The Forehand Drive in Table Tennis

Layla Sun (Translated by Kyra Tsen)

The forehand drive in table tennis is an offensive technique played with a small amount of topspin. It forms the basis of more advanced forehand skills, such as the block, the loop (against topspin/backspin), the counter loop, and the smash. A solid learning of the forehand drive can help beginners establish a preliminary understanding of table tennis motions and lay a good foundation for developing long-term skills.

Forehand Drive Step by Step

The forehand drive can be broken down into four sections – the stance, the backswing, the strike and the finish. Note: The following explanation applies to right-handed players, while left-handed players can do the opposite.

1. The Stance (Ready Position)

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. For right-handers, place your right foot slightly behind your left foot (to generate power). Bend your knees slightly and lean forward, with your arms out in front of you. For detailed instructions, please refer to The Ready Position of Table Tennis.

2. The Backswing

Before hitting the ball, bend your arms naturally, and keep your racket slightly closed (face of the racket slightly facing the top of the table). Rotate your body approximately 45 degrees to the right and transfer the body weight onto your right foot. The racket is now also facing the right side of your body.

3. The Strike

When the ball approaches, rotate your body to the left, and transfer the weight of your body to your front foot. As your hips and shoulders rotate forwards to meet the ball, your arm moves forward with the body. Hit the ball in front of the body during the period where the ball is rising and the peak of its bounce. The racket angle remains closed throughout the shot. Try to accelerate your forearm during contact to provide more power and a small amount of spin on the ball.

4. The Finish (Follow Through)

Continue the movement of your stroke, and finish the forehand drive with your racket pointing towards the target. Always return to the ready position after each shot.

Forehand Drive in Slow Motion

The following are slow motion clips of players using different types of grips to play a forehand drive. (For the introduction of different types of table tennis grips, refer to Three Types of Basic Table Tennis Grips: For Beginners)

1. Shakehand Grip | Chinese player Ma Long

(Shakehand Grip Forehand Drive - Front View)

(Shakehand Grip Forehand Drive - Side View)

2. Penhold Grip | South Korean player: Ryu Seung Min

(Penhold Grip Forehand Drive - Front View)

(Penhold Grip Forehand Drive - Side View)

3. Reverse Penhold Backhand Grip | Chinese player Wang Hao

(Reverse Penhold Backhand Grip Forehand Drive - Front View)

(Reverse Penhold Backhand Grip Forehand Drive - Side View)

🔔 Reminder for Beginners Level

For beginning players, make sure that you keep in mind the basic techniques of the forehand drive mentioned above during your practice. - including always rotating your feet, knees, hips, waist, and shoulders together to the right (The Backswing), turning the body from the right to the front while the racket pointing forward and upwards to the target (The Strike), and finally returning to the ready position (The Finish). Generally, in the early stages, it is easier for you to feel the transfer of weight by exaggerating each movement. After consistent and proficient practice , you can gradually play at higher speed. The form of your forehand drive will naturally become smaller and similar to professional players.

Note: Some beginners mistakenly skip some of the basics and tend to play forehand drives with smaller motions (like a pro does), which can result in standing still or ignoring weight transfer. This makes it more difficult for you to get the rhythm and timing of hitting the ball. A good way to improve is to shadow practice (i.e. to practice without a ball) and pay more attention to performing weight transfer. Try it and you will understand what I mean!

Forehand Drive Tutorial

To conclude, here's a short video for beginners in which I introduce and demonstrate how to play a forehand drive.

***Tips For Our Viewers***

A good way to improve your table tennis technique using this video clip is to pause the video and focus on each step in the demonstration and instruction. Rewatch the video a few times if needed and, always put these lessons into practice!

If you still find it difficult playing forehand drive, perhaps you should find a coach.🙋‍♀️ Welcome to contact us for one-on-one coaching! 😃