We’re just guessing here, but it’s probably been a while since you last played table tennis, or what we laypeople call ping pong, right? The game has so many health benefits and is a great and fun way to pass leisure time. If you’re not into it, you could try a few games, and you’ll see what we’re talking about. If you are into this fast, competitive sport, then you are probably looking for ways to improve your game, and that is why we’re here. With these tips, you’ll be able to spot your weak points and work on them, and you’ll also manage to improve on your strong points and take your game to a new level.
Paddle Grip
Getting a good grip on your paddle is one of the basics of ping pong. If you’re a beginner, you’re lucky because once you get used to a paddle grip, it’s difficult to alter it. There are several types of grips to learn. As its name suggests, in the shakehand grip, your hand will be in the shape it would be when you’re about to shake someone’s hand. This is one of the most used grips in the world of table tennis, surpassing the popularity of the penhold grip, which is commonly preferred in Asian countries, and the more unusual V-grip.
Both the shakehand and penhold grips have subcategories; each grip has its pros and cons, so there is no right or wrong grip. But you need to have a soft grip on the paddle so that the crease or V’ of the hand is in line with the paddle’s edge. To achieve that, avoid changing your grip during a volley. There is no perfect grip, but there is one that you feel comfortable with and won’t affect your game adversely, so try out different ones until you find the one you feel most comfortable with.
Spin
The spin on the ball is your best friend in table tennis, so you’ll want to focus on perfecting it as much as you can. Keep your eyes on the opponent’s paddle and not just on the ball as it bounces off in the same direction when you hit it with your bat. Also, check the logo on the ball while it’s spinning. If the logo is blurred, then expect a strong impact on the spin, and the opposite is also true.
Returning a spin serve is one of the most difficult aspects of the game, and it needs a lot of practice to master. Don’t worry if you don’t have anyone to practice with, that’s when bots come in. The table tennis experts from PingPongRuler.com recommend consulting online reviews and buying guides before purchasing to find a table tennis robot to practice with, one that will challenge you just like a real opponent. A good bot needs to have several features, of which the most important is the capability to produce spin. Speed and frequency and programmed drills are other important features to look for.
Serves
Serves are not only for starting a new round; they are tactics used to win games. Short serves might be the best because when you move your hand faster at the end of the stroke, it puts more spin on the ball.
Both long and short serves give you different options to return the ball. A long serve can be returned with a push, a block, a topspin, a counter topspin, or a defensive chop. A short serve, on the other hand, can be played back with a short push, a long attacking push, or a shot with the flick of the wrist.
Each of these returns has its techniques, so you’ll want to try them to see which is the most comfortable for you and choose the one you have the most control over. Confusing your opponent; don’t continuously use the same serve. Be unpredictable, not only while serving but throughout the game as well.
Practice and More Practice
Anything you want to get better at needs practice. Because of the many strokes, it’s not an easy game to improve without enough practice. There are attacking and defensive strokes, transitions into different strokes, switching from forehand to backhand, and other techniques to learn. Fortunately, there are plenty of videos on the internet showing professionals playing, and you can gain a lot of experience just from watching them. Put the videos in slow motion to better see the movements and strokes happening.
This supersport isn’t a passing trend. There is even a World Table Tennis Day celebrated annually on April 6th! It’s a tactical and strategic game that keeps your mind and body super alert. The fun you will have while playing makes the effort you put into improving your game totally worth it.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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