Last Updated on November 1, 2023 by Sorin Petroj
If you read this article, you have surely learned the basic skills and want to improve your game with table tennis skills for advanced players.
Here we will clarify the techniques and moves used by top players. You can achieve everything with diligent training, and you need to know how to do it.
Therefore, see below the list and description of today’s table tennis’s most important and current skills.
Table of Contents
Toggle1. Spin on Spin from a distance
This is a very complex technique that requires good movement of the legs and a good position when in contact with the ball. It is performed in such a way that both table tennis players are a meter or a meter and a half from the table in a topspin position.

When the first two or three balls start, it becomes harder and harder. That’s because, at the already high speed of rotation you get, you fight back with even greater rotation.
How is a spin-on spin performed?
Firstly, you need to bend at the knees at a greater angle than when hitting near a table. It allows you to be prepared for heavy and fastballs and react to those that don’t come exactly where you expected.
Secondly, as with the basic topspin, you need to perform a rotation at a smaller angle because the ball will come quickly and bounce a lot because of the opponent’s topspin.
Thirdly, you need to make a forward movement and react at least 30% faster with your elbow and wrist than with a classic topspin on pimp balls.
Moreover, the technique of performing the stroke is such that you must first learn the basic topspin. Only then, with the help of speed, reflexes, and catching a good angle, you should achieve a spin on a spin. So, only with an opponent who also knows how to perform it.
This is one of the most important table tennis skills for advanced players that is still used today in top competitions.
2. Reverse pendulum serve
The most modern table tennis service today. Almost all professional players use it, but even though you are not a professional, you can learn and use it as something that will give you an advantage and make a difference in points in your matches.

After this service, it is important to say that you can expect certain moves from the opponent, and in that way, you can predict what you will play as the next move. Most often, players enter with a flip or make a pimple with the racket top raised.
What you can’t expect is a short ball, it’s very difficult, and in 90% of cases, you will get a long one after this service. So you can build a point and prepare to attack your opponent with topspins right after the serve.
Execution technique
Firstly, take a position not towards the opponent but from the side and bend slightly at the knees before throwing the ball. Prepare the elbow to raise it and the top of the racket to be down.
Secondly, when you throw the ball, lower the top of the racket down using the wrist, and you will rotate by making the kick forward with the wrist and slightly to the side.
Thirdly, the angle of impact must be greater than that of ordinary pimp balls. The larger the angle, the greater the rotation from the side. The smaller the angle, the stronger the pimp ball.
Moreover, the wrist and elbow are most important when performing an internal pendulum serve. Therefore, try to raise your elbow and keep your wrist as close to you as possible before contacting the ball, and at the end, as close to the table as possible.
3. Chop block technique
One of the most difficult table tennis skills for advanced players to perform. This is because it is quite different from the basic block on both the forehand and backhand sides.
However, with this move, you almost have a guaranteed point. It will be twice as difficult for the opponent to set his feet to hit the ball and react adequately after this ball. Players who use pips-out ping pong rubbers are much more adept at performing this move.

The basic thing is to keep your hand up as you are normally prepared for the block. After that, only at the moment of the block make a short movement with your wrist from the side and down. Top players use this, but not as often as the spin on spin, only when the opportunity arises.
How to exercise a chop block?
Firstly, practice footwork and attitude towards the ball while waiting for topspins. Always watch your opponent how he is positioned and what kind of spin he will draw. There are no rules on which ball to do this, but you decide when you see that he has pulled the weaker spin and has time to block.
Secondly, the top of the racket should be up, and instead of making forward movements, you will react abruptly to the side when in contact with the ball. In this way, the stability of the block remains, but you also add lateral rotation. Koki Niwa, the Japanese male table tennis player is the best at this skill.
Thirdly, the best way to practice is with ping pong robots because they throw you an unlimited number of balls. If you play with a partner or a club friend, it will happen that he will get bored of constantly spinning while you practice that block. Because of that the very awkward ball returns and will not be able to switch constantly as usual in training.
Moreover, set your table tennis robot to topspin strokes in one place on the backhand and thus practice the chopping block. There are very good ping pong robots that have all these features on our site.
4. Backhand banana flip
If you want to perform the most popular table tennis skill, definitely learn the backend banana flip. It is not as difficult as it seems, and if you have learned the basic skills while reading this, it will be very easy, and you will succeed in a short time.
Backhand banana flip got its name from the “banana” because when you make a turn with a racket, the trajectory is exactly like the shape of a banana. It is performed only on short balls. You need to lower the top of the racket as close to the table as possible and make a flip-up to the side with your wrist.
Fan Zhendong performing the backhand banana flick

