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Table of Contents
- Strength Quality Improving strength quality can increase muscle volume and enhance athletic performance. Proper strength training can promote bone growth and development, as well as increase joint stability and flexibility. Strength quality can be divided into dynamic strength and static strength. The force produced by muscles contracting is called dynamic strength, which can be further divided into absolute strength and explosive strength. Given the nature of table tennis, emphasis should be placed on developing explosive strength, often through resistance training.
Training methods for developing strength quality:
(1) Shoulder strength development exercises Anterior deltoid: front raises. Medial deltoid: lateral raises, lateral pull-downs. Posterior deltoid: bent-over lateral raises, standing military press.
(2) Chest strength development exercises Pectoralis major: bench press, incline bench press, decline bench press, dumbbell flyes, lying chest pull-ups.
(3) Arm strength development exercises Triceps brachii: arm extension, bent-over arm extension, lying arm extension, straight arm pull-back, barbell arm curl. Biceps brachii: alternating dumbbell curls, seated incline curls, variations of seated curls. Forearms: wrist curls.
(4) Back strength development exercises Upper back (trapezius): shrugs, upright rows. Middle back (latissimus dorsi): pull-ups, seated lat pull-downs, bent-over rows, close-grip rows. Lower back (erector spinae): straight-leg deadlifts, weighted back extensions, hyperextensions.
(5) Abdominal and waist strength development exercises Leg raises, lying leg curls, hanging knee raises, seated leg tucks.
(6) Leg strength development exercises Quadriceps: squats, lunges, leg extensions, seated leg curls. Hamstrings: standing leg curls, lying leg curls. Calf muscles: standing calf raises, weighted calf raises.
- Speed Quality Speed refers to the rate at which different parts of the body’s muscles contract and relax during movement. It includes the speed of movement of a specific body part and the overall body’s center of gravity.
Training methods for developing speed quality: various running exercises, including rapid arm swings in place, lateral and crossover jumps, 30m, 60m, 100m sprints, as well as acceleration runs, variable-speed runs, uphill and downhill runs. Games can also be incorporated to enhance athletes’ interest in training.
- Endurance Quality Endurance quality refers to the body’s ability to sustain muscle activity over an extended period. It can be categorized into general endurance, speed endurance, and strength endurance.Methods for developing endurance quality: various distance running exercises (e.g., 1500m, 3000m), variable-speed running, and rope jumping.
- Flexibility Quality Flexibility is one of the fundamental qualities of the human body, referring to the range of motion of joints and the stretching ability of soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It can be divided into general flexibility and specific flexibility, as well as dynamic flexibility and static flexibility. Flexibility exercises generally include the following types of stretching: Static stretching exercises (recommended before any physical activity): can significantly increase body flexibility without causing muscle pain. Choose a muscle or joint, stretch it to its maximum extent, hold for 20-30 seconds, then relax. Repeat, gradually increasing the range of motion. Then, stretch another muscle or joint. PNF stretching exercises: maximize muscle flexibility and length. It requires guidance from a fitness instructor or an experienced partner. Stretch a muscle or joint to its maximum extent while simultaneously contracting the stretched muscle as much as possible. Ballistic stretching exercises (should be avoided if possible): forcefully stretch a joint to a large angle. This type of stretching is specific to certain activities and should be avoided without supervision due to the risk of tearing muscles and tendons.
Methods for developing flexibility quality:
(1) Shoulder joint flexibility exercises Anterior shoulder stretch: muscles stretched – pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi. Posterior shoulder stretch: muscles stretched – pectoralis major, anterior deltoid. Hanging shoulder stretch: muscles stretched – pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, and surrounding shoulder muscles. Shoulder rotation: muscles stretched – surrounding shoulder muscles.
(2) Lower limb flexibility exercises Lunge stretch: muscles stretched – quadriceps, hamstrings. Leg pull-back stretch: muscles stretched – quadriceps, hamstrings. Forward leg stretch: muscles stretched – posterior leg muscles, calf muscles. Side leg stretch: muscles stretched – inner thigh muscles, posterior leg muscles, calf muscles.
(3) Ankle joint flexibility exercises Kneeling stretch: muscles stretched – anterior leg muscles, quadriceps. Leaning stretch: muscles stretched – posterior leg muscles.
(4) Lumbar and abdominal flexibility exercises Forward bend: muscles stretched – lumbar and posterior leg muscles. Side bend: muscles stretched – lateral torso muscles. Rotation: muscles stretched – trunk and gluteal muscles.
