When you hear the word table tennis, of course we will be able to imagine this type of sport where 2 people use small balls. Sports which are also known as ping-pong sports are the types of sports that are also contested, both single and double categories. This game also includes a type of sports whose popularity is worldwide.

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We need to look at this little history of table tennis where this sport was first made around the 19th century in England. In ancient times, table tennis was an elite type of sport because the only ones who played it were upper class people. This game is usually played as an indoor game and is done after dinner.

Another name for table tennis is known as whiff-whaff which was first known to be developed by British soldiers in South Africa or India which they then brought back to England. Another name is ping-pong and indeed almost all countries use this term so popular.

Like other sports where there are basic techniques of soccer games, basic tennis court techniques, and also basic basketball game techniques, table tennis also has basic techniques that also need to be known and learned. For someone who wants to become a table tennis athlete, here is a series of basic table tennis techniques that should be well trained.

Grip technique

Grip techniques or how to hold a table tennis racket are the main basic techniques to pay attention to. At the beginning, it is very important to know and practice how to hold table tennis bet. This also affects our performance while in the game, so here are 3 types of grip techniques:

1. Penholder Grip

In how to hold the bet with the penholder grip method, the main focus is to hold it exactly like when you hold a pen. This grip technique is known to be quite rarely used by table tennis players in Asia. This is because the use of the shakehand grip technique is much more popular and widely used.

This technique can only be used on one side of the bet when playing. The most appropriate blow when holding in this way is the forehand and it will be quite difficult if you want to use a backhand punch. The player's leg movements must be precise and agile when using this one grip technique.

Way to do:

Make sure to hold the bet that is pointing down with the grip or handle facing up.

Bet must be held exactly where the handle is joined to the area of ​​the bet using the index finger and thumb. Yes, this technique is exactly the way we are when holding a pen.

On the other side of the bet, we are legitimate to bend our three other fingers, or we can also straighten them down, but close our fingers first.

2. Shakehand Grip

As the name implies, surely many of us are able to guess what kind of technique to hold a table tennis bet. Yes, exactly when we are shaking hands with someone else and this is the most popular and very global way.

The reason why this grip technique can be so favorite and global is because there is indeed a great opportunity given by this grip to table tennis players in order to play better, especially at the backhand time. Previously, with the penholder grip, we would have a hard time doing a backhand punch, this way the grip is even easier.

Shakehand grip is also known to be the way to hold the most multipurpose bet so many table tennis players like this method. Even many table tennis coaches also advise their players to use this one grip technique, both inside and outside the country.

Way to do:

Make sure the position of the bet is perpendicular to the floor.

Start holding the table tennis bet as if shaking hands or shaking hands with someone else.

The index finger can be stretched to the lower part of the table tennis bet, while the thumb is positioned on the surface of the other bet above the area where our index finger holds.

Bend your thumb and relax a little so that the nail on our thumb is perpendicular to the surface of the bet we use to punch. In essence, don't let our inner thumb touch the surface of the table tennis bet.

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The bet field also makes sure to lean against the thumb and forefinger approximately ¼ inches from the side of the index finger.

Place your index finger to close to the bet and position it transversely towards the top of the bet.

Somewhat close your thumb to a bet is okay.

3. Seemiller Grip

The use of the grip seemiller technique is very similar to the handshake grip, but the difference is that the grip technique on the index finger of the player holds all parts of the bet. While for the upper bet, the player needs to rotate it 20-90 degrees to lead to the body. Because it is the result of development and a variation of shakehand grip, it is no wonder that the method of holding it is the same.

Way to do:

Simply start the handle by taking steps on the handshake grip.

The upper part of the bet rotates 90 degrees towards our body. A backhand blow will get stronger when we turn the bet more, but the risk of a forehand will weaken.

The index finger curves along the side of the bet table tennis.

