Forehand
A stroke played with the palm of the hand moving in the direction of the shot, on the racquet-arm side of the body.
Definition
The forehand is one of the two basic groundstrokes in racquet sports like tennis, table tennis, badminton and squash. It is played on the same side as the racquet hand, with the palm facing forward through the swing, which for many players is the more natural and powerful of the two sides.
Players use the forehand to drive the ball with pace and spin, and it is frequently the shot they build their attacking play around. Good footwork to get into position for a forehand is a core skill for beginners learning these sports.
Where you’ll hear “forehand”
Sports that use this term:
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Table Tennis
A fast, low-impact indoor racquet sport that sharpens reflexes and is easy to start.
Badminton
A fast indoor racquet sport played with a shuttlecock that rewards agility and touch.
Squash
A fast, high-intensity indoor racquet sport played inside an enclosed court where the walls stay in play.
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Equipment
- Tennis racquetA strung frame with a handle, used to hit the ball in tennis. Head size, weight and balance vary to suit different playing styles.
- Table tennis batA small wooden blade covered with rubber used to hit the ball in table tennis.
- Tennis ballA hollow rubber ball covered in felt used in tennis and related racquet sports.
- DumbbellA short handheld weight used for strength and fitness training, worked one in each hand so each side has to hold its own load.
- Squash racquetA slim strung racquet used to hit the ball against the walls in squash.
Skills
- Returning serveThe skill of reading and playing back an opponent’s serve to stay in the rally.
- RallyingThe skill of exchanging shots back and forth to build and win a point.
- BreaststrokeA swimming stroke using a symmetrical arm sweep and a frog-like kick, with the head lifting to breathe.
- Front crawlThe fastest swimming stroke, using alternating arm pulls and a flutter kick while face-down.
- FootworkThe skill of moving efficiently around the playing area to be in position for each shot or action.
Techniques
- Topspin ForehandA forehand groundstroke hit with a low-to-high swing that puts forward spin on the ball so it dips and kicks up on landing.
- Table Tennis Forehand DriveA controlled attacking stroke in table tennis, played on the forehand side with a compact swing and light topspin.
- The slice in tennisThe underspin stroke that changes a rally's height and pace — how slice keeps the ball low, when it is defensive and when it is an attack, and what it does on different surfaces.
- Freestyle StrokeThe fastest swimming stroke, using alternating overhead arm pulls, a flutter kick and rhythmic side breathing.
- One-Handed BackhandA backhand groundstroke struck with a single hand on the grip, driving through the ball with a full extension of the hitting arm.
Tactics
- Baseline playA patient tennis style built around rallying from the back of the court and constructing points with groundstrokes.
- Serve +1 and return +1The two-shot patterns that decide short points — how a serve's direction determines where the reply comes from, and how a returner uses the same idea against the server.
- Playing spin bowlingWhat a batter actually does against a spinner — using the crease and the feet to change the length, picking the ball from the hand, and the options when the pitch is turning sharply.
Disciplines
- ButterflyButterfly is swum with a simultaneous over-water arm recovery and an undulating dolphin kick — the most physically demanding stroke, built on rhythm and core-driven body movement.
- FreestyleFreestyle is the fastest swimming stroke, swum face-down with an alternating arm pull and flutter kick — the stroke most people picture when they think of swimming.
- BackstrokeBackstroke is swum face-up with an alternating arm pull and flutter kick — the one competitive stroke where you breathe freely because your face stays out of the water.
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- 2026-09-01
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