Meet Frank

“Who’s Frank?”, you say. Frank has probably forgotten more about the game than many Toowoomba youngsters will ever learn. He has coached many a newbie to the sport, and maintains an avid interest in all aspects of the game. His idol ? Jan-Ove Waldner, the ‘Mozart’ of Table Tennis.

For his opening remarks, Frank wants to remind everyone the key points of the game.

So buckle up – there are 14 in all. Each will be covered in a separate post. You may like to scroll to the bottom of this blog site to work back in a logical order, but each tip is important in its own right.

Tip #1 – The Grip

Hold the bat lightly to enable changes of grip

The wrist should be straight with the arm

The bat should be held in an upward / vertical position rather than in a horizontal position, with the handle pointing to the floor.

With the most common western shake-hands grip, the index finger will lay along the very bottom of the rubber, whilst the thumb will likewise be kept low on the rubber or the exposed part of the blade near the handle to avoid accidental ball strikes on the thumb or finger.

This grip allows greatest flexibility, but will require excellent footwork and anticipation on the occasions that the ball is directed straight at your body due to the indecision generated in deciding between a forehand or backhand response