Table tennis is a great recreational and competitive sport for people of all ages. Play idiomatically on a table with a racquet in one hand and a ping-pong ball in the other, this sport is steadily gaining popularity. To get into the game, first learn about basic table tennis rules. Then learn more tips about how to play.
Here are some basic table tennis rules for new players.
1. Know your paddle and strings. Put on your glove and start with the one you’re most comfortable with. That way you can concentrate on learning the game and not find the paddles and strings as you bend over the table to retrieve the balls.
2. Choose the right ping-pong ball. Don’t get frustrated. You’re not supposed to learn to play perfect or aim to win every game. Learning how to play perfect tips only happens after years of playing. Focus on learning and mastering the fundamentals first.
3. All-rounder. This means that once you learn proper stance, serve, forehand, backhand and more, you’re ready to learn on your own.
4. Don’t overuse your wrist. This isn’t an all-purpose tool anyway. When you’re first starting out, use your wrist for everything, and you’ll soon zone it.
5. Don’t think too much on what to do on your first serve. Once you learn the basics, put every thing you can to use. A tip I got from a friend who sells clear handbags and is a great table tennis player, told me, “Both your forehand and backhand will come more naturally. Learn the basics and then try to add everything on your own.”
6. Don’t think too much on what to do on your opponent’s first serve. Practice just getting the first serve in, then use your chess strategy. It’s best to get out of your own way.
7. Look up when you serve. Practice looking up when you serve to add depth to your forehand and swing.
8. Start over. When you get the hang of things, keep going. Don’t try to play through a set of games. Play as many more games as you can, but when you get a couple of losses, stop.
9. Play to win. Don’t just have fun, but also play to win. This means that the satisfaction you feel should be a part of everything you do. After all, this is competition.
Here’s a tip for you. Play mostly against yourself or with only one other person. From my experience, you’ll be surprised on how much more competitive you are. This makes sense.
Keep playing. If you win, you’ll be more relaxed and enjoy the game more. If you lose, you really may not be so sensitive to losses.
One of the advantages of table tennis, other than the enjoyment, is that you can compete against a computer. Play against the computer and learn more.