If you love ping pong and your community has a table tennis center, it's worth checking out. Being around others who take the sport seriously might help you find more to like about it. Anyone who has picked up a table tennis paddle and has a basic understanding will be welcome – but you'll also see other players of a higher skill level, some of whom are working with a coach. Not everyone who reaches the advanced beginner and intermediate level of play has a coach, but many do. If you want to improve your game more quickly than you can on your own, it's something you may want to consider.
There is a lot a table tennis coach can add to your practice play and training. The classic things to tell players interested in coaching but still questioning is about skill isolation, and footwork is a prime example. The best ping pong players make small, incremental steps during play that help them make better shots and be more competitive. Good shots happen when you put your whole body into it and how your feet move contributes to your success. Footwork isolation training drills that a coach can show you are the best way to learn the correct way to move. The moves are subtle and need to be learned.
A seasoned table tennis coach will begin by observing your game and noting your strengths and areas for improvement. If you have coaching early on, it may be a factor in helping you decide whether to excel at offense or defense. Some of the toughest to beat opponents in table tennis are those who play a brilliant defensive game. Others have a powerful game and go on the offense from the first shots throwing down the gauntlet and setting the tone of the match with their own style. A coach can look at your shots, serves, and playing style and make suggestions about where you need to work.
The best coaches also have an extensive repertoire of skill-building training routines. At first, some may be harder to understand than others. But accomplished players have learned to trust in their coaches and to stick with the training and drills. As you begin to incorporate what you've practiced in training into your game, you'll see an impressive improvement. What's important to keep in mind is that many of your opponents will have the advantage of coaching, and to be competitive, you'll need to be learning and practicing as much. There is nothing wrong with playing practice games but coaching matters also,
