| Table Tennis is a simple and fun sport that | | | | their grip on the paddle, making changes to the |
| appeals to a lot of people. A large part of it's | | | | angle awkward. Once you get the paddle settled |
| attraction stems from it's relatively low demands | | | | comfortably in your hand, your palm and fingers |
| on the players in a lot of areas. For one thing, the | | | | should remain fixed in that position, and a majority |
| actual playing area doesn't take up much space; | | | | of the changes to the paddle's angle is made by |
| therefore, it can be played indoors, and can even | | | | your wrist. The best exercises to create great |
| be made part of a house's rec room with little | | | | wrist flexibility come from a martial art called |
| difficulty. | | | | aikido. No, I'm not recommending studying it |
| For another thing, table tennis is a low impact | | | | (though if you do it would help you a lot in other |
| sport that can be played by almost any one, so | | | | areas too!). Rather, you can buy a book or video |
| you don't have to be at extremes of fitness to | | | | on aikido basics, and these will often list the simple |
| take it, unlike high impact sports like football. | | | | wrist rotation and flexibility exercises you'll need. |
| These factors alone are usually sufficient to get | | | | The next element that makes a good table tennis |
| people interested in table tennis; what gets them | | | | player is general balance and good footwork. If |
| HOOKED on it is that fact that it's just, plain FUN. | | | | you can dance without falling over yourself, you |
| Despite it's lower physical requirements however, | | | | should be fine. While table tennis doesn't involve |
| table tennis does place certain demands on it's | | | | nearly as much running around as other sports do, |
| players that you'll want to brush up on if you | | | | this is actually part blessing and curse. The reason |
| decide to take it as a hobby. | | | | is because to move from one side of the table to |
| The first thing you'll need to train in for table | | | | the other, you need to rely on smaller steps and |
| tennis are your reflexes. Table tennis balls are | | | | subtle shifts in balance and weight. Because these |
| small, and can travel at relatively high velocities if | | | | movements are much smaller than the wider |
| thwacked hard. Therefore, you'll want to train | | | | general gross movements made in other sports |
| your reflexes enough to be able to intercept a | | | | like running or basket ball, they can actually throw |
| small, high speed ball and not just hit it, but hit it | | | | off the timing of people used to high athletic |
| properly so that it gets sent back at the other | | | | activity. |
| player instead of just deflected at an angle (at | | | | Lastly, there is a certain mental element involved |
| which point it might fly in your face). | | | | in table tennis if you want to win. You have to be |
| Here's a simple training exercise to improve your | | | | able to outthink your opponent, planning two or |
| hand eye coordination. Have someone take a | | | | three steps ahead in the game and adjusting your |
| stick, about a foot long and half an inch wide. | | | | shots accordingly. The best comparisons would be |
| Have them hold it horizontally at one end in front | | | | to fencing and chess, where the ability to feint |
| of them, palm facing down. Open your hand palm | | | | and trap your opponent into a certain weak |
| down over the other end, hovering about an inch | | | | position spells the key to victory. In table tennis, if |
| above the stick. Then, let your partner release | | | | all you do is react to your opponent's shots, you'll |
| the stick. Your job is to react to their dropping | | | | lose. The simplest example would be to angle |
| the stick and catching it. You'd be surprised at the | | | | shots constantly to your opponent's left side, |
| number of people who fumble this simple drill. | | | | forcing him to backhand repeatedly, then suddenly |
| Aside from reflexes, you'll need strong, flexible | | | | angling a shot wide and far to his vulnerable right. |
| wrists. A common mistake of new table tennis | | | | This kind of thinking is what wins you games. |
| players is using the fingers and palm to adjust | | | | |