How to successfully do a banana flip?
The most important thing is to learn a simple backhand flip first. That is why many moves from the table tennis skills for advanced players are related to the basics. When you have succeeded, lower the racket’s top to the bottom completely close to the table.
At the same time, you come close to the table, and one of your legs is under the table. Raise your elbow and turn your wrist down. When in contact with the ball, just turn up and to the side.
You will learn the banana flip from the middle of the table most effectively. Tell your play partner to give you short balls in the middle of the table. And you make a move towards his forehand side. When the backend banana flip ball is successfully performed, it should have a side rotation and surprise the opponent with its trajectory.
Another thing is that the racket should be open as in pimping before contact, and at the moment of contact, it should be closed forward and from the side. After that, be sure to expect either topspin or a clean long returned ball. One thing is for sure with banana flips. In no case will a short ball come.
Flip is an attacking move and forces opponents to aggressive exchanges of blows. That’s why it’s important to have good footwork. After entering the short ball, you need to quickly return to the position for topspins or blocks. Whatever you choose for the next move, you must return to the normal distance of the ping pong table.
5. Counter topspin
This is a skill that the best players have used for a long time. However, it is very effective and brings a safe point in most frequent situations. It is named after the fact that you react to your opponent’s topspin quickly and explosively with a counter spin.
You can use it from the forehand and backhand side, but in this case, we will describe the forehand because it is the most common. This means that you do not move away from the table spin-on-spinn spin skill but stay close to the table and hit the ball as soon as possible.

As with the blocks, your hand should be up and your posture as low as possible so that you can perform this move. Contact with the ball is very important and should be as soon as it bounces off the table. By no means, bounce too much and then react.
The angle of the racket needs to be a bit more closed than with the topspin to cover that rotation that has already come from the opponent.
Counter-spin technique
Firstly, have a low stance near the table as if you were going to do a ball block. The hand should be up at the height of the table, and you should be ready for an aggressive and short movement.
Secondly, the racket should be more closed than with topspin, and you should perform a shorter movement. Sometimes the counter spin is very short but effective because you only add and speed up the opponent’s rotation power a little.
Thirdly, this is not about the wrist as in flip and service. Elbow and low posture are the most important here.
Moreover, the speed of reaction will bring the fruit of success in any case. The faster and shorter the movement, the better the counter spin. The advice is to watch when the opponent from the middle of the table wants to draw a topspin. Then you will counter-spin on his deep forehand. In that case, the probability that he will return the ball is very small.
6. Short push return
One of the not-so-interesting table tennis skills for advanced players but it very useful.
In general, spectators do not like to watch when players play short balls. However, that is what makes the difference in points. Similar to soccer, when the team has good passes and saves from the defense. So in table tennis, when you return the short balls will actually protect you from the opponent’s attack. You automatically cause him to give you a chance to attack. According to official table tennis rules, you can’t touch the ping pong table during this short stroke.
Short push return could be one of the basic skills. But, we have listed it here due to the complexity of the performance. As much as you think it’s easy to return a short ball to an opponent’s serve, there are still a lot of variations. There is a technique for returning a short ball. For both, even to those that are made with spin from the side or upwards.

