Ping pong, commonly known as table tennis, is a very popular indoor game. It can be played as a sport or as a game to have fun and chill with your friends. Being good at this game requires weeks of dedicated practice and motivation, and you can beat your friends at this game easily.
There are different types of paddles to play ping pong that serve different purposes. You must buy the right paddle to enhance your skills and land a variety of shots with the help of these different paddles with different purposes. Before you select the perfect paddle for yourself to play table tennis, visit pingpongbeast.com for a detailed review on the 6 best ping pong paddles to consider.
Tips and Tricks to play Ping Pong
1. Get a suitable paddle and play with that one
There are different kinds of paddles, each with different pros and cons. You should use a paddle that you feel comfortable playing with. An ideal paddle helps you to enhance your skills, and with the right paddle, you can control the ball in any direction.
If you are a beginner, then use a regular paddle, and as you enhance your skills, you can select special paddles ideal for yourself that give you more control of the ball and play with that paddle every time. Changing paddles can disrupt the flow of learning skills, and you have to learn to control the ball again and again.
2. Learn to grip the paddle correctly suitable for you
Holding the paddle correctly is very important while playing ping pong/ table tennis. You must know the right gripping technique to showcase your skills and ability in a better way. The two common techniques of holding the paddle are:
- The shake hand grip: This is the most common technique of holding the paddle. In this technique, the palm surrounds the handle of the paddle and supports the blade between the thumb and index finger. The placement of the index finger and the thumb is important in this technique. The index finger should be placed on the side of the paddle, letting the thumb rest on the other fingers.
- The pen hold grip : This is another popular technique of making a firm grip and is used by many players. In this technique, the paddle is held the same way as a pen while writing. The thumb and the index finger are placed on the blade, and the other fingers work as a support to hold the paddle properly. In this technique, you can move your wrist freely.
3. Correct foot movements
Foot movements are essential while playing ping pong/ table tennis. It provides you with a perfect balance of the body and lets you move freely forward, backwards and sideways. The foot positioning also helps you to make effective body movements and gives you enough time to land powerful shots.
To perform most of the shots, keep your one foot forward bent slightly and keep your other foot backwards diagonally and lean your body forward to make your body perfectly balanced by the legs.
4. Posture and positioning of the body
It is important to keep yourself always in a position and be ready for every strike. Position yourself slightly backwards from the table to move freely sideways back and forth. Without the correct position, it will be difficult to match the speed of the ball, and you will miss most of the shots.
After you make a strike, get back to your original position quickly for the next shot. Ensure that you have perfectly learnt that your standing posture and positioning of the body are correct, so it doesn’t affect your performance and gives you enough time to make a strike.
5. Perfect shot for serving the ball
There are quite a few techniques to land a shot while serving the ball. It is important to determine which shot is suitable while serving the ball. There are few important tips to remember while serving the ball that will help you to determine the shot.
- Learn how to spin the ball when serving. If you know how to spin the ball, then you can confuse your opponent and make him miss the shot. This technique is difficult to perform, but with practice, you can do it easily. You have to slide the paddle underneath the ball to make a perfect spin.
- Make a fast serve by not giving enough time to your opponent to position themselves to hit back the ball and making them miss the strike. Try to aim more on the sides to make your opponent struggle to keep up with every shot.
- Perform different shots and at different lengths. Taking the same shots will make you predictable. Change your shots, hit the ball at different levels, and make your opponent move from one side to another.
- Keep an eye on the paddle of the opponent. You can predict your opponent’s shot by looking at his paddle and then prepare yourself with a different shot. An experienced player can predict the shot by looking at the hand and paddle movement of the opponent.
6. Control your emotions and stay relaxed
It is quite impossible to win a matter without having control over your emotions. If you get angry or frustrated after missing a couple of shots, then it will affect your performance more adversely. Your mind will get distracted in controlling your emotions. Try to stay calm and focus on how you will make a comeback.
It is equally important to stay focused and relaxed. A healthy, peaceful mind will help you to concentrate on the game, and you can land the perfect shots on your opponent. Don’t panic or get over-confident. Stay relaxed and give your best performance.
Final Thoughts
There are several tips and tricks to enhance your skills and performance, but it is of no use until you don’t practice them. If you are serious about playing this game, then practice daily, and with enough practice, you will be good at it. Work on your foot movements and practice all the shots daily. With proper guidance, you will be an expert at playing this game.
