Table Tennis Blog

A common mistake is to rush out into a match situation and try and win cheap points with a great new serve you’ve just seen. Often this ends with a number of faults and a number of winners hit past you.

Serving is a skill that takes years of practice to master, and something that you […]

I’ve often been asked about how I “glue my bat”. Most top offensive players glue their bats with speed glue before every Table Tennis match and I’d like to share my techniques with you. There is a video below showing how easy it is. It is interesting to note that there are significant changes ahead […]

What is the most appropriate way to train?
Here are some guidelines for you to follow. While this is not the only way this is certainly one way of doing it.
2 Hour Session for Club Level Player
5 to 10 minutes - Physical warm up including stretching

5 minutes - Forehand to Forehand
5 Minutes - Backhand to […]

Timeout!Photo courtesy of ITTF
Use Your Timeout Effectively

One of the big changes in Table Tennis has been the ability to use a timeout. The rule is starting to be used effectively now that players and coaches are getting used to the concept.

In it’s infancy, players would save their timeout till the end of the match […]

Photo courtesy of ITTFGo to the forehand

Although the backhand is used more in modern Table Tennis than in the past, generally people’s forehands are their most dangerous shot. To counter this, the ball is usually directed to the backhand side of the table, even with the serve. So players get used to pivoting around and […]

Jeff Plumb - Head and body
perfectly balanced for a short forehand return
Photo courtesy of ITTF

“Come On!!! MOVE!!!!” How often have you heard that in a table tennis hall either by players berating themselves or their coaches doing it for them?
Moving for the sake of moving is not the answer.
In Table Tennis we always talk […]

Video lessons are here!

Ping Skills founders Alois Rosario and Jeff Plumb have put together a number of video lessons:

Essential Rules
Get a Grip
The most important skill in Table Tennis
The forehand counterhit
The backhand counterhit

It is not often that you get access to an Olympic Table Tennis Coach, so we hope you enjoy these lessons and use them […]

What we are taught
Photo courtesy of ITTF

Early on in our Table Tennis lives, we are taught to serve short so that we can stop the opponent playing an aggressive return. We are then instructed to “get in” and play a big attacking topspin ourselves. Now this is really solid advice and worth following so make […]

Kids Starting Out Must Have Fun

I recently read the book “Reading Magic” by Mem Fox. Although the book has nothing to do with Table Tennis, I found some interesting points that I could easily relate to. Basically the book suggests that by reading aloud to our kids every night, they will find learning to read […]

Technique vs Skill which is the more important?

Well you may say, so what is the difference?

Technique is learning the stroke, making sure the strokes look correct and enable you to put the ball on the table efficiently.

Skill is being able to use the technique at the appropriate time and in the appropriate situation. Making the […]