Site Products
Larry Hodges

Coaching Tip of the Week -A Table Tennis Player’s Guide to Toweling

(By Larry Hodges)

 According to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have.” The link above gives some of the many ways a towel helps, such as (I’m not making these up!) “use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-boggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you)” and so on. But amazingly, Douglas Adams left out the value of towels in table tennis.

Let’s start with the obvious: you use a towel to wipe sweat away and to wipe your paddle and the ball off. (If it’s humid and you sweat a lot, ideally have two towels, one for you, one for your paddle and the ball.) But there’s another huge reason to have a towel in table tennis, and it’s not so “You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta.”

The other reason for a towel is so you can towel off every six points. You might way, “Why do I need to towel off if I’m not sweating?” Putting aside the question of why you aren’t sweating (you should if you are playing the Olympic Sport of Table Tennis), there’s a more practical reason. It gives you an ongoing habit that allows you to take a mental break, clear your mind, and focus. If you do this regularly, it becomes part of your routine, and really helps the mental aspect of your game in a Pavlovian way. Your subconscious is no different than a dog’s in this. (Besides coaching table tennis, I’m a writer, and I also use Pavlovian techniques – after many years of doing so, all I have to do is drink a Dr Pepper and I go into writing mode.) When I coach players, I’m always harping on making towel breaks a habit.

The game is more mental than physical and taking that towel break is an important mental weapon. Take it!

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.

Latest News

 Focus on the Left Stomach Muscle

October 8, 2025
(by Bowmar Sports) Serve, Short game and attack with Wait function: Jhon serves short backspin, robot plays short… Read More

Hong Lin – Reversed Penhold Backhand Flip

October 8, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In the Butterfly Training Tips, Hong Lin is executing the Reversed Penhold Backhand Flip from… Read More

Kou Lei – FH & BH Attacks Speedplay

October 7, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Kou Lei is working with a young player on Forehand… Read More

Tip of the Week – Nullify Opponent’s Biggest Threat

October 6, 2025
By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog What does your opponent do that… Read More

Taiwo Adeyinka – Atlanta Open

October 6, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips,  Taiwo Adeyinka is in action at the Atlanta Open https://youtu.be/GnVWdEKsAcw… Read More

MLTT Week 3 Recap: Portland Paddlers Shine at Home

October 5, 2025
(By Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT) Major League Table Tennis brought its high-octane  format to the Pacific Northwest this… Read More

Bremen Takes Over First in the German League

October 5, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo TTBL) Five weeks in to the new season of the German Professional League (TTBL),… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Genesee Valley Table Tennis Club

October 5, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) With their location just South of central Rochester along Hwy 390, the Genesee Valley Table Tennis… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.