Reaction time is the key component when it comes to counter attacking you opponent’s response in Table Tennis. How fast and effectively you react makes a major difference in whether your opponent will defend or counterattack.

There are several factors you need to consider when it comes to practicing in order to improve your reaction time in Table Tennis. Here, we have shared some of the most important ones:

  • Anticipate the opponent’s response

One of the best ways to make sure you react in the quickest way is to anticipate your opponent’s response. One simple way to do this is to keep a watch of the angle of his/her racquet prior to striking.

If the racquet has a significant angle, the odds are great that he/she is aiming for a ball spin. On the other hand, if he/she has positioned the racquet at a straight angle, the chances are high that he/she is aiming for a powerful stroke.

  • Practice short burst movements

Short burst movements are undoubtedly one of the best techniques to improve your agility and increase your reaction speed. A significant part of what makes any Table Tennis player good at using short burst movements is to develop good overall physical fitness.

When working out to improve your overall physical fitness, focus on leg training. Extensive, high-impact leg exercises such as frog jumps and squat jumps help you strengthen your legs which, in turn, help you make short movement bursts in your game.

  • Keep your striking hand loose

Whether you want to spin the ball or deliver a powerful stroke, the key to perfectly executing your planned technique is to keep your striking hand loose.

When it comes to reaction time, keeping your hands and arms loose will help you quickly adapt to the racquet angle you need to efficiently deliver the response shot.

  • Stand with legs stretched wