Are you an avid table tennis player? Considering taking your game to the next level? If so, this is the article for you. Advancing from amateur level table tennis to professional is a journey full of many lessons, copious amounts of practice and solid levels of dedication. Today we present to you an introduction to the world of professional table tennis, so read on to find out more!
1. Get Your Gear In Check
The first step anyone who is considering entering a professional level of sport should take is to ensure that you have top quality gear. It is important for anyone who is looking to advance their game to purchase a table tennis table of their own. After all, this is where you’re going to start ferociously practicing your skills, meaning you’ll need to have access to your table at all times. Other table tennis gear that you should invest in are high quality paddles – every paddle has its own characteristics and feel, which is why it is important to invest in one that you can have by your side at all times. This way, you don’t need to adapt to a new paddle each and every time you play a game. Always make sure that you take good care of your table tennis gear, and remember to keep your paddle stored well and kept clean at all times.
2. Join A League or Club
Step two in your journey to professional table tennis is to join a league or club. The best way to practice your skills is with other table tennis players. Your skills will never improve if you’re only playing with your friends and family, so joining a club is essential in exposing you to others who take the game seriously. Most clubs accept players of all levels and usually have coaches that are available to train you and help you develop your strengths. Similarly, you will be able to tackle your weaknesses which is essential when preparing yourself for a professional game.
3. Practice More Than You Compete
Ask any professional athlete or sportsperson and they’ll tell you that a majority of their time is spent practicing as opposed to competing. Without adequate amounts of practice, you’ll never be ready for a professional game. The primary objective of consistent practice is to develop your game, further your strengths and work on improving your weaknesses. A great way to do this is to have a table tennis partner who can commit to practicing on a regular basis with you. You should also periodically assess your progress by playing with individuals that are at a higher level than you are. Practice makes perfect and consistent and committed practice sessions are what will take your game to the next level.
4. Train Until You’re a Natural
Just like driving a car becomes second nature, you’ll need to ensure that you train until your strokes become automatic. In order to relax and get past the stage of having to overthink your every move, practice is essential. Keep playing until your strokes come naturally and you’re no longer needing to think about what your next move needs to be. Back to the car analogy – with enough practice, eventually everything becomes second nature.
5. Do Your Research
Thanks to the internet, we now have access to a wealth of information about anything and everything we can think of. When you’re in the process of advancing your game, we highly recommend looking at online tutorials, Youtube videos and other table tennis resources that you can find online. Doing so will give you material to refer back to and learn from in order to advance your game. Many professional players also share their tips and tricks online, so do all the research you can on your table tennis journey.
We hope that this article has given you some handy information on how your can bring your table tennis game to the next level. The journey to the world of professional table tennis isn’t one that is going to be entire easy or smooth sailing, but with enough dedication and practice, you’ll be able to achieve your dreams and then some more!
Tags: Player, Professional, Table Tennis
