Coaching Movement

Rugby Table Tennis Club

Movement

Good quality movement starts with the head and upper body and progresses down to the feet. It should be rhythmic, balanced and coordinated. If the head moves first, the body weight will follow and make the work of the legs that much easier.

The following the areas of attention are focused on.

1. Stability and balance

2. Weight transfer

3. Footwork

4. Movement Pattern

5. Reading the Play

Rotating the body at the waist to play a forehand drive

1. Stability and balance

Efficient movement is conditional upon good stability and balance.

The ready position is both stable and balanced, giving you good control over movement in any direction.

The following are factors, which will have a detrimental effect:

Feet too close together

Feet too wide apart

Legs not bent at the knees

Body weight not evenly distributed

An upright body

The combination of rotational and linear movement, inherent in table tennis, brings forces with which you have to contend with. For example a faster rotational speed will tend to force the periphery of the body outwards form the axis. If adjustments are not made at the base i.e. by lowering and and widening the stance, the body will become unstable and balance will be lost. In learning to control these forces, by making the necessary adjustments, you need to fully appreciate and properly apply the basic requirements for good stability and balance.

2. Transfer of Weight

Transfer of weight from an even weight distribution to one leg, or from one leg to the other, is essential for the effective production of strokes involving rotation. A stable and balanced stance is fundamental.

As the body rotates, the knee of the leg taking the weight moves in the direction of the rotation to finish perpendicular with the foot.

At the same time, the knee of the opposite leg bends a little more than in the stance position and moves slightly inwards.

3. Footwork

Sideways movement over a small area close to the table is achieved by sidestepping. This is known as stepping footwork.

The feet should never cross otherwise; the ability to move quickly will be lost. stepping footwork is not suitable for rapid movement over a large area.

The running footwork, involving a normal running action, is used when it is necessary to cover a lot of ground.

To avoid being completely out of position, running footwork should not be used close to the table.

4. Movements Patterns

The player for table exercises in which ball placement is predetermined adopts a regular movement pattern. this type of pattern helps to develop rhythmic, balanced and coordinated movement.

Table exercises involving regular movement pattern will be introduced as soon as your stroke play is reasonably proficient.

The player in situations in which the ball placement is not pre-determined adopts an irregular movement pattern. This type of movement is seen in match play and forms part of table exercises designed to develop anticipation.

5. Read the play

In any situation, which involves an irregular movement pattern, the time available for you to prepare to play opponents return is short. This is particularly true if you simply react to movement of the ball after your opponent has struck it.

Reading the direction of ball travel and the type of stroke to be played by your opponent will maximise the time available to you to prepare, acting as an early warning system.

In being aware of where the ball has been struck, you should try to anticipate your opponents intentions by specifically considering the following:

Upper body action

The speed and direction of the bat arm

Bat angle and the degree of touch.

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