Site Products
Tip of the week: Best Way to Learn – Watch, Mimic, Practice

Tip of the week: Best Way to Learn – Watch, Mimic, Practice

(by Larry Hodges)
Tip of the week: Best Way to Learn – Watch, Mimic, Practice

Often the best way to learn table tennis is to watch a top player and mimic what you see. Pick out someone whose game or strokes you like (or ask a coach to suggest someone to watch), and just watch how they do their shots. Then copy them by shadow-practicing (practicing your stroke without the ball) until you can the shot as well as that player . . . at least without the ball. Then find a coach or practice partner and practice the shot until you CAN do it as well as the player you were copying.

Feel free to ask the player if you have any questions on how he does it. Most players are glad to help out – and since many top players spend many hours every day thinking about their game, they may be just dying to talk about it! You should also have a coach see how you are doing to really hone the technique.

Try watching a top player just before you play a match. You’ll be amazed at how much better you can do the shot in a game if you first watch someone else doing it really well. In table tennis, it’s often monkey see, monkey do!

For full article, please click here

Latest News

WAB CLUB FEATURE: EC Sports Table Tennis

August 31, 2025
(By Steve Hopkins) EC Sports Table Tennis was founded by 1996 Olympian Amy Feng to spread the joy of… Read More

Pan American Youth Championships Recap

August 31, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) The ITTF Pan American Youth Championships 2025 finished on Sunday in Rosario, Argentina. … Read More

Team Canada U19 Girls Secure Gold at Pan Am Youth Championship

August 31, 2025
(by Bowmar Sports, photo ITTF America) Canada’s U19 Girls’ Table Tennis Team made headlines at the 2025 ITTF… Read More

TTBL: Kanak Starts Strong, Zhendong Faulters in First Week of German League

August 31, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) USA’s Kanak Jha was one of four players to start the German League season 2-0. … Read More

Be Part of the MLTT Rally Crew

August 29, 2025
(by: Major League Table Tennis) Bring your energy and love for the game Major League Table Tennis kicks… Read More

When Do Most Errors Happen?

August 29, 2025
Robot plays short backspin to Backhand, Jhon Backhand push to long Backhand, robot plays very spinny topspin to… Read More

Back Up a Little Bit More

August 27, 2025
Robot plays short backspin ball to Forehand, Jhon Forehand push to long Forehand, robot plays very spinny topspin… Read More

My Road To The 2025 US National Champion by Sally Moyland

August 26, 2025
(by Sally Moyland) I was leading 3:1 in sets in the women’s single final at the US National… 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.