Too much brushing when lifting backspin
Table Tennis Strokes and Technique
Last updated 12 years ago
John Robert Asked 12 years ago
Is it possible to be brushing the ball too much when trying to lift backspin? I've had a lot of instances when trying to lift backspin, especially on the forehand side that the ball seems to still hit the net despite a practically vertical stroke. Once the ball does hit the net it basically spins into the bottom of the net and barely moves away. The backspin balls I'm getting generally have a moderate amount of spin but it shouldn't be enough to cause the ball to barely move away from the net until the spin dies down. I realize the problem is in my technique but am I not pushing the ball forward enough or am I still not vertical enough at the point of contact? I appreciate any insight you can provide.
Alois Rosario Answered 12 years ago
Hi John,
It sounds like you are too vertical with the stroke. To get a good topspin there is a trade off between vertical brushing and flat hitting. If you are hitting it into th net despite a good brushing contact then you are not getting enough forward momentum on the stroke.
Just try flattening the contact, but only a little and see if it makes a difference.
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John Robert Posted 12 years ago
Thanks Alois, I think I was trying too hard to put spin on the ball. I practiced the form for the correct stroke a few times and slowed it down during a match. Every ball I hit now appears to be on the table with a lot of topspin. Now I just focus on the correct technique and let the paddle do the work. Thank you very much for the advice. :)