In the table tennis game, even though we play it is blocked by the table, still the movement of the legs and the settings are very important. Many table tennis players don't realize this at all and instead often place their feet in the center of the table. This actually makes it difficult for yourself when you want to block.

In the correct footwork, the player needs to pay attention to the position of the elbow where it must be in the position of holding the bet and at the midpoint between the backhand and the forehand. Keep your elbows still not far from the center of the table and move your body slightly to the left. Players also need to pay attention and focus on the movements and positions of opponents.

Foot position is often ignored because there may only be 2, namely from the right and left side, but actually our footsteps must be right. The most common footwork method is two-step and its use is more often done by the attacking type players, as shown below:

Bend the knees slightly.

Body weight must be evenly distributed on both legs, while weight gain is at the toe.

When you want to step left, slide your left foot towards the left where your weight is stacked towards the left foot.

For the right foot you need to go with your left foot. If you want to hit with a forehand technique, your right foot pulls back so that it's like the starting position in applying a forehand punch.

Another very basic technique in table tennis is the technique of preparing to be alert or known by the term stance technique. This stance is included in the technique of positioning the hands, the following legs as well as other limbs when they want to carry out an attack on an opponent or when defending.

Square Stance

The positioning technique is the core of this square stance, that is, when the position of the player's body is facing the tennis table. The square stance technique is a technique commonly used by table tennis players when receiving ball service from an opponent. But it also becomes a ready position when opponents attack us.

When this technique is applied, our legs only need to be moved forward, then back, left or right, or diagonally. Players will easily do so as long as they continue to train important movements in this technique.

Side stance

In the side stance technique, the player's body needs to be in a sideways position to the left or right. One of the players should also be positioned closer to the net, especially when they want to attack an opponent. The left shoulder position needs to be closer to the net when forehand techniques are used for players who do use their left hand in hitting a left-handed alias.

Hitting Technique

Talk about basic techniques, so even in table tennis we need to learn about beating techniques. There are 2 basic hitting techniques, namely forehand and backhand as mentioned earlier. If you want the ball to run hard, then the forehand is used, while for easy topspin and backspin blows, it is the backhand punch that is used.

But actually, not only the forehand and backhand punch techniques that need to be known and trained properly. There are also a number of other punch techniques such as service, drive, chop and push punches which are also most commonly applied to a table tennis game by the players.

Forehand Blow Technique

Players need to do a forehand punch technique if the ball is on the right side of the player's body. To do this punch technique, usually is to make the body position lower, and the hand that is used to hold the bet can be moved towards the right waist if not right-handed.

From there, then the elbow will automatically form an angle of about 90 degrees. Furthermore, the player only has to make the hand move towards the front but try to keep the angle of the elbow unchanged. On a forehand punch, it would be better to use the method of holding the bet with the penholder technique.

Teknik Pukulan Backhand

Ketika bola ada di sisi kiri tubuh pemain, maka pukulan yang paling tepat untuk dilakukan adalah pukulan backhand. Dalam melakukannya, seorang pemain memang perlu merendahkan lebih dulu posisi tubuh yang dilanjutkan dengan menggerakkan tangan ke arah pinggang kiri apabila bukan seorang kidal. Siku harus membentuk sudut 90 derajat juga, barulah tangan yang memegang bet digerakkan ke arah depan. Jaga siku baik-baik supaya tetap 90 derajat dan bet harus juga dijaga lurus.

Teknik Pukulan Servis

Penyajian bola pertama dengan memukul bola, itulah yang dinamakan dengan servis. Teknik pukulan ini terbagi menjadi beberapa tipe, yakni servis backhand topspin, forehand topspin, backhand backspin dan juga forehand backspin. Perlu diketahui bahwa topspin merupakan sebuah teknik arah putaran bola searah jarum jam, sementara backspin adalah kebalikannya alias berlawanan dengan arah jarum jam.

