How do I stop putting my non-playing hand on the table

Emmett Swint Asked 9 years ago

I am in my 70s and have recently learned to play table tennis. Your videos have been very helpful. What I noticed is that I often place my non-playing hand on the table for support when I reach for a short ball or one off the forehand side of the table. I have osteoarthritis in my knees so I don't have very fast footwork to get in a stable position for the shot. I know hand touches are illegal in a match and would appreciate any tips to break the habit.

Alois Rosario Answered 9 years ago

Hi Emmett,

That could be a tacky one to stop doing. You could try putting your non playing hand behind your back for a while and see if that helps. The only thing I would be worried about is your balance. If you are going to fall then putting your hand on the table is definitely the lesser of the two evils.

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Emmett Swint Posted 9 years ago

Thank you. I'll see if putting my non playing hand behind my back helps. I also notice in some of the videos that certain players consistently place their non playing hand in a given position for every shot. I don't think I worry about using the hand to prevent myself from falling as much as I do to compensate for not having the quick footwork needed to reach short shots.