Difference between Forehand Drive and Forehand Loop

A player asked me the difference between the forehand drive and the forehand loop technique.

Hi coach, I’ve been having confusion between the forehand drive and topspin.

There are some differences and also similarities between these 2 techniques.

Difference between Forehand Loop and Forehand Drive

Here is the main difference between the loop and the topspin:

Forehand loop has more spin and power. Because you hit the forehand loop with a longer stroke.

Forehand loop has a later timing. You loop the ball at the further distance. The drive is made closer to the table.

You focus on the speed on the drive, but for the forehand loop, you focus on the spin and power. For the drive, you should focus on the early timing, hitting the ball. The stroke is compact for the drive.

There are big differences between the drive and the loop. The drive is for control, while the loop is for attacking.

Ma Long Forehand Loop slow-motion

In Chinese coaching, the coach often says “the forehand topspin is an extension of the drive”.

For the drive, the contact is flat and soon. For the loop, you should use the rotation of your own body to generate the spin.

For the forehand loop, you should also drop your racket down, lower than the drive. Remember Power from the ground. Use your hips and legs to generate the topspin in your loop. The topspin comes naturally with the stroke and the equipment.

For the drive, hit the ball sooner, use less of your body. Just control, and feel the ball during the strokes.

The similarity between the Forehand Loop and Forehand Drive

However, for both the forehand drive and the forehand loop, they share the same principle. That’s the “Z-form in table tennis“.

You should make a Z form between the racket, and the forearm for both the drive and the loop.

This is best form o transfer the power from the body to the racket and to the ball.

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