Learning a sport like a table tennis involves competing against others during practice and competition. This is a game. Trial and error are how you learn. Both losing and making mistakes are common occurrences. When you fix the issue that led to the error and are successful in putting the fix into place permanently, the game becomes enjoyable. Even if you don’t realize it, you do this constantly. Even for top-tier professional athletes, there are countless difficulties to solve. The game is evolving. This is what makes table tennis such a difficult and enjoyable game for a curious mind and a motivated student.
You improve more quickly the more mistakes you make. Only if you are willing to grow from your mistakes. It is beneficial to also take note of the errors made by others in order to hasten that process. At least a few are more typical. You don’t have to commit every typical error by yourself. Additionally, you are not required to come up with the answers on your own.
I hope the list of frequent faults in table tennis and the suggested fixes below will be helpful to you.
Top 5 Common Mistakes in Table Tennis:
1. Holding the Bat Too Tight
Your wrist and arm muscles will be tense if you grasp the bat too tightly. Your arm movement will be limited and slowed, and your strokes will become jerky. Additionally, it will be more difficult to adjust your bat angle when moving from one stroke to another, such as from a forehand drive to a backhand drive. You will feel and control less generally.
Instead, strive to maintain a looser hold. You will be able to generate spin by using your wrist more as a result. It will be simpler for you to shift bat angles and transition between strokes. Additionally, because your body will feel more at ease and have more freedom to move, you will be able to play faster shots.
2. Standing Too Close to The Table Tennis
Too close to the table can make it difficult for you to return balls that land quite deep. There won’t be any room for you to play a stroke.
Instead, make sure there are at least 30 to 50 centimeters between you and the table. You now have more room to return the ball if it lands deep. You can still walk in to get closer to the ball if it is returned very briefly, but you must step back out again afterward.
3. Standing with Right Leg Forward (for Righties)
Stand with your left foot somewhat farther forward than your right. When using backhand strokes, young players frequently do this. With your right foot forward, you can really play backhands rather well, but if the ball is then shifted to your forehand, you’re out of luck. You will have an improper body type, making it tough for you to play a good forehand.
Alternatively, place your feet parallel to the table (as some professionals currently do) or with your right foot a little bit further back than your left (this is the standard stance used by most players). Although you may still play very powerful backhand strokes with your feet in this posture, switching to your forehand and playing powerful forehand strokes is much simpler.
4. Massive Follow-Through for Forehand Strokes
Does your swing cross your body and end up by your left shoulder when you play forehand strokes? If this is the case, your stroke is too long, making it difficult for you to recover and take another shot.
Instead, make an effort to end your forehand strokes in front of your torso. Think of a line running through the center of your body. You should end your forehand movements here (most of the time). Do not go above the limit! You will be prepared to play the following shot, the next shot, the next one, and so forth if you finish your forehand strokes in the center.
5. Floppy Bat Control
Bat control that is “floppy” frequently results in uneven shots. When hitting the ball, the bat flops in this position, either forward or backward. This can be really annoying. Even if the remainder of the swing is strong, consistency will escape you if the bat is unsteady when it makes contact.
Therefore, it’s important to maintain control of the racket head and maintain a constant bat angle throughout the stroke. The bat angle, for instance, should be slightly closed at the start of the stroke, slightly closed during contact with the ball, and slightly closed at the end of the stroke if you are playing a forehand drive. The shot is consistent because the bat angle is constant during the entire stroke.
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Conclusion:
It takes a lot of skill to play table tennis. To become a very good player, there is much to learn and much practice to be done. However, every participant must begin somewhere. The advice on this page won’t make you an overnight genius on the field. However, if you can put some of my suggestions into practice, your level will rise and you’ll advance more quickly. You’ll start to feel more like a how improved table tennis player, make fewer errors, and keep more balls on the table.