Short serve return techniques and angles
Once you have mastered the basic pimp skills, you are ready for short balls. The hand should be above the ping pong table but as close to its surface as possible. In any case, the racket is open. Forehand or backhand does not matter. The racket must be open at a large angle.
Secondly, unlike pimples, where you use the wrist a lot, it is only slightly used here. The most important thing is the contact feeling with the ball. It would help if you made very little contact with the ball forward when returned.
Thirdly, if you make a rotation of the ball from the side, then just with the same move and short contact, hit the ball on the counter side from the spin coming. Watch the top of the table tennis net as much as possible so as not to lift the high ball.
Moreover, it is also allowed to hang a little table while pimpling upwards. Therefore, try not to hit it, but you can touch the table with the racket a little when shortening the ball.
It is also important to let the ball bounce as little as possible here. The sooner you catch her contact, the sooner you will feel better about returning the same short.
7. Fast and long serve
One very good weapon for scoring in table tennis. It would be best if you did not use it often because you can get the balls back much faster.
However, occasionally, when the opponent is waiting for a short ball near the table, it is important to insert a long and fast shot to surprise you mustn’t you do not show signs that the opponent will see.
These signs are that you intend to serve a long one when throwing the ball before the service. The players should do this at the last moment when the ball is almost in contact with the racket.

Anticipation in table tennis means predicting the next movement or movement of the opponent. It would be best if you practiced a sense of anticipation with this service. This means that while throwing the ball in the height of the corner of your eye, you observe the opponent.
If he is ready to go to the backhand side, you will serve a long and quick service on the forehand side of the table at the last moment.
Fast and long serve technique
Firstly, take a stance as if you were serving a plain pimp ball. The look must not betray you in the sense of looking toward the end of the opponent’s table.
Secondly, the angle of the racket should initially be completely open, and when in contact with the ball, make a quick move with the wrist forward with the racket closed. The wrist is crucial here.
Thirdly, the part of the table you need to shoot is closer to you. The point is to hit hard and fast your nearest part of the table, and then the ball will also go to the far part of the opponent’s part of the table.
Besides, it doesn’t take a lot of practice to perform this service. It would help if you practiced more in hiding your intention to give debt. Then the real effect is almost a safe point. Therefore, we advise serving 80% short and 20% occasionally serving long and faster.
8. Backhand topspin on the parallel side
Similar to the usual backhand topspin, you only need more feeling and the ability to position your legs better forward.
This move is harder to perform, which is why this is one of the table tennis skills for advanced players. On the other hand, this is a very, very powerful weapon for scoring points in table tennis.
The angle of the shot is shorter, and it is harder to hit the ball in the right place. But that means it’s just as hard for the opponent to get it back. Firstly, because of speed, and secondly, because of rotation.
The backhand parallel is 50% of your winning point when the opponent is waiting for the diagonal. That is why it is important to learn it if you want to improve your game drastically. You should be prepared for a lot of training to achieve this move. Even high spins and giving the opponent time to react are very inconvenient if they are performed in parallel.
The most important thing when performing this skill
Try to bend enough at the knees and keep your arm down. The open racket should also be an elbow ready to jerk on contact.
The wrist is also important in this move. So, racket below the level of the table with the top down and make a jerk forward in parallel during the contact. Then close the racket depending on the angle and trajectory of the ball. It is best to draw a backpack topspin parallel to the pimp balls coming to you from the opponent’s diagonal.
You definitely surprise him, and you will only be able to set the racket. If he is lucky, he will give you back a high ball that you will score. The position of your legs should be in line, and you should only go forward with your body when making contact.
Table Tennis Skills for Advanced Players – Conclusion
With hard training, you can learn all the table tennis skills for advanced players in a few months.
However, it is most difficult to maintain that level later. As in other sports, the rules apply that preserving and defending a trophy is harder than winning it for the first time.
In any case, it is a nice feeling when you learn something new and when you manage to apply it in matches. In this article, we have categorized skills by the difficulty of performance. So if you don’t know any of them, try to practice in turn. The first three on our list are the easiest, and later come the ones that need more training.
We hope you have learned a lot in theory and can apply it in practice. Of course, even when you learn in training, you can always read our article again to improve some finesse in moves. Table tennis skills for advanced players will be updated over time as table tennis progresses. We will follow the trends and novelties in the world.
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