How to Backhand Loop in Table Tennis

Last Updated on April 25, 2024 by Alex Horscroft

What Is a Backhand Loop in Table Tennis?

A backhand loop is one of the most versatile attacking shots in table tennis. It produces heavy topspin and uses a lot of wrist action. While it is not quite as popular as the forehand loop it is still very useful in its own right. 

It builds on the backhand driving motion, making it faster and spinnier. 

Why Should I Backhand Loop in Table Tennis?

Many players put all of their eggs in one basket with the forehand loop and kick the backhand loop to the curb. Big mistake!

What happens when get pinned on the backhand side and can’t get around to play your forehand? You lose. That’s what. As someone who focused too heavily on their forehand loop, investing the time to develop a quality backhand was one of the best decisions I made to elevate my game. 

Of course, I’ll always favor a forehand loop over a backhand loop, but any time that ball drifts long, my opponent has to be ready for a loop. And that makes me dangerous. By learning the backhand loop, YOU can be too.  

When Should I Backhand Loop?

Should

The great thing about looping in general is that you can loop against any type of spin, it doesn’t matter. You simply adjust your angle to play the loop accordingly. As such, you can play a backhand loop almost whenever you like. 

That being said, I recommend playing a backhand loop when you don’t have enough time to get around to play a forehand loop. This way you put your opponent under pressure with a solid attack. It may not be your best, but you can’t hit a forehand loop all the time, it’s not realistic. 

I’d also recommend playing it from a close to mid-distance from the table. Sure, you can hit it from far away, but as you don’t engage your hips or load up your back leg like with the forehand loop, it’s tough to match its pace. As a result, you may struggle to generate the pace needed for an effective backhand loop far away from the table. 

Shouldn’t

Despite the versatility of the backhand loop, you can’t do it all the time. The main hindrance to hitting a backhand loop besides the ball being short, is not having enough time to execute. 

While backhand loops are easier to prepare for than forehand loops (you don’t cover as wide of an area), they still require proper preparation. If you don’t have the time to perform a backhand loop, you are much better off driving or blocking instead. 

You should also avoid hitting a backhand loop if the ball bounces high. Such backhand loops can feel very awkward. A forehand smash or even a backhand smash are better options. 

Finally, you may want to avoid hitting a backhand loop if your opponent struggles with backspin. There’s no real need to hit a backhand loop if they have a strong topspin game that you struggle against. 

How to Perform a Backhand Loop in Table Tennis

Step 1: Stance

• Stand one arm to two arm lengths away from the table. This gives you a good amount of time to prepare for your stroke. 
• Feet around 1.5 shoulder-widths apart or greater. I have mine wider as it improves balance. 
• Your feet should be in line with one another. This ensures you don’t get burned if the ball unexpectedly goes to your forehand.
• Leaning forward with your weight on the balls of both feet. Prevents you from leaning back which saps power. 
• Bend at the knees. Helps you move quickly.
• Body facing the position of play. This differs from forehand loops where you twist at the hips.
• >90 bend at the elbow. To prepare your racket arm for the stroke. 
• Racket directly in front of you. Prepares you in case the ball unexpectedly lands on your forehand side.

Step 2: Build Up

• Start with your racket in front of your belly button. You hit backhand loops down the center line of your body.
• Squat slightly. This helps you build potential energy.
• Twist your wrist inwards. This prepares you to flick your wrist on contact.
• Turn your racket angle 45° or more. This is around the correct angle for heavy topspin shots.

Step 3: Striking the Ball

• Push off the ground with your feet. This gives your stroke additional power. 
• Begin with your elbow slightly forward. This allows you to use your elbow as a pivot.
• Pivot at the elbow. Use your elbow and forearm to snap your racket forward.
• Flick your wrist. Just before contact, flip your wrist forward for additional spin and speed.
• Hit the ball at the top of the bounce. This creates the best angle to attack the ball.
• Strike the ball upward and forward. Use a higher stroke angle than the forehand drive due to the increased spin.

Step 4: Finish and Recovery

• Follow through after hitting. This ensures you are not finishing the stroke prematurely which would weaken it.
• Finish at shoulder level pointing in the same direction you hit the ball. Everyone hits the backhand loop a little differently, but around shoulder height is ideal. 

Key Tips for a Quality Backhand Loop

• Well-balanced stance
• Feet square to the table
• Slight squat
• Strike the ball in front of the center of your body 
• Use your elbow as a pivot
• Flick your wrist on contact
• Brush the ball 

Recommended Video to Help You Learn to Backhand Loop

I played Ferenc some years ago, so believe me when I tell you this guy is legit! He has an excellent backhand loop technique and gives some super advice for improving your backhand loop. 

Common Backhand Looping Mistakes

1. Transferring too much weight from the left leg to the right leg. With the backhand loop, there is very little transfer from the left to right, if any. It makes your stroke look a little basic and robotic if you do. Instead, you only need to perform a little squat as your means of building up energy.
2. Left foot behind right foot. This is a similar error to point 1, but I feel the need to distinguish the two. This usually occurs when a player is loading up for a backhand shot (even though they might not be putting that extra weight on their back leg). While this can lead to a great backhand loop, it will leave you helpless if the ball goes to your forehand side, so keep those feet square!
3. Too little wrist action. Unlike the forehand loop, the backhand loop needs the wrist. It accounts for a huge chunk of speed and spin. 
4. Too much wrist action. I see this one a lot with intermediate players. They lack the confidence to use their elbow and wrist so they exaggerate the wrist action. This slows the shot down immensely. 
5. Finishing the stroke too wide. Big hitters, this is probably you! The backhand loop should finish only a little to the side of your body. If you go too far you won’t have time to prepare for the next shot. 
6. Not getting low. Many players stand too upright when hitting their backhand loop and they suffer from it. By hitting a small squat you’ll not only hit the ball more consistently but also generate a little bit of extra power.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Lessons

On the off chance you haven’t learned to forehand loop yet, that should definitely be your next stop after learning to backhand loop! I also recommend checking out my backhand flick article. The backhand flick is very similar to the backhand loop when it comes to wrist action, so it should help you a lot.