TABLE TENNIS

Table Tennis, also called (trademark) Ping-Pong, ball game similar in principle to lawn

tennis and played on a flat table divided into two equal courts by a net fixed across its

width at the middle. The object is to hit the ball so that it goes over the net and bounces

on the opponent’s half of the table in such a way that the opponent cannot reach it or

return it correctly. The lightweight hollow ball is propelled back and forth across the net

by small rackets (bats, or paddles) held by the players. The game is popular all over the

world. In most countries it is very highly organized as a competitive sport, especially

in Europe and Asia, particularly in China and Japan.

HISTORY

The game was invented in England in the early days of the 20th century and was
originally called Ping-Pong, a trade name. The name table tennis was adopted in 1921–
22 when the old Ping-Pong Association formed in 1902 was revived. The original
association had broken up about 1905, though apparently the game continued to be
played in parts of England outside London and by the 1920s was being played in many
countries. Led by representatives of Germany, Hungary, and England, the Fédération
Internationale de Tennis de Table (International Table Tennis Federation) was founded
in 1926, the founding members being England, Sweden, Hungary, India, Denmark,
Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Wales. By the mid-1990s more than 165
national associations were members.

The first world championships were held in London in 1926, and from then until 1939
the game was dominated by players from central Europe, the men’s team event being
won nine times by Hungary and twice by Czechoslovakia. In the mid-1950s Asia
emerged as a breeding ground of champions, and from that time the individual and
team events (for both men and women) have been dominated by athletes from China.
The popularity of the game in China was notable for giving rise to so-called “Ping-Pong
diplomacy,” a period during the 1970s in which Cold War tensions between China and
the United States were eased via a series of highly publicized table tennis matches
between athletes from the two countries. The first such event—held in Beijing in 1971—
is widely credited with paving the way for U.S. Pres. Richard Nixon’s historic visit to
China the following year. In 1980 the first World Cup was held, and Guo Yuehua of
China won the $12,500 first prize. Table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988, with
singles and doubles competition for men and women.

BASIC SKILLS

Forehand

A Forehand, or Forehand Drive, is often the first and most fundamental skill that the
table tennis player learns. This swing occurs when the ball is coming to the side of the
body that is holding the paddle . At the peak of the ball’s bounce, the player rotates their
body and arm to hit the ball back over the net . A forehand drive should mimic the
motion of hitting the ball with your palm, with thw thumb facing upward.

Backhand

A Backhand, or Backhand Drive, is the second most fundamental skill that a table tennis
player must learn. This swing occurs when the ball is heading towards the side of the
player’s body that is not holding the paddle. In such a scenario, the player could adjust
their stance and use footwork to make it a forehand swing, but often times the ball is too
fast for that. Instead, they use a backhand swing. They move their paddle across their
body’s center point and hit the ball with the backside of the paddle.

Serving

Table Tennis serves consist of hitting the ball from your hand, bouncing it once on your
side of the table, and onto any part of your opponent’s side. Serving is done to start
every rally in table tennis. There are countless serving variations used by the best table
tennis players, but the most basic forms are forehand and backhand serves.

Pushes

Forehanded and Backhanded pushes are used for returning short balls. A short ball
means that the opponents hits the ball and it lands on your side very close to the
net.When this happens, the table tennis player leans forward so they are closer to the
ball and net, and instead of swinging at the ball, they make a short, chopping movement
to brush the bottom of the ball with their paddle. This generates enough force to get the
ball over the net without it flying off the table. Pushes can be done regardless of what
side of the body the ball lands at.
Flicks

Forehand and backhand flicks are used to aggressively return an opponent's ball that
has spin on it. Like a push, this often happens when the ball is close to the net. Unlike a
push where a player brushes the bottom of the ball to get it back over, the flick uses the
quick motion of the wrist and elbow to get the ball right back over the net. This will land
on the table more constantly than a full-on swing when returning a short ball.

Spinning the Ball

There are four major types of spins when playing table tennis. First, there is a topspin,
which occurs when your paddle swings from low to high. Next, backspin comes from
swinging your paddle high to low. Then there is "right side spin," when your paddle
grazes across the ball going left to right. Finally, there is "left side spin" when your
paddle goes across from right to left. Spin is very important offensively and defensively
because it makes it difficult for your opponent to read your next move.

Loops
In modern table tennis, loops are the most common form of offense used to put spin on
the ball for more advanced players. A loop consists of the player swinging their paddle
in a path from low to high in an aggressive fashion to hit the ball. This generates a lot of
topspin, making it harder for the opponent to return the ball.

WARM UP EXERCISES

Cardiovascular exercises

Gently elevate your heart rate – (2-3 minutes)

You can do this by lightly jogging in place, marching with high knees, or even with some
quick lunges. Moving your large muscle groups gets your heart pumping faster and
starts your training session off right.

Practice side-to-side movements – (2-3 minutes)

Practicing your table tennis shuffle steps is a great form of exercise that primes your
body for a game. A standard lateral shuffle or table tennis shuffle practice drill gets you
warm and builds your game skills at the same time .

Flexibility Exercises

Lunging hamstring stretch

This exercise stretches your back and hamstrings along with your hips. Start in a
standing position. Take a long step forward with one foot, lowering into the lunge
position. Reach your arms forward, resting your fingertips on the ground. Then lift your
rear leg until it is straight, rising from the hips, keeping your fingertips on the ground.
Repeat 5-10 times with each leg.
Knee lifts and butt kicks

These dynamic stretches improve the range of motion in the large muscles of the legs
while keeping your body warm before you begin your game. They are both done when
lightly jogging in place. For knee lifts, lift the front knee to hip height with every step. For
butt kicks, try to kick the heel of your foot into your buttock with every step. Do each
exercise for 15-30 seconds with each leg.

Skill Drills

If you have a partner, it’s a great idea to use the last part of your training for
table tennis warm up drills for 5 minutes. Don’t just use this time to rally,
which isn’t good preparation for a real game. Instead, talk with your
fellow table tennis player about which skills you want to improve. In
competition, warm up your strongest skill. Outside of competition, work on
your weak areas. A 5-minute skill training drill should consist of:

 1 minute of rallying cross-court or down the line

 1 minute of skill practice for player A
 1 minute of skill practice for player B
 2 minutes of service and receive

COOL DOWN EXERCISES

Seated Hamstring Stretch

This exercise will relax your hamstrings and back. First do it for the left leg, making sure

your knees are straight. Then repeat for the right leg.
Baby Pose

This famous exercise is a great reliever for your thighs, lower back and your arms at the

same time. It’s a must do after any game.

Cobra Pose

This exercise is used for strengthening and cooling down as well. It will work on your 3

body parts I.e. for chest, abdomen and lower back. Based on your palm position on the

ground, it shall activate the respective muscle.

Pigeon Pose

This exercise will help you free your hips and also the side glute muscles after you are

done playing Table Tennis. It is also known to stretch the piriformis muscle.

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