The Push Shot in Table Tennis: How and When to Use It

Watch a club-level match for ten minutes and you’ll see it: someone serves a nasty backspin, the returner pokes at it, and the ball either dies in the net or floats up begging to be smashed. That gap between “pushed it back” and “pushed it well” is where the push shot lives, and it’s the stroke most players never bother to drill properly.

What Makes the Push Different

A drive or loop adds forward spin to the ball. A push does the opposite: it matches, and often deepens, the backspin already coming at you. Done right, the ball skids low off the opponent’s side of the table, forcing them to lift it just to keep the rally alive. That lift is your opening.

You’ll see the push most at the start of points, when a cautious return off a tricky serve makes more sense than gambling on an attack, and later in rallies when resetting the point beats forcing a low-percentage shot.

The Technique: Step by Step

Stance and Positioning

Feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent slightly, weight forward on the balls of your feet. Get to the ball early. Wait too long and you’ll end up pushing from underneath a ball that’s already dropped past its peak, which sends it up instead of forward.

Grip

Shakehand or penhold both work here. Shakehand players generally keep a neutral grip, though some loosen it slightly on touch shots to feel the contact better.

Racket Angle

This is what separates a good push from a bad one. Open the blade by tilting the top away from you, so the face points slightly upward. How far you open it depends on how much backspin is coming at you.

Incoming Spin	Blade Angle Adjustment
Heavy backspin	Very open (blade nearly horizontal)
Light backspin	Moderately open
No spin (float)	Nearly vertical — be careful, a fully open blade will pop the ball up
Topspin	Do not push — loop or drive instead

The Stroke

1. Get the racket in front of and slightly above the ball.
2. Move it forward and downward through the ball in a short, controlled motion.
3. Make contact on the lower back of the ball.
4. Follow through low, keeping the ball close to the net.

Keep the motion compact. A long, sweeping push gives your opponent extra time to read the spin and jump on it.

Short Push vs. Long Push

• Short push: would bounce twice on the opponent’s side. It stops them from looping and keeps the ball tight to the net. Good against short serves.
• Long push: faster and deeper, aimed near the opponent’s end line. Useful for hunting a weak backhand or opening up angles.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	What Happens	Fix
Blade too closed	Ball goes into the net	Open the angle more
Contacting the ball too late	High return, easy to attack	Move feet early, position in front
Pushing against topspin	Ball flies off the table	Identify spin before committing to a push
Too long a swing	Inconsistent contact, easy to read	Shorten the stroke, stay compact

When Not to Push

• The incoming ball has topspin — loop or drive it instead.
• The ball sits above table level and is attackable. Attacking wins more points than pushing does in that spot.
• You need to break the rhythm of the rally. A flick does that; a push doesn’t.

Drill to Build Your Push

Wall-feed drill: have a partner or coach feed you consistent backspin balls to your backhand. Push 20 in a row, aiming to land each one within 30 cm of the net. Then switch to the forehand side and repeat. Think about nothing except blade angle and keeping the trajectory low.