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Playing Table Tennis is More Fun When You're Better

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Table Tennis Store
Playing Table Tennis is More Fun When You're Better

When you've had enough of games you play from the couch, it's fun to try one where you move around. It's one of the reasons there has been an explosion of interest in ping pong, especially during the pandemic when people were stuck at home. If you have a table tennis racket and are ready to go, you might now consider joining a table tennis center in your area and taking the game more seriously. Playing against more skilled opponents will sharpen your skills and test whether your interest will continue to increase. Being around others who love the sport can be fun and enlightening.

Table tennis doesn't require much equipment, and a racket is the item players take most seriously. As you improve your playing skills, how you hold your racket, the grip is something to focus on initially. In North America, most people grip in a shake-hand style similar to other racket sports like tennis. In Asia, a penhold grip is also enduringly popular. The trend seems to be toward shake hands, and it's gaining ground even in Asia. As you're learning and experimenting, try the penhold style and see if it feels more comfortable to you. It claims to improve wrist action and add more spin to the ball.

When you're observing other players, pay attention to their stance. Notice that they stand low and wide at the table. It puts them closer to the height of the ball when it's in play. If you stand up at regular height, you're generally above the table and less aligned with the game. You'll probably notice that you need to build up endurance for standing low and wide – it's not something most people can do for long periods initially. Coaches and trainers recommend the foot position of your stance to be one-and-a-half shoulder widths apart. It's beneficial to keep your center of gravity low when playing.

As you're working on selecting a grip and standing low and wide, the final thing to consider is footwork. If you work with a coach, don't be surprised if footwork drills are a part of your training. Because you don't focus enough on them during practice matches naturally and isolating them is the way to learn better form. The required steps during table tennis play are small and subtle, but they make a big difference. Understanding them and how they should feel during training drills will help you include them in your game as you're progressing through the advanced beginner and intermediate levels.

 

 

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