Backhand Loop in Table Tennis: Fixing a Weak or Inconsistent Backhand
A ball comes to your backhand and you just block it back. When you finally swing, it goes into the net or off the end. Many players find the backhand loop clicks once they stop swinging the arm and start rotating the forearm around a forward elbow, right in front of the body.
Updated 2026-10-18 ・ Left-handed? Mirror left and right.
What the backhand loop is for
The backhand loop lets you attack balls on your backhand side with topspin, without having to step around to your forehand. That makes it one of the quickest ways to take the initiative in a rally. You can use it to lift a push, to trade topspin a little away from the table, or to counter an incoming loop.
The swing is shorter than on the forehand side, so an arm-only stroke runs out of both spin and speed. Because you play it in front of your body, results depend on elbow position, forearm rotation and how well you transfer force upward from your knees.
This guide is written for right-handed shakehand players. Left-handers should mirror the directions. Penhold players using the reverse side can apply the same body principles.
Key points of good form
- Square or slightly right-foot-forward stanceStand a little wider than shoulder width with feet parallel or the right foot slightly forward. Facing the ball squarely makes it easier to cover both sides.
- Elbow forward as a pivotKeep the elbow one or two fists in front of your body and rotate the forearm around it. An elbow tucked against the body gives you no room to swing; an elbow raised too high makes the racket face unstable.
- Contact in front of the navelMeet the ball in front of your body, around navel height. Letting it reach your left hip cramps you; reaching too far forward turns it into an arm stroke.
- Use the knees and a slight rise of the torsoSink before the stroke, then extend the knees and lift the torso slightly as the racket travels forward and up. Arm strength alone will not lift backspin.
- Finish in front of the right shoulderEnd the swing around your right shoulder and recover. Over-swinging opens your body and leaves you late if the next ball goes to your forehand.
Common breakdowns: symptom, cause, fix
What you seeBackspin balls go into the net
WhyLegs stay straight and the racket pushes forward. Contact is too close to the body, so there is no room to lift.
FixDrop the racket close to knee height, then bring it forward and up. Move contact slightly in front and use the knee drive.
What you seeNo spin, just a flat return
WhyThe elbow is pinned to your side so there is no pivot, and the forearm and wrist stay passive.
FixBring the elbow forward to create a pivot and rotate the forearm through the ball. Practise slow, high-arc balls and focus only on brushing the ball.
What you seeOvershooting in topspin rallies
WhyThe racket face stays open and you swing low to high, as if the ball had backspin.
FixAgainst topspin, swing more forward and take the ball earlier, before it reaches the top of the bounce.
What you seeLate switching to the forehand
WhyThe finish swings the body open to the right and your weight stays on the right foot.
FixStop the finish in front of your right shoulder and get straight back to a neutral ready position. Alternate backhand and forehand balls in drills to train the recovery.
How the app looks at your backhand loop
Table Tennis AI Coach (TTAIC) reads the positions of your joints (a pose skeleton) from phone video and turns each swing into numbers. Analysis runs on your device, and nothing is sent to a server unless you choose to allow it.
For the backhand loop, the app uses the moment of peak wrist speed as a marker for contact, splits the clip into individual strokes, and looks at elbow angle, knee bend, trunk rotation, balance and swing path, along with how much they vary. How far the elbow sits in front of the body and where the wrist is at contact are both things a pose skeleton shows well.
The app also tries to recognise which stroke you played, but similar motions such as a backhand loop and a backhand block can be mixed up. Use it as a tool for noticing patterns. If you work with a coach, reviewing the same screen together helps put hard-to-describe feelings into shared words.
What it looks at
- Elbow position relative to the body and elbow angle around contact
- Where your wrist reaches peak speed (in front of the body or drifting left)
- Knee bend before the stroke and extension through it
- How long you take to get back to a neutral ready position
What it can't do
- Spin and racket face angle cannot be measured from a pose skeleton
- Fine forearm and wrist rotation can be hard to read depending on camera angle
- Pose is read at 30 frames per second, so each frame spans about 33 milliseconds
- Dim light, camera shake and overlapping bodies reduce reading quality
Backhand loop drills
Two backhands, one forehand
8 min ・ You need: Table、Multiball feeder or robot、Balls
- Have the feeder send balls in the order backhand, backhand, forehand.
- Play both backhands with the elbow forward and contact in front of the navel.
- After the second backhand, finish at the right shoulder and recover to neutral.
- Move your feet first and play the third ball with your forehand.
- Do 4 sets of 10 balls and speed up the feed once it feels comfortable.
Wall rally for backhand repetition
8 min ・ You need: Racket、Balls、A wall、Phone
- Stand two to three metres from a wall and fix your phone in front of or behind you.
- Hit gentle backhands against the wall and keep the rebound going.
- Prioritise meeting every ball in front of the navel over hitting hard.
- After one minute, watch the clip and check that your elbow is not pinned to your side.
- Repeat four times.
FAQ
Should I step around for a forehand or use my backhand loop?
It depends on your playing style and how much time you have. If you have time and your forehand is stronger, stepping around can work well. When the incoming ball is fast, or stepping around would leave your forehand wide open, attacking with the backhand is often the safer choice. Having both makes you harder to read.
I am not strong enough to create spin on the backhand.
Spin comes more from forearm rotation around a forward elbow, combined with knee drive, than from arm strength. Start with slow, high-arc balls and focus on brushing the ball.
Where should I put the camera to film my backhand?
Anywhere works: front, behind, side or diagonal. If you want to see elbow position clearly, choose a spot where the table and other people do not block your body, and film from the same place each time so sessions are easy to compare.