4. Teknik Pukulan Chop

Pukulan ini memiliki sifat bertahan dan untuk persiapan pukulan forehand chop pada dasarnya mirip dengan pukulan forehand, hanya saja posisi bet perlu agak lebih sedikit terbuka. Bet kemudian digerakkan ke depan namun sedikit mengarah ke bawah. Upayakan agar ada kontak dengan bola tepat di depan kanan tubuh. Sementara untuk backhand chop juga punya teknik awal yang sama seperti pukulan backhand, hanya saja posisi bet terbuka dan upayakan supaya kontak bola terjadi di sisi bawah bet depan dan perkenaan bola ada di sisi kiri dengan sedikit ke depan tubuh.

5. Teknik Pukulan Push

Ketika pemain tenis meja harus menghadapi backspin, maka pukulan backspin pasif pun dilakukan, dan push inilah pukulan tersebut. Tujuan dari pukulan ini adalah supaya bola tak melambung terlalu tinggi. Dalam melakukan teknik ini, terutama forehand push, perhatikan supaya posisi bet agak terbuka dan bet digerakkan ke depan serta agak ke bawah.

Upayakan supaya bola dapat ada kontak dengan bet bagian tengah. Sedangkan untuk melakukan backhand push, perkenaan bola sebetulnya mirip seperti forehand push, hanya bedanya penggunaan backhand-lah yang digunakan. Upayakan perkenaan bola pada sisi kiri bisa dekat dengan tubuh bagian depan.

6. Teknik Pukulan Drive

Pukulan datar nan keras hasil dari pukulan dengan ayunan panjang kita sebut dengan teknik pukulan drive. Jenis pukulan ini memang termasuk cepat dan keras dan untuk melakukan forehand drive, bet harus digerakkan lebih dulu ke arah depan.

Gerakan tersebut jangan lupa disertai dengan tubuh yang diputar ke depan di mana ini setara dengan perputaran sebanyak 30 derajat. Pada sikap awal, sebaiknya pemain menguatkan pergelangan tangan supaya bet tak gampang mengalami perubahan posisi ketika hendak melakukan teknik pukulan forehand drive ini.

Sementara untuk melakukan backhand drive, siku harus dibuat lebih dulu membentuk sudut 90 derajat. Bet yang bergerak harus diikuti dengan gerak putar tubuh. Upayakan ada kontak dengan bola, terutama sewaktu bet ada di depan tubuh yang sedikit ada di sisi kiri. Pada pukulan ini, pemain kerap salah dalam gerakan kaki, jadi harus lebih sering melatih teknik backhand agar mahir.

7. Teknik Pukulan Block

Ini adalah teknik pengembalian pukulan keras yang diarahkan oleh lawan kepada kita. Cara ini terbilang paling sederhana dan pemain cukup melakukan block setelah bola memantul dari meja supaya lawan tak menyerang dengan cepat. Ini karena bola yang sudah kita block juga bakal kembali secara cepat.

Untuk forehand block, bet digerakkan ke arah depan lebih dulu, tapi bet harus dalam posisi tertutup di mana sisi depan bet mengarah ke bawah. Fokuskan pandangan pada datangnya bola dan cepat-cepat lakukan block sesudah bola memantul dari meja. Tepat di bagian tengah bet-lah perkenaan bola dengan bet harus terjadi.

Untuk backhand block, pastikan bet ada di sisi kiri tubuh pemain dan gerakkanlah ke depan apabila ingin menerapkan blocking, sementara bet berposisi tertutup. Fokuskan pandangan terhadap arah datangnya bola dan lakukan block secepatnya sesudah bola memantul dari meja. Masih pada bagian tengah bet untuk perkenaan bola dengan bet.

Demikianlah sedikit informasi mengenai teknik dasar tenis meja yang kiranya dapat menjadi referensi bagi Anda yang ingin mengenal tenis meja sebagai pemula. Tak lupa juga, Anda perlu tahu cara memilih bet tenis meja yang tepat agar dalam latihan dan pertandingan Anda bisa nyaman.