The backhand push in table tennis is one of the four fundamental shots. Therefore, it is critical to master this shot early on to iron out any incorrect techniques. The push, along with the drive, is always one of the first shots I teach to beginners, as it is important to start off with a solid basis to progress from. In this article we will delve into what the push is, its coaching points along with common errors, as well as when to use the backhand push.

What is the Backhand Push

The backhand push is primarily a defensive shot. A lot of players seem to view it as being negative. I disagree, as long as you perform the technique correctly and don’t ‘plonk’ it back for your opponent. You should use it as an aggressive shot rather than to get the ball back. The idea of the push is to stop your opponent from getting in first and attacking, or to draw out an error.

Key Coaching Points

Just like any other shots, the backhand push can be broken down into 4 key stages. When using examples and positions of the body, it is for a right-handed player. If you are left-handed these will be the opposite for you.

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Ready Position:

This is the position you should be in whenever in between shots. It gives you the best opportunity to get ready for whatever shot you are going to be playing next. It is important after completing a shot you should always return to this position.

  • Feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
  • Have a bend in the knees and body weight forwards. Should be on the balls of your feet.
  • Both arms out in front of you. Playing arm should be at about a 90 degree angle and a fist length away from your body. You non-playing hand is there to help you keep balance.
  • Staying fairly close to the table, do not drop too far back.

Backswing:

Once you know what shot you are playing, you should start the back swing in preparation for this.

  • Angle your bat so it is facing upwards. The backhand push is played against backspin balls, therefore it would be impossible to return the shot if you had your bat angle closed. Depending on the amount of spin that is on the ball determines how open your bat angle needs to be. The more spin there is the more open your bat should be.
  • Get in the correct position. You should adjust your feet so that if you were to miss the ball it would hit you in the stomach.
  • Bring your bat backwards towards your chest. This should prevent you from having too big of a back swing.
  • Step in with your left foot and transfer weight onto the same foot. As you do this you will find naturally your head will fall in line with your left foot.

Contact Point:

You are now prepared to play the backhand push.

  • Move the bat forwards towards the ball. You should contact underneath the ball with a brushing action to create backspin on the ball.
  • Use your elbow and forearm. This is where the power will come from in your shot. You should extend your elbow down towards the ball. Making sure your arm is in front of your body.
  • Make contact at peak of the bounce (or slightly earlier). This will allow you to get the most spin on the ball while keep its trajectory low.
  • Keep your bat angle open. Your bat angle should not change through the back swing and contact phase of this shot. If you are returning a heavy backspin shot your bat angle should be more open and you should come under the ball more. If it is more of a float ball you can have your bat at more of a 45 degree angle and come down the back of the ball.
  • Using your wrist. I would recommend for beginner players to just use their forearm and elbow for this shot as introducing your wrist can make you lose some control. However, for those who are more advanced a slight flick of the wrist on contact of the ball can introduce more spin.

Follow Through:

As with any shot it is always important to follow through. This brings in more power and control in your shots.

  • Continue to extend your elbow. Push your bat towards the net. Making sure that it always stays in front of you, your bat should not swing across your body.
  • Point your bat towards where you want the ball to go.
  • Recover back to ready position. This is a very important step often overlooked. You should get back to ready position to prepare for your next shot. Remember to step back out by pushing off from your left foot.

Common Errors

When starting out, or playing at an intermediate level, it is very common for errors to creep into your technique. I have highlighted a few below from my coaching experience that come up often and need addressing. Many of these errors are common for both the forehand and backhand push.

  • Playing outside your body – your bat, throughout the whole shot, should never go outside the line of your body. The shot should be played in front of you and forwards. Not sideways!
  • Scooping the ball – Many beginners will ‘scoop’ the ball. This is where you go down the back of the ball and continue to move up the ball finishing with your bat high. You should ensure your bat finishes close to the table.
  • Swiping across your body – This is another common error I have seen when coaching beginners. Your bat should never cross the line of your body. You should move your bat in a forward and down direction, not across.
  • Over extending the arm – The backhand push should be played with a slight bend in the arm. I often see players stepping into to push the ball with their arm fully extended. This makes it very hard to control the ball and even harder to impart spin onto the ball.

When to Use the Backhand Push

First we will look at which areas on the table you should play this shot. Typically, you would play a backhand from the backhand third of the table. For the push you would most likely play the backhand push from the full backhand half, leaving the forehand half for the forehand push. You should only play the push when the ball is short. If the ball is coming long you should always look to open up and play a topspin.

The backhand push is not a shot that will work against anything. If you tried to play a push against a topspin ball, the ball would ping off your bat and go long. The push will primarily be used to return a short serve. It can also be used in the rally if your opponent has kept the ball short with backspin. If the ball is to come long then you should not be using a push. Although it is tempting, as it is often seen as the safe shot, you should always be looking to get in with the first topspin.

Conclusion

The backhand push in table tennis is one of the four fundamental skills, along with the forehand drive, backhand drive and forehand push. By mastering this shot, it gives you the foundations to build upon to learn more advanced techniques such as the chop. It is vital to perfect this shot and iron out any errors in your technique. Consistent practice along with the key coaching points indicated above will enable you to execute the backhand push with confidence.

If you have any questions feel free to leave them below and we will be more than happy to help you out!