- Agility Quality Agility is the ability to perform complex movements in a coordinated manner under various conditions. It essentially reflects the central nervous system’s control over motor organs, including accuracy and speed of movement, and encompasses factors such as reaction, coordination, and range of motion.
Methods for developing agility quality:
(1) Rapid alternating foot taps in place, responding to signals to step to the same or opposite side.
(2) Dodging table tennis balls while in a sideways stance.
(3) Performing squats, jumps, or rotational movements in response to auditory or visual signals.
(4) Figure-eight lateral running.
(5) Rapidly switching jumps in a cross pattern.
(6) Throwing and rotating 360 degrees to catch a ball.
(7) Performing various movements with closed eyes, then checking for accuracy.
(8) Rapid and varied requirements for rope jumping.
In the process of using specialized physical fitness training methods for table tennis, the first issue to address is how to turn the numerous specialized physical fitness training methods into a systematic and targeted exercise system that conforms to the rules of specialized physical training for table tennis and is in line with the actual situation of table tennis sports.
- Strength Quality The most important aspect of table tennis is explosive strength, which refers to the maximum force that muscles can exert in a unit of time. To develop explosive strength, the focus should be on moderate loads (40% to 60% of the maximum load) and repetitive exercises to ensure quick and powerful movements.
(1) Development of specialized upper limb strength
- Use light dumbbells for various swing motion exercises and arm swing exercises with added weight.
- Perform bicep curls with a palm-up grip while simultaneously rotating the arm outward, and wrist rotation exercises with a weighted bottle.
- Perform bicep curls with a palm-down grip while simultaneously rotating the arm inward.
- Hold dumbbells on the shoulders and perform forearm rotations (outward and inward rotations).
- Practice multiple-ball kill shots at a semi-high level for a specified number of times or duration.
(2) Development of specialized lower limb strength
- Use a barbell for static half-squats or slow-speed dynamic exercises.
- Use a barbell for lateral lunges, lateral step-overs, and jumping exercises.
- Perform specialized training with sandbags tied to the legs and hands.
- Practice rapid heel raises and continuous single or double-foot jumps over obstacles.
- Speed Quality For table tennis, speed mainly includes reaction speed, movement speed, and mobility. The speed in table tennis is non-periodic, and although it has a certain regularity, it varies with each stroke. The primary training method should involve rapid and repetitive exercises.
(1) Exercises to improve reaction speed To improve the specialized reaction speed in table tennis, the trainee needs to visually and audibly discern signals, make quick judgments, and execute the correct actions. Therefore, reaction speed exercises involve the trainee making rapid responses based on signals, which can be in the form of movements, gestures, or sounds.
- Perform rapid swing exercises according to the coach’s commands.
- Practice quick lateral shuffles along the table in different directions based on the coach’s gestures or signals.
- React to signals with sudden stops or sprints.
- Perform left and right, as well as forehand and backhand, stroke exercises with multiple balls.
(2) Exercises to improve movement speed The movement speed of a table tennis player refers to the ability to quickly reach the hitting position through footwork in the shortest time possible. To improve specialized movement speed, exercises should be closely related to the footwork characteristics of playing table tennis.
Footwork exercises for lateral movement. Each set consists of 40 to 60 repetitions.
- Side-step exercises (using half the width of the table as a boundary). Each set consists of 40 to 60 repetitions.
- Practice pushing, sidestepping, and lunging footwork.
- Practice footwork for long and short balls.
- Use multiple balls to improve footwork speed.
- Endurance Quality In table tennis matches, accurate judgment, quick reactions, fast movements, proper swings, and accurate shots are required. During fast movements, the body faces intermittent anaerobic states due to the continuous changes in movement intensity. Accordingly, the primary training forms should focus on developing specialized endurance.
(1) Continuous high-ball kill shot exercises.
(2) Multi-ball training.
(3) Continuous serving for 3 minutes.
- Agility Quality Agility in table tennis is essentially the central nervous system’s control over motor organs. During training, the focus should be on the accuracy and speed of completing actions, including reaction, coordination, and the range of motion.
(1) Use various footwork to receive throws of table tennis balls in different directions.
(2) Perform footwork movements based on visual cues and execute corresponding actions.
(3) Practice variable-speed movements during multi-ball training.
(4) Two players hitting and receiving spinning balls.
(5) Game of hitting two balls on the table.
(6) Sideways running with cross steps.
(7) Footwork exercises involving pushing and lunging on one side.
(8) Swing exercises with variable-speed movements to the left and right.
(9) Speed and agility training involving blocking and counterattacking during multi-ball practice.
