Ping pong is both exhilarating and healthy. But it is a lot more fun when you win on it.
Of course, I am not saying that you have to be undefeated before you can fully enjoy the sport. But at the same time, it would really be a downer if you can’t just savor the sweet taste of victory.
Winning in ping pong is not about having immense luck. Training, practice, and consistency are the fundamental principles that would make you good at this game.
To learn some “ace in the sleeve” tricks that can help you beat anyone you face across the table, I suggest you read on.
1. Identify The Spin Of The Ball
One of the essential skills that you should learn is knowing the spin of the ball. The spin affects the direction and its trajectory; hence, it will also affect how you should hit it.
The way to do this by observing the direction the racket of your opponent hits the ball. Here’s a simple breakdown to this.
- Low to high – topspin
- High to low – backspin
- Left to right – right sidespin
- Right to left – left sidespin
Can you master this technique easily? I bet not.
But by constantly practicing, your mind and body will get wired in understanding the movements of your opponent. At some point, you will eventually gain the affinity to read the ball’s direction and spin.
2. Utilize Your Whole Body
A common mistake committed by some players, especially amateurs, is by thinking that ping pong is just a game of hands. Just because your arms can span the entire width of the table doesn’t mean that you can only rely on your upper body.
Full body coordination is pretty evident whenever you are hitting the ball.
Your shoulders and hips should rotate backward every time you are doing a backswing. After that, you tilt them forward to the direction of the ball while you are stroking your forehand.
This motion transfers your body weight from the back foot to the front foot, which, in turn, enables you to make forceful hits. The stronger you hit your forehand, the heavier the weight transfer must be.
You cannot achieve this feat if you will only use your arm to hit the ball. It minimizes the power of the ball and your overall consistency in your strikes.
It is one of the reasons why you need to keep on exercising. A fit body is really suite for a physically exhausting game like ping pong.
3. Keep Training Your Strokes
Ping pong requires a lot of practice before you can be good at it. Don’t ever get frustrated if you miss or fail a lot for your first time.
One of the things that you need to train is your stroke. While it appears simple, it will require a lot of focus and practice before you can control its strength and motion.
In this particular point, it would really be beneficial if your ping pong table can be converted into playback mode. This feature allows you to practice your strokes until the time they are refined and natural.
Fortunately, the best table tennis tables have this capability. Well, having a good set of gears in this sport can really elevate your chances of winning.
4. Be Ready At All Times
In professional games, the thin line between a win and a loss is just a matter of seconds. Sometimes, a game can conclude too quickly.
Speed is still the name of the game when it comes to ping pong. And you can never catch up if you come there not prepared.
Your body has to maintain a constant “ready” position while you are playing. Specifically, the idea here is making sure that your body can move immediately to wherever the ball is heading.
Whether you are the attacker or the defender, the readiness of your body to return the ball is quite crucial. Here are some tips on how you can do this.
- Move to the ball with your feet, but never lose your balance
- Stroke the ball accurately
- Return to the ready position after hitting the ball
Conclusion
At this point, you might have realized already that the combination of practice and proper equipment can make you a better ping pong player.
If you want to elevate your chances of winning in this game, following the tips listed here is a must.
That’s it for now. If you have questions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.