Push, drive and placement
Ready when: Wall and hit-over games (b2) done.
What you are learning
Two strokes and where to send them. The push is a short jab under the ball with a slightly open bat that sends it back low with backspin. The drive is a firm forward stroke. Then aim each one at paper targets on the far half.
Words on this card Bat, Forehand, Push, Drive, Underspin, Rally
- Bat
- The racket; the wooden part is the blade, the sticky surface the rubber.
- Forehand
- Hitting on your bat-hand side, or across the body on the other side.
- Push
- A short, gentle stroke under the ball that sends it back low with backspin.
- Drive
- A straight, firm forward stroke.
- Underspin
- Brushing under the ball so it spins backward and stays low.
- Rally
- Hitting the ball back and forth.
Set up
Paper targets on the far half; a ball bucket.
Weather: dry ground
Show it first for the one teaching
- Backhand push: bat face tilted slightly up, a short jab of 10 to 40 cm under the ball, toward the far side.
- Forehand drive: turn a little side-on, swing forward and finish with the bat pointing at the target.
- Drive to three sheets in turn: the forehand side, the middle, the backhand side.
Your part while they practise
Feed a steady ball.
Step by step
- Backhand push rally: a short jab of 10 to 40 cm, bat face slightly open, sending the ball back with underspin.
- Forehand drives, finishing at the target.
- Drives to three sheets on the forehand side, the middle and the backhand side.
How much: 10 balls, 4 sets 12 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Three sheets
Drive in order to forehand, middle, backhand, middle; count your hits on the sheets.
Who plays: the player against their own best; you feed.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Feed 12 balls
- The player drives in the set order: forehand sheet, middle, backhand sheet, middle
- Count the hits on the right sheet
- 3 rounds
- Fair play
- A grown-up uses smaller sheets.
- Points
- 2 points for a hit on the right sheet; 1 point for a ball on the table but off the sheet.
- Fouls
- No points
- The wrong sheet in the order
- The ball goes long off the table
- A push hit hard instead of a short jab
- Winning
- Beat your best round.
- 10 points for 1 star
- 16 points for 2 stars
- 21 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A bigger target.
A smaller target and faster feed.
What you will see, and what to say
- the ball goes long
Short jab, open face
Small and soft. - the ball flies off
Less power, face the target
Point and finish.
Self-check
8 of 10 pushes land on the table and 5 of 10 drives hit the target.
Stop and get a coach when
Pain in the wrist or elbow.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains push, drive, placement.
awiseathlete.com/sports/table-tennis/table-tennis-b3