Two years ago I bought a table tennis robot to use in my garage at home. It was a hugely exciting purchase – a Robo-Pong 2050! Friends and family were amused by the thought of me thrashing it out against this strange named machine in my garage, but for me it had a serious purpose – extra practice. The big question is, has the robot helped me improve? Read my blog post to find out. Keep reading
In this blog post I share 10 training drill ideas for the first five shots of a rally. There are two drills each for service, receive, 3rd ball, 4th ball and 5th ball. Each drill includes a diagram, step-by-step instructions and suggestions for making the drill harder. Keep reading
Table tennis rallies are short. In fact they are very short. Various studies over the years have shown that the average table tennis rally is anywhere between 3 and 5 shots. What can we do with this information? For me, it seems fairly obvious. If you want to increase the number of points you win, you should focus a lot of your training on the first five shots of a rally. Keep reading
I recently started coaching two complete beginners, both adults. One had never played table tennis before, the other played a little bit for fun when a kid, but nothing for the next 30 years. Both have a similar goal – to be good enough at table tennis to join a club and possibly play competitively in a local league. This is a great goal to have, but it’s not easy. There is a lot to learn. And when there is so much to learn, what should you focus on first? Keep reading
I have been asked a few times by different players I coach to teach them a killer serve. A serve which opponents won’t be able to return. A serve which is guaranteed to win them point after point after point. What do I tell them? Read this blog post to find out… Keep reading
For juniors with dreams of being a table tennis professional, funding is a big issue. In this blog post, I look at a new initiative which helps young aspiring table tennis players raise money for coaching, equipment, travel to tournaments and more. Keep reading
Table tennis coaches (myself included) often favour teaching a modern topspin game – service from the backhand corner, playing forehands on ¾ of the table, playing topspin strokes as often as possible, attack, attack attack! But this isn’t the only way of playing table tennis. In this blog post I explore the benefits of unconventional playing styles. Keep reading
Social table tennis (or ping pong) has become very popular in the UK over the past few years. But for many social players, joining a table tennis club can be quite a daunting experience. In this blog post, I give some top tips on how make the transition from social player to club player. Keep reading
If you’re like me, you probably have a serve which you consider your best. A serve which often wins you a cheap point or sets up an easy 3rd ball attack. But when is the best time to use your best serve? Should you use it all the time, only occasionally or somewhere in between? Keep reading
Recently, I’ve noticed more and more people suffering from a new condition, which I have named ‘table tennis fever’. It can afflict young and old, male and female and can strike at any point of the year. Have a read of the symptoms and see if you’re a sufferer too… Keep reading