Perfecting the Short Touch in Table Tennis: The Ultimate Guide to Precision and Control
Understanding the Short Touch
The drop short, or short touch, is an intermediate defensive shot for returning short to half-long serves and in very rare cases chops, pushes, and lobs. The goal is to get underneath and lift the ball; while making it bounce at least two times on your opponent's side. You are recycling your opponents' spin and creating backspin of your own with the intention of making them push the ball into the net, or high, or long. This way you can take the offensive initiative. If the ball is dying, going straight into the net, or you push it long every time, that means you need to learn the short touch to answer the underspin your opponent is creating
Stance
Basic table tennis stance is discussed in detail and is a part of phase 1 in our Free Beginner to Intermediate Table Tennis Lesson Plan
Position to Table
To learn the short touch, stand an arm's length away from the table and position yourself to the backhand side keeping mind to not stand outside of the sideline of the table
Backhand Technique
Backswing:
As the ball is about to bounce on your side of the table, bring your paddle back and in front of your stomach by folding your forearm in towards your body. Like checking the time on your watch
Open up the backhand rubber to the ceiling so you can slide the paddle underneath a potentially low backspin ball
Forward Swing:
Right before the ball bounces on your side, step forward placing your right foot as close to the table as possible, even under it, and in line with the ball. Bring your shoulders and head closer to see the ball
Initiate the movement into the ball first by leaning your body in the desired direction you want the ball to go
If your body does not provide the momentum necessary to return the ball over the net, you can gently push your forearm forward. A little bit goes a long way so do not overdo it
Contact Point:
Brush below the back of the ball right off of the bounce to drop it short. Sometimes contact the ball even closer to the bottom when the backspin is heavier
Your wrist should be relaxed but fixed at the moment of contact
Follow-through:
The end of the short touch can be described as very abbreviated. After you have made contact with the ball, your arm should not lock out to a full extension. The elbow may finish at about 110 degrees
Stay loose and return to the ready athletic stance until you can identify your opponent's next shot
Forehand Technique
Backswing:
As the ball is about to bounce on your side of the table, turn your forearm opening your forehand rubber up to the ceiling
Bend you wrist back so the forehand rubber is facing the same direction as the path of the ball
Forward Swing:
Before the ball bounces on your side, it may be necessary to take a small side step to the right if the path of the ball is further to your forehand side. Then, step in with your right foot as close to the table as possible, even under the table in some cases. Bring your shoulders and head closer to see the ball
Initiate the movement into the ball first by leaning your body in to bring the paddle into contact with it
If your body does not provide enough forward momentum to make the ball clear the net, you may gently push your forearm forward as the forehand side of the paddle brushes under the bottom of the ball
Contact Point:
Brush beneath the back of the ball right off of the bounce to drop short
Your wrist should be relaxed but fixed at the moment of contact
Follow-through:
The end of the forehand short touch can be described as abbreviated. After you have made contact with the ball it appears as though you have bumper into the ball as opposed to chopping underneath it. The elbow should not extend forward dramatically
Stay loose and return to the ready athletic stance until you can identify your opponent's next shot
Practice Drills
Basic Drill:
Both you and your partner stand at your respective backhand side diagonal to each other. Both of you focus on stepping in and back to the ready position after every touch, consistently short touching back to each other's forehand side or backhand side with complete control. Keep the ball at or below net height and theoretically short enough on the table that it would bounce at least twice before falling off. You should both be controlling the path of the ball. The point is to develop control and not make your opponent move to other parts of the table to return the ball. If the ball goes high or long, stop the drill and start again
Movement Drill:
Have a coach or partner serve all types of spin short to all parts of the table slightly changing where each ball lands each time. You should make a small step if necessary, step forward with your dominant foot, drop short, and step back to the ready position before the next ball is served
Match Play:
Integrate your short touch into practice matches. Focus on using it strategically against your opponent's serves and try to place it to different areas of the table. Ideally if your opponent is caught off guard they will return the ball high giving you an opportunity to initiate the topspin rally. You can mix drop shorts with long pushes to really keep your opponent guessing
Common Mistakes
Using All Arm and No Body: Move body closer to the ball and allow your body to push momentum into the ball. Your arm just puts the finishing touch onto the ball and adds extra spin in necessary
Forgetting Footwork: Always be ready to move. Don't reach for the ball. Stepping in is essential for a drop short as it creates a stable base for the arm to be rigid and replicate its' motion time and time again
Racket Angle: Ensure your racket angle is correct at contact. It is common that people not open the backhand side up enough. For the backhand drop short the paddle angle is only very slightly angled forward to push momentum into the ball while still allowing an open enough angle to brush underneath the ball and counter the backspin. The more backspin the ball has, the more the backhand rubber should be facing upwards
Incorrect Timing: Taking the ball before the ball bounces due to nerves and rushing causes you to lose the point outright. When intending to drop short, taking the ball too late when it reaches the height of the bounce or when it is descending will cause the ball to drift long allowing your opponent to attack before you do. Drop shorts are taken right off of the bounce
The backhand short touch is a precisely timed defensive shot that aims to make your opponent push long or high so you may take the offensive initiative with a topspin shot. As it is a precision shot, an ample amount of time should be dedicated to perfecting it. You have to first be able to identify when your opponent is serving short before you can even consider stepping in to drop short.
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