Table Tennis Tips For Beginners

Table tennis tips for beginners should not be mistaken for what Americans call ping-pong.  Such a game brings to mind a boring, unexciting, slow-paced contest of hitting a small ball over a net with a paddle; for the most part it is considered a low-key sport. Table tennis is a highly  precise action packed game and uses many of the same strokes used by tennis players.  If you are new to the game, here are some table tennis tips for beginners that will get you started playing.

1. Wear loose fitting clothing.  Make sure your footwear is comfortable and your clothing is loose fitting. Nothing else is required for the table tennis beginner. It is not a sport that requires high-tech sneakers or specially designed body wear. The cost of clothing is nil as long as you have clothes in your closet.
2. Purchase the proper equipment.  Obviously a table, a net, two paddles and a ball are needed. A notebook or chalkboard completes the list of necessary items to begin the game, since keeping track of the score is important.
3. Maintain the necessary physical fitness for table tennis. The best test of a player's fitness level is to travel up a flight or two of steps without passing out after completion. Other physical requirements are quick reflexes, strong and flexible wrists, and good balance.
4. Understand the object of the game.  Table tennis can be compared to playing chess. Being one or two moves ahead of your competitor is the constant goal and a useful tip for the beginner. With concentration and forethought you will learn to angle the return in such a way that your opponent will be out of position and unable to return your shot. According to the official  USA Table Tennis Rules, winning involves being the first to reach eleven points and you must win by two for the match to be completed.
5. Serving the ball correctly. How to put the ball into play is another of the important table tennis tips for beginners.  Serving the ball calls for allowing the ball to rest on your open palm, tossing the ball vertically allowing it to strike the table once and then hitting it over the net. Each player has two turns to serve the ball before it rotates to the opponent.
6. Learn specific hitting strokes. Even a beginner wants to learn how to return serve most effectively. There are four basic strokes every beginner needs to learn: the drive, the push, the block and the smash.

If there is no one who can teach these strokes hands-on, there are always videos like the type available which demonstrate the basic strokes. With these table tennis tips for beginners, anyone who does not suffer from a lack of balance should be able to quickly become efficient at table tennis and have fun while getting a mild work-out at the same time.