing towards where the player wants the ball to go.
I just wanted to make sure I get one thing right. To make the bat's whole face look toward the point the ball should go to, the player should extend their wrist a little. So the wrist and the forehand are at an angle to each other (but not as in the wrist adduction/abduction angle). Is my understanding correct?
Thank you!
Alois Rosario Answered 8 years ago
Hi Nikolay,
You can get the bat direction to face the correct way with a rotation of the body as well.
Get the wrist to move backwards, or wrist extension to get the bat to face directly towards where you want the ball to go.
Even with the rotation of the body, sometimes the wrist movement will help. The wrist extension is particularly important for the shorter forehand push but can also be used for the counterhit.
Recommended Video
Footwork Basics
Good footwork is the foundation of a strong table tennis game. In this video, we break down the essential steps to move efficiently and stay balanced during rallies.
✅ Key Footwork Tips You'll Learn:
- ✔️ How to bend your knees and position your feet correctly
- ✔️ The shuffle step—jumping while keeping your feet the same width apart
- ✔️ A simple step-by-step drill to improve movement and positioning
- ✔️ How to progress from single-ball drills to faster multi-ball exercises
By jumping into position and stopping, you ensure a stable base before playing each shot—leading to better accuracy and control.
Watch NowThoughts on this question
Become a free member to post a comment about this question.
Nikolay M Posted 8 years ago
Thank you for the response, Alois.
Would it be correct to say in the fh counterhit video Jeff uses a combination of body rotation and backwards movement of the wrist to point his bat toward the goal?
Yes that is right. He uses a lot of rotation.