Sneha Desai
16 Mar 2026
How to develop a proper backhand loop in table tennis?
I play table tennis recreationally in Pune and my forehand is decent but my backhand is terrible. I basically just push or block on the backhand side and opponents have figured this out – they attack my backhand relentlessly. I want to learn the backhand loop (topspin) but every time I try, the ball goes long or into the net. My current bat is a pre-made Stiga with medium sponge. Should I change equipment to help learn this stroke? Any coaching or drills recommendations for Pune?
2 Answers
Divya Pillai
17 Mar 2026
The backhand loop is actually easier to learn than people think – it's more about technique than power. Here's a step-by-step guide: **Grip Check First:** Make sure you're using a proper shakehand grip (not penhold, since you mentioned Stiga pre-made). Your thumb should press flat against the rubber on the forehand side, index finger flat on the backhand rubber. The racket should feel like an extension of your hand. **Backhand Loop Technique:** 1. **Starting position:** Elbow close to your body, racket at belly button height, bat angle slightly closed (tilted forward about 30°). 2. **Backswing:** Drop the racket tip slightly downward and towards your stomach. 3. **Forward swing:** Brush the ball from low to high using your forearm and wrist. Think of it as painting a diagonal line upward with the edge of your racket. 4. **Contact:** Hit the ball at the top of the bounce or slightly after. Brush the UPPER BACK of the ball – this creates topspin. 5. **Follow through:** Your racket should end up near your forehead, slightly to the left. **Key Mistakes You're Making:** - Ball going long = you're hitting through the ball (flat), not brushing upward. More wrist snap, less arm push. - Ball into net = bat angle too open (tilted backward) or contact too late. **Drills:** 1. **Multiball training:** Have someone feed you 50 balls to your backhand consecutively. Don't worry about consistency initially – focus on the brushing motion. 2. **Backhand counter-loop rally:** Find a partner and rally only backhands, both doing topspin. Start slowly and increase speed gradually. Do 10 minutes per session. **Equipment:** Your pre-made bat is limiting you. The sponge is probably too hard and the rubber lacks spin capability. Get a custom setup: **Butterfly Timo Boll ALC blade** (or clone from Yinhe, ₹2000) with **Butterfly Tenergy 05 FX** on forehand and **Butterfly Rozena** on backhand. Total cost: ₹5000-7000. The softer sponge on these rubbers makes looping MUCH easier. **Pune Coaching:** - **Sportiplay Table Tennis Centre, Kothrud** has excellent coaches for adults - **Nehru Memorial TT Hall, Deccan** – Cheapest good coaching in Pune (₹1500/month), very experienced coaches
Ananya Reddy
18 Mar 2026
Great technical breakdown above. One often-overlooked drill that transformed my backhand: **The shadow swing drill:** Stand without a ball or table. Just do the backhand loop motion in the air, 100 times every day. Focus on the wrist snap at the imaginary contact point. Your muscle memory develops from repetition, and this drill lets you do hundreds of reps without needing a partner or table. I also recommend watching **Timo Boll backhand loop videos** in slow motion on YouTube. His technique is textbook-perfect and he plays close to the table (like most recreational players). Analyse his elbow position, wrist angle, and follow-through. On equipment – before spending ₹7000, try using a **Palio Expert 2** pre-made bat (₹2500). It has way better rubber than stock Stiga pre-mades and is specifically designed for developing intermediate players. Save the custom setup for when your stroke is consistent. No point having an F1 car if you're still learning to drive!