How to Loop Underspin with the Forehand Loop
Xiaoyu Tang, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons
Forehand looping against underspin is a crucial skill in table tennis, allowing you to attack pushes and backspin serves effectively. Mastering this shot requires proper technique, timing, and footwork. Let’s break it down step by step, followed by drills to build consistency and confidence in real match situations. This is lesson one in module four of our Free Beginner to Intermediate Table Tennis Lesson Plan.
Step-by-Step Technique
1. Stance & Preparation
Stay in an athletic stance with knees bent and weight slightly forward.
Remain within an arm’s length of the table because backspin bounces shorter than topspin.
Keep your paddle neutral and in a relaxed position.
Step back only slightly if needed to create space for your stroke.
2. Backswing & Acceleration
Rotate your waist and shift weight to your back leg.
Lean to the playing side and drop your racket below the ball, almost touching behind your knee.
Use a loose grip to prepare for rapid acceleration.
3. Contact Point & Brushing Motion
Push off of your back leg allowing your waist return to neutral and your arm will come forward with it.
Your arm should snap upwards into the ball. The swing trajectory is more vertical than usual
Contact the lower back of the ball with a nearly vertical racket angle. A secret tip is to contact the ball more on its side if you are unable to overcome heavy spin. This part of the ball has less of a reaction therefore making it easier to lift an underspin ball.
Brush the ball thinly to generate topspin while lifting it over the net.
4. Follow-Through & Recovery
Your racket should finish above head level with a natural arc.
Quickly return to a neutral position for the next shot.
Drills to Improve Forehand Loop Against Underspin
1. Multi-Ball Underspin Feed (Beginner)
✅ Objective: Develop proper mechanics against underspin.
🔹 Have a partner or coach feed continuous underspin balls.
🔹 Focus on brushing the ball and lifting it over the net.
🔹 Start slow and increase speed as technique improves.
2. Live Push-to-Loop Rally (Advanced)
✅ Objective: Simulate match conditions.
🔹 One player pushes long, the other loops the return.
🔹 Switch roles after every 5 loops.
🔹 Focus on adjusting to different spin variations.
3. Serve & Third-Ball Attack Drill (Match Practice)
✅ Objective: Use the forehand loop in real-game situations.
🔹 Serve short backspin to your opponent.
🔹 They push long, and you attack with a forehand loop.
🔹 Continue with controlled topspin to topspin until someone misses (either fixed or random placement)
Key Tips for Success
✔ Relax your grip for better acceleration.
✔ Use your legs and waist—not just your arm.
✔ Time the ball at either its lowest or rising phase to lift efficiently.
✔ Vary spin and placement to keep opponents guessing.
✔ Consistency first, then add power.
Master these drills, and your forehand loop against underspin will become a deadly weapon in your game! If you loved this tutorial and want to learn more table tennis strokes, be sure to check out all of our detailed tutorials and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
