| Table Tennis is a simple and fun sport that appeals to | | | | comfortably in your hand, your palm and fingers |
| a lot of people. A large part of it's attraction stems | | | | should remain fixed in that position, and a majority of |
| from it's relatively low demands on the players in a | | | | the changes to the paddle's angle is made by your |
| lot of areas. For one thing, the actual playing area | | | | wrist. The best exercises to create great wrist |
| doesn't take up much space; therefore, it can be | | | | flexibility come from a martial art called aikido. No, I'm |
| played indoors, and can even be made part of a | | | | not recommending studying it (though if you do it |
| house's rec room with little difficulty. For another | | | | would help you a lot in other areas too!). Rather, you |
| thing, table tennis is a low impact sport that can be | | | | can buy a book or video on aikido basics, and these |
| played by almost any one, so you don't have to be | | | | will often list the simple wrist rotation and flexibility |
| at extremes of fitness to take it, unlike high impact | | | | exercises you'll need. The next element that makes a |
| sports like football. These factors alone are usually | | | | good table tennis player is general balance and good |
| sufficient to get people interested in table tennis; | | | | footwork. If you can dance without falling over |
| what gets them HOOKED on it is that fact that it's | | | | yourself, you should be fine. While table tennis |
| just, plain FUN. Despite it's lower physical | | | | doesn't involve nearly as much running around as |
| requirements however, table tennis does place | | | | other sports do, this is actually part blessing and |
| certain demands on it's players that you'll want to | | | | curse. The reason is because to move from one side |
| brush up on if you decide to take it as a hobby. The | | | | of the table to the other, you need to rely on smaller |
| first thing you'll need to train in for table tennis are | | | | steps and subtle shifts in balance and weight. |
| your reflexes. Table tennis balls are small, and can | | | | Because these movements are much smaller than |
| travel at relatively high velocities if thwacked hard. | | | | the wider general gross movements made in other |
| Therefore, you'll want to train your reflexes enough | | | | sports like running or basket ball, they can actually |
| to be able to intercept a small, high speed ball and | | | | throw off the timing of people used to high athletic |
| not just hit it, but hit it properly so that it gets sent | | | | activity. Lastly, there is a certain mental element |
| back at the other player instead of just deflected at | | | | involved in table tennis if you want to win. You have |
| an angle (at which point it might fly in your face). | | | | to be able to outthink your opponent, planning two |
| Here's a simple training exercise to improve your | | | | or three steps ahead in the game and adjusting your |
| hand eye coordination. Have someone take a stick, | | | | shots accordingly. The best comparisons would be to |
| about a foot long and half an inch wide. Have them | | | | fencing and chess, where the ability to feint and trap |
| hold it horizontally at one end in front of them, palm | | | | your opponent into a certain weak position spells the |
| facing down. Open your hand palm down over the | | | | key to victory. In table tennis, if all you do is react to |
| other end, hovering about an inch above the stick. | | | | your opponent's shots, you'll lose. The simplest |
| Then, let your partner release the stick. Your job is | | | | example would be to angle shots constantly to your |
| to react to their dropping the stick and catching it. | | | | opponent's left side, forcing him to backhand |
| You'd be surprised at the number of people who | | | | repeatedly, then suddenly angling a shot wide and far |
| fumble this simple drill. Aside from reflexes, you'll need | | | | to his vulnerable right. This kind of thinking is what |
| strong, flexible wrists. A common mistake of new | | | | wins you games. |
| table tennis players is using the fingers and palm to | | | | Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written |
| adjust their grip on the paddle, making changes to | | | | over 200 articles on various subjects. |
| the angle awkward. Once you get the paddle settled | | | | |