Special Olympics Table Tennis Coaching Guide Teaching Table Tennis Skills Hitting the ball directly against the wall - Athletes stand around 1 meter off the wall, hit the ball directly (racket-wall-racket). After getting the feeling and controlling the ball, they should stand 3-5 meters off the wall. Start with one person with one ball, then add a second person so they can hit the ball alternatively. Gradually increase the difficulty of activity. Two people play tennis on the floor - Two athletes stand around 2-3 meters from each other. After controlling the ball, they should stand 4-6 meters from each other and play stronger and with spin. Finally, they should stand close and hit the ball vertically up to each other without letting the ball drop on the floor. Gradually increase the difficulty of the activity. Racket Bounce "Ups" - The athlete should hold the racket at waist level and drop a ball onto the racket with the non-racket hand. They then gently bounce the ball into the air in a controlled manner. They should perform as many "ups" as possible on 30 seconds. Downs - The athlete should hold the racket just above the height of the table and gently bounce the ball downward with the racket. They should perform as many "downs" as possible in 30 seconds. As players advance, challenge them to dribble the ball while moving around the table. Common Grip Errors Error Correction Athlete swats at the ball rather than hitting it with a controlled swing Swing at the ball in a controlled movement Too stiff or too loose a grip The grip should be natural The racket is "moving" around in the athlete's hand Once a grip is confirmed, it should not be changed very often Special Olympics Table Tennis Coaching Guide - February 2014 Drill/Test Reference Hit the ball to a target (box) 3-4m away. Pay attention to the phase of the swing back and shorten the follow-through Complete a lot of exercises with the racket and ball in one place while focusing on the grip Complete a lot of exercises with the racket and ball in one place while focusing on the grip 37