The forehand drive is one of the common shots in table tennis sport. So, you must learn how to execute forehand drive in table tennis. It falls into the essential attacking shot category when we talk about a table tennis game. So, it must be learned as a primary shot type in this sport.
There are some rules to execute this shot properly. So, you are to look upon these steps wisely to carry out forehand drive accurately. This article will help you understand and learn how to carry out forehand drive with great accuracy.
We will follow a step-by-step process to comprehend this one of the primary table tennis strokes. So, let’s learn what forehand drive actually is.
Tips For Better Forehand Drive In Table Tennis
Content Summery
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What Is A Forehand Drive?
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A forehand drive holds massive importance in table tennis sport. It is one of four basic strokes in a table tennis game. The rest of the other strokes are backhand drive, forehand push, and backhand push. So, these four strokes are a part of the essential learning of this game.
This comes in an aggressive shot category that most players apply in their game strategy. Also, this shot can have a slight topspin when imparted from the paddle. It mainly expresses a push drive instead of a shot with a spin.
So, players mostly play this shot as a sign of attack against the opposition. A forehand drive is played when the approaching ball is of medium or long length. So, you avoid when the ball is too low as it can collide against the table tennis net. And now, follow these steps to have a better forehand.[/su_note]
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Step 1: Body Positioning
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Your body’s positioning matters as much as anything in the whole process. The players don’t have to get too close to the table boundary. That is because a forehand drive is not a defensive shot by any means. So, there must be a slight margin for arm movement.
After that, make sure that you have both your feet apart from each other. The length can be equivalent to your shoulder’s height or slightly more than that. Now let’s come to the feet positioning.
If you are a right-hander, then place the right foot behind the other foot. That will help players to generate extra power. So rather than putting the right foot forward, keep it behind. That placement helps in developing the energy you would require for a forehand drive.
Keep your knee a little bent so you can have your body lean forward. It is considered to be a ready position for the body to receive the ball. The whole weight of your body should be on your feet. You can have some top-rated table tennis training sets on your side to start practicing better positioning.[/su_note]
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Step 2: Nail The Backswing
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Here comes the decisive time for your forehand drive shot. Now players have to judge and read the incoming ball accurately. Make sure to rotate your body into the proper positioning, where the foot is slightly behind.
So now is the time to test your back foot. You are to rotate and move right from your hips. Try to post some weight of your body on this foot. That will provide a better backswing stance for the players overall.
Furthermore, it would help if you positioned your paddle at a 45-degree angle. That will help you strike the incoming ball with a fair amount of ease. You can also use some high-quality table tennis paddle rubbers to complement these skills.[/su_note]
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Step3: Strike Time
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Now comes the time to strike after you have positioned your body accurately. You are almost ready to hit with the stance that was under discussion. Now players have to shift the weight from the back foot to the front foot.
The rotation of the body changes drastically with this change. Now the whole weight of the body lies on the front. You lean above to make contact with the ball approaching you. And if you are looking for better performance for your toddlers, you can buy him one of the best table tennis paddles for kids so that your champion can improve his/her skills.
Your arm movement is highly synchronized with the body. So as your body moves forward, then so does your arm. Make sure to keep the arms in front of the body when trying to generate a forehand drive in the game.
Judge the ball bounce after transferring the weight of the body from the back to the front. Make sure to strike the ball after its peak bouncing state. You are to accelerate the forearm after hitting the ball. That will generate enough power to drive the other player back.[/su_note]
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Step 4: The Follow-Through
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A complete follow-through of your shot is essential for the continuity of the game. After striking a forehand drive in table tennis, players have to get the paddle back in front of their bodies. Do not try to overpower the ball when carrying out a forehand drive.
Table tennis is a game of intellect, so you must overpower things. Your paddle must point in the same direction where you have struck a forehand drive. Now comes the time when you must return to the ready position for the returns. You can start practicing these skills while having some top-rated table tennis balls for beginners on your side.[/su_note]
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Common Mistakes That You Must Avoid
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Do not try moving your shoulders when you are rotating the body through the hips. So, accurate lower body movement is when essential to generate a forehand drive ideally.
You may want to distance your body from the elbow as it limits rotation. So, you need to provide your body with maximum flexibility to allow better rotation. A solid forehand drive can’t be imagined with proper rotation.
Make sure that your arm is there to control. Let your body handle the movement of the arm when striking. The body will have its natural weight transfer allowing the working arm to move accordingly. That way, you will be able to gain better results.
Keeping the wrists straight can save you from many troubles. A bent wrist may end your paddle facing in a downward direction. That might not be an ideal way to deal with the incomings.
Try to keep the angle of the paddle closed all the time. Most players make the mistake of changing the angle after doing the backswing. So, you must avoid this error as well. It is better to have one of these affordable table tennis robots on your side to improve your skills.[/su_note]
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FAQs Regarding Better Forehand Drive
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Q. Why is a forehand drive used in table tennis?
Players use forehand drive as an attacking sign on the opposition. They usually set this behavior to make the opponents commit errors in the match. Moreover, your goal is to throw the ball close to the opponent’s baseline of the table.
Q. Where does the forehand drive usually play?
A forehand drive is seen chiefly played by the sides of the court. It is an attacking shot when we discuss the table tennis game. The reason falls when the ball has gone low and requires a smash to get back into the game.
Q. What is a kill in table tennis?
When a player plays a stroke with inundated speed and makes the opponent fails to return is a kill. Most opponents cannot return the ball because the stroke is too speedy and sometimes has spun.
Q. What are the three key steps to a forehand drive?
There are three simple and easy key steps to a forehand drive, and that is; Training, Shot, and Recovery.
Q. What are the basic skills in table tennis?
To become a pro table tennis player, you need to learn the 4 standard table tennis strokes. And these strokes are; Forehand drive, Backhand drive, Backhand push, and Forehand push.[/su_note]
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Final Verdict
So here was our article about forehand drive in the table tennis games. There is a lot to learn from this game, and this aggressive shot is just one small portion. Nevertheless, a forehand drive is a critical shot to learn in this game.
All of our step-by-step guides just explain how to generate a forehand drive perfectly. These steps let you learn and practice a forehand drive with great convenience. Besides, there are some common errors highlighted so you can learn with confidence.[/su_note]