Ping-pong is a recreational game played in basements, rec rooms and college dorm buildings, and competitively at the international level. Those who play regularly quickly get very competitive at the game, which is the national sport of China. Also known as table tennis, it is a game that requires quickness, athleticism, aggressiveness and use of strategy if a player is going to improve quickly.
Step 1
Learn the proper and legal way to serve the ball. In ping-pong, you cannot hit the ball as it sits in your hand. To serve legally, you must toss the ball in a straight up and down motion and then hit it as it descends so that it bounces on your side of the table and then on your opponent's side of the table. You can hit it with spin coming from your bat--the proper name for a ping-pong paddle--to make it more difficult for your opponent to return by coming over the ball or slicing under the ball.
Step 2
Drive the ball with your forehand to your opponent's backhand to set up a winner. Top players look to play forehand to backhand to give themselves the best chance to win. A forehand hit with overspin is a challenging shot to return and is considered an aggressive way to play the game. According to Massachusetts table tennis star Rajeev Sharma, modern paddles have turned more players into the aggressors and defensive play don't have as much of a chance to win in the long run. "There are less defensive players now, and more offensive players," he told the Boston Globe in a July 2008 article. "You have to keep up."
Step 3
Move your feet quickly as you prepare to hit the ball. If you are a right-handed player and you are going to hit a forehand shot, have your weight on your back foot and then shift it to your front foot as you make contact with the ball in order to drive it with power.
Step 4
Hit the ball with your backhand in order to change the angle of attack or to survive when your opponent is attacking. There are times when your opponent is slamming forehand after forehand and you must maintain a defensive posture. However, vary your angle so he cannot stand in the same position and continue to pound away at the ball. Try to direct the ball with your backhand to her backhand in order to have a better chance.
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