There are two standard ways to move in doubles. At the advanced levels, if you have two righties and they train regularly for doubles, they usually learn circling footwork, where after each shot the player steps backwards and circles clockwise to the left so they can approach the table from their backhand side and go into a neutral or forehand-favoring ready position. (A righty's normal ready stance would be toward the left, with his playing elbow near the center of the table, or more to the left to favor the forehand, or more to the right to favor the backhand.) Two lefties would do the same, except they move counter-clockwise to the right. However, learning to do circling footwork takes a lot of practice, usually under the supervision of a coach. You also need two mobile players.

There are four movements made with this circling footwork. Assuming two righties, they are:

1. After making your shot, step backward.
2. As your partner is moving to and making his shot, you move to the left.
3. As your partner steps back (or to the right and then back if his shot was from the backhand side), you move in to the table from the left side, allowing you to start the rally off in a neutral or forehand-favoring ready stance.
4. Move to where the ball is being hit and make your shot. Then repeat from #1 above.

For most players (and for lefty-righty combos, which is an advantage in doubles), it's easier to use in-out footwork. Basically this means that after each shot, a player steps backwards to allow his partner to move in, and the two take turns, moving in and out. (You don't want to move too much to the side or 1) you'll be out of position on the next shot; 2) if the opponents hit an angled shot toward you you'll likely block your partner, and 3) if you don't block your partner against an angled shot, he'll likely block you from getting back after that shot.)

The disadvantage of in-out footwork is that if there are two righties or two lefties, one of them will usually approach the table from the forehand side, and so won't be in a natural ready position.  This is fine if one of the players is stronger on the backhand than the forehand. So you should normally position the stronger forehand player on the left, the stronger backhand player on the right. (Reverse for two lefties.)  If you have a left and a righty, then in-out footwork is natural, with the lefty trying to stay on the right side, the righty on the left side.

There are four movements made with this in-out footwork.

1. After making your shot, step backward.
2. Watch where your partner is moving to make his shot, and move to the opposite side.
3. As your partner steps back, you step in.
4. Move to where the ball is being hit and make your shot. Then repeat from #1 above.

You can also do a hybrid of these two styles of footwork, where you generally use in-out movements, but when you see the opportunity, you circle around to the left (for two righties) behind your partner so you can approach the table from the backhand side and so get into a neutral or forehand-favoring ready stance for the next shot. With lefty-righty combos (or if you have one player much stronger on the forehand, one much stronger on the backhand), you would favor in-out footwork, but perhaps switch to circling footwork when the two players are stuck on the wrong side so they can get back to their better positioning. 

Players so often hear coaches tell them to attack the opponent's middle. (The middle is not the middle of the table; it's the midpoint between your forehand and backhand, where your playing elbow is.) But it is equally important to be able to cover the middle when the opponent goes there. How do you do that?

First, remember the "Middle Rule." In general, if the ball comes to your middle and you are rushed or close to the table, favor your backhand; if you have time or are not too close to the table, favor your forehand. You can vary this rule based on your own individual skills and playing style, but in general it's a pretty good rule to go by.

However, there is more you can do against those middle balls. Don't think of them as a problem; think of them as an opportunity. If you react properly and in time, you have several advantages.

If you are using your backhand close to the table, you can do a quick attack to both wide angles, as well as the opponent's middle. Often it's the perfect time to go quick to the opponent's forehand, drawing them out of position. If they see that coming, they may move to cover their forehand - in which case they may be open on the wide backhand.

If you are using your forehand, here's your chance to dominate the table. First, just like with the backhand, you now have an angle into both wide corners, as well as into the middle. Second, the shot will leave you in perfect forehand position for the next shot, so if you are strong on the forehand, you probably will get two forehands in a row.

Whether you use your forehand or backhand, you always have the option of going right back at the opponent's middle, and if your shot there is stronger than their shot to your middle, you should have the initiative.

So learn to cover your middle and turn this normal weakness into a strength. Practice this with random drills where your partner puts the ball to all parts of the table - both wide angles and your middle - and you practice making strong returns against them. Another good drill is to have your practice partner alternate hitting one randomly to one of the wide angles, then to your middle. You respond to the random wide angle shots with the appropriate shot, and then move to cover the middle shot with your forehand so that you learn how to dominate the table with the forehand from the middle. (You can also do both of these drills, and many others, multiball style.) Or make up your own drills to learn to cover the middle - there are many possibilities. Go to it. 

Where should the tip of your racket be when you hit a backhand drive? The answer has changed over the years. Historically, players could choose to keep the racket tip down (so that a line between the tip and the handle would parallel the ground), or with the tip pointed up to 45 degrees upward, or somewhere in between. At the higher levels, however, this has changed.

When the tip is more down, you get more pure power, as well as the potential for more topspin. It's almost like having a second forehand, as demonstrated by such past stars as Jorgen Persson and Jim Butler. However, it's generally not as quick, it's generally not as consistent unless you back up more, and it's harder to cover the middle.  

When the tip is more up, the shot becomes quicker and flatter, generally more consistent, and you cover the middle better, but you lose the potential for extra topspin. You can still hit the ball pretty hard, but it basically becomes an aggressive blocking backhand. A good example from the past would be 1971 World Men's Singles Champion Stellan Bengtsson, who hit his backhand with the tip somewhat up.

At the beginning level, it's probably easier to hit the backhand with the tip at least somewhat up. It's also easier for kids, since it's awkward hitting with the tip down until you are tall enough that your elbow hangs naturally well over the table. (Otherwise you have to lift the elbow up to do this.) At the intermediate level there's probably no major advantage to either way - both ways work, with the tip down players more powerful, the tip up players quicker.

At the higher levels, however, with modern souped-up sponges, the regular backhand has been mostly replaced by either the backhand loop or a very topspinny backhand. (The definitions aren't clear on this as the distinction between the two isn't as clear as it used to be.) To create topspin, you need to drop the tip down so you can accelerate it through the ball. And so nearly all top players play with the tip more down, creating extra topspin in their shots.

So which should you use? If you aspire to reach a high level, then unless you naturally play a quick-blocking style backhand, I'd recommend keeping the tip a bit more down, and develop it as a serious weapon, with both speed and topspin, perhaps as strong as your forehand. Some players attack with the tip down, but raise the tip some when blocking; experiment and see what works for you. If you do decide to develop your backhand into a topspinny shot that dominates like a forehand, look into using sponges that are designed for this. Trying to do a modern topspin shot with equipment designed for the game as it was played in the past is like racing in the Indianapolis 500 with a Model T. (For help with that, ask your dealer, or a coach or top player.) 

Good technique should feel right. If it doesn't, there's probably something wrong with it, and you should probably have a coach take a look at it. Good technique feels right because it is, almost by definition, the simplest and most efficient way of doing that particular stroke to maximize speed, spin, and/or control.

What this means is that once you have gotten the basics of a new technique, you don't have to go through a checklist to make sure you are doing it properly. (Let a coach do that.) A coach or top player can help identify when you have done a "good" stroke, the one whose feel you should remember and repeat. There might be one or two things you need to remember and focus on while developing the stroke, but mostly just remember the feel of a good stroke, and try to repeat it. Learn the specifics only so you can get the right feel back. Then just let the shot go.

Besides the stroke itself, you should remember the feel of the contact. This is how you maximize control, as well as spin and speed. A consistent contact, combined with a consistent stroke, leads to great control and consistency.

When something feels off, then all you have to do is remember the feel of the stroke and contact and it'll come back to you. Try to remember a particular practice session or match where the feel was just right, and regularly use that memory to get the proper feel back.

While you don't need a checklist for your technique, you should have a specific memory of a time when you were doing it just right, and remember the feel of it. Then all you have to do is replicate the feel of the shot, and you should be able to do it just right again. Do this every session, and watch your level improve. 

What is the proper ready position? It's the position that'll allow you to react most rapidly to the opponent's next shot. It's extremely important in a sport as fast as table tennis. And yet many players have very poor ready positions. They stand up too straight, their feet are too close together, their weight isn't on the balls of their feet, and their non-playing arm hangs loosely at their side like a dead snake.

You want your feet somewhat wide (at least shoulder width apart or more), at least slightly bent, and either parallel to the table or with the right foot (for right-handers) slightly back. The latter puts you in a slight forehand position, but many players actually play their backhands from that position. If you play a flatter, steadier backhand (i.e. blocking and countering), then you don't need to be in a backhand stance to play backhands. The more aggressive you play the backhand (hitting or looping) the more you'll need to be in a ready position that allows you to quickly move into a backhand stance, and so you would want the feet more parallel to the table. Experiment and find what's comfortable for you.

Some players stand in a very backhand stance and greatly favor their stronger backhands. This may work for them somewhat, but it further weakens their already weak forehands. They would probably do better to adopt a more neutral stance.

The racket should normally point at the opponent, or more specifically, where the opponent would hit the ball. This allows you to move to forehand or backhand equally well. Some players tend to hold their playing arm out to the side too much, and so are more ready for forehands than backhands. Try holding the racket more in front of you, even if it means bringing the playing elbow more out in front.

Some players, including me, prefer to hold the racket in a slight backhand position (so the backhand side is partially pointed toward the far side). Conventionally, the backhand is hit quicker off the bounce than the forehand. This means you have less time to hit the backhand. In many cases, this doesn't matter since the stroke is shorter. I find the backhand rushed and awkward when starting from a truly neutral position, while the forehand, where you have plenty of time to get the paddle into position as you turn sideways, is much easier. So years ago I adjusted my ready position so that the racket is in that slight backhand position. This gives you a head start on backhands, while I still have plenty of time to move the racket over for the forehand. I don't normally coach this, but I have advised some players who feel rushed on the backhand to experiment with this.

Weight should be equally distributed between your legs, with your weight centered and balanced, with weight toward the inside balls of your feet. The feet should point slightly outwards, allowing quick sideways movement. Lean slightly forward at the waist. The non-playing arm should be raised as a counter-balance to your playing arm, with the hand at least as high as the elbow.

Want to see examples of good ready positions? Google "table tennis ready position pictures," and dozens of great examples will come up. Pick what looks right for you.

You also want good playing shoes. (A good ready position with bad shoes is like running in dress shoes; not a good idea.) Ideally, get table tennis shoes, which are made for table tennis. They range from what are essentially socks with rubber soles (i.e. highly flexible but little support) to ones with great support. If you have foot problems, are overweight, or play mostly on cement, you probably need extra support. Don't use running shoes, which are designed for running forward, not quick side-to-side movements.

Here's an easy way to find a good ready position. Imagine you are covering someone in basketball. Notice how you automatically spread your legs and bend your knees? This lowering of your center of gravity puts you in the proper ready position, allowing you to move quickly either way. (The only catch - lower your arms, since you don't have to cover someone trying to shoot a basketball over your head!) You can use similar examples for a shortstop in baseball or a goalie in soccer.