How to excel at table tennis? Footwork is crucial. I. Striding 1. Movement technique: Push off with one foot, take a large stride with the other foot toward the direction of movement, then follow with a half-step or small step with the pushing foot. The body's center of gravity shifts to the striding foot. 2. Practical application:(1) For close-table fast attacks to reach balls slightly distant from the body; (2) For chopping techniques when moving left or right to hit the ball; (3) For sideways lunge attacks: When facing slower but distant balls, lunge left-foot forward and upward with a large step, followed by a small step with the right foot. Simultaneously rotate the waist right to complete the sideways movement.
II. Jump Step
1. Movement Method: Powerfully push off with the foot opposite the incoming ball's direction, lifting both feet simultaneously to jump toward the ball.
2. Practical Applications: (1) Used by fast attack players for lateral movement, often combined with the cross-step; (2) Commonly employed by loop players moving left or right from mid-table;(3) Jumping sideways for attacking or looping shots, requiring waist rotation in mid-air; (4) Used by choppers defending against sudden attacks, though small hops are more common for positional adjustments.
III. Single Step
1. Movement Method: Using one foot as an axis, the other foot moves forward, backward, left, or right, shifting body weight onto the moving foot.
2. Practical Applications: (1) Approaching net shots; (2) Chopping backhand shots; (3) Single-step sideways attacks.
2. Practical Applications: (1) Approaching net shots; (2) Chopping close-range balls; (3) Single-step sideways attack. Frequently used when the incoming ball lands slightly left of center, or during sideways attacks against straight drives or lifts in rallies.
IV. Cross Step
1. Movement Method: Use the foot closest to the incoming ball as the pivot foot. Point the toes of this foot toward the direction of movement. Cross the opposite foot in front of the body, taking a large step toward the ball. Rotate the body toward the ball as you step. Follow through with the pivot foot, taking another step toward the ball. This is the forward cross step. The backward cross step involves completing the crossing motion behind the body.
2. Practical Applications: (1) For fast attacks or loop drives when attacking sideways, attacking the right corner gap after a backhand drive, or switching to a backhand stroke from the deep right corner; (2) Driving chops while moving; (3) Returning short balls or attacking with chops in a chop-based style.
V. Side Step
1. Movement Method: One foot takes a half-step or small step toward the other foot. The second foot immediately follows with a full step toward the incoming ball after the first foot lands.
2. Practical Applications: (1) Fast-attack players executing attacks or drives while moving left/right; (2) Putters executing forehand/backhand pushes; (3) Side-step attacks, commonly used for driving pushes—right foot first steps back to the left foot to facilitate body rotation, followed by a lateral step to the left.
Of course, understanding doubles rules also benefits our table tennis performance.
1. Regarding the table: During doubles, each playing area is divided into two equal "halves" by a 3mm-wide white center line. This line runs parallel to the sidelines and is considered part of the right half.
2. In doubles, the server must first make a legal serve, followed by a legal return from the receiver. Then, the server's partner must make a legal return, followed by a legal return from the receiver's partner. Thereafter, players alternate legal returns in this sequence. In doubles, the ball must touch the server's right half-court and then the receiver's right half-court.
3. In the first game of doubles, the serving team designates the first server, and the receiving team designates the first receiver. In subsequent games, after the first server is designated, the first receiver shall be the player who received the serve in the previous game.
4. In doubles, whenever the serve changes, the previous receiver becomes the server, and the previous server's partner becomes the receiver.
5. In doubles, incorrect hitting order results in a point loss.