Most people probably assume that ping pong, also known as Table Tennis, is a sport that everyone can play, but only a few can actually master. That is false. In actuality anyone can become great at ping pong if they take the right hints from the right people. This is what we’re here for today. In this short article we will give you all of the tips and tricks that we have collected over the years regarding how to become better at ping pong. Some can be achieved overnight while others will take a while to perfect. But regardless, let’s get right into it with our first pick of the day:
Use your whole body while playing
A lot of people assume that they’d look silly if they were to just jump around for the ball. What they don’t realize is the fact that that is absolutely necessary in order to get the right touch. Sure, it might not look that elegant but rotating your hips to get that touch on the ball is definitely going to help you tons. It might look a bit silly but jumping from one leg to the other helps transfer your body weight. This, in return helps you get the perfect touch with your paddle.
Repeat the strokes on a daily basis
This exercise helps you a lot because it makes your body learn these movements. This will make your body do them automatically in the future. It’s great to do it every time you have the chance because the more you train those muscles the better. Alternatively you can make up a mental picture and use that to your advantage. If you do it enough times you will eventually be able to do it without even thinking about it. That is when you realize that you’ve done it enough. Once you actually reach this point the sky’s the limit so keep on practicing every day.
Train yourself to be able to hit the ball low over the net
This is going to be quite hard for most anyone that’s just starting to play ping pong. It can even be considered to be a hard task for people that have been playing for years now. But alas, you need to train yourself to always hit it just barely over the net. There is no better hit out there than this because it surprises your opponent most of the time. Check out an official match at a championship and you’ll notice this too. Simply put, it is one of the most important skills you can master in the world of ping pong.
Train with someone better than you
Yes, it feels amazing to decimate your opponent, but if you want to get better you must avoid this. Losing continuously and learning from your mistakes is a much better deal at the end of the day. You can still play with your newbie friends but you must have a personal trainer in your spare time. It will be tiring and it will destroy your confidence at first but don’t worry. You’ll see exactly where you need to improve and before you know it you’ll be better than ever before.
Practice your ready position before the match
A lot of people just assume that the first response from the enemy will be average which is why they lose immediately. You need to get that perfect ready position otherwise you risk losing before you even start playing. Here is a good tutorial on how to get the perfect ready position:
1. Maintain your balance as you move towards the ball
2. Stroke the ball in your hand
3. Bend your knees slightly and analyze the enemy’s movements
4. Hit the ball in the enemy’s blind spot (everyone has a blind spot)
5. Repeat
Notice the ball’s spin and angle your racket accordingly
This is going to take a lot of practice but you can definitely do it if you practice enough. So, next time you play with your newbie friends take the time to read the ball’s spins. This will take a while to master but once you do you’ll be able to beat anyone. This is actually the skill that will take the longest to master but it is also one of the most useful skills out there for us ping pong players.
That’s all the basics you can ask for. Some are pretty easy to do while others will take years to master. But alas, if you want to become great at ping pong you need to go through every step we’ve mentioned here. Good luck on your mission to become the next Ma Long or Xu Xin!
