Common Mistakes Beginners Make When Playing Ping Pong

By Author: Miodrag Trajkovic
Total Articles: 96
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Ping pong, like any other sport, has beginners making a lot of mistakes. If you are a beginner in this sport, you may want to know about the common mistakes that beginner ping pong players make in order to avoid making them. So, here are some of the common mistakes beginner ping pong players make that you need to know about in order for you to avoid experiencing them or improve the way you play.

The first common mistake is the way beginners grip their paddle. Try to get the right grip as the wrong or poor grip of the paddle will result in not letting you play certain strokes that are considered to be vital in the game of ping pong. Use a grip that is most comfortable for you and once you find the grip you are comfortable with, stick to it. Never experiment on other grips as this will only confuse you and make you feel awkward.

Beginners in the sport tend to be afraid of making a mistake. Because of this, beginners will usually poke the ball and not stroke it. Poking the ball will let you control where you want the ball to go, but it won't have power or spin. Hit the ball with a sufficient amount of power and you ...
... will see that it is very effective and in time and enough practice, you will be able to balance control and power.

Always remember to stroke the ball and not whack it. Hitting the ball too hard will only result on the ball not landing on the table. You shouldn't try hitting it too hard or too soft, but hit it just right. Certain strokes have their optimum hitting speeds. Practice and you will know how hard you have to hit the ball in certain strokes.

Beginners are lazy in moving their feet. They tend to think that standing still is enough to cover the entire table. Small steps are enough to get you to the ball or away from it. Just get enough distance on the ball so that it will be able to give you the optimum position to hit it with a certain stroke.

Beginners also tend to get carried away by the ping pong paddles that professionals use. You need to remember that these are custom made paddles that are especially designed for the way they play. Never copy someone else's paddle as the way you play is unique from how others play. Stick to the paddle that you are comfortable playing with.

These are the common mistakes beginners make when playing ping pong. By keeping these things in mind, you will be able to avoid making the same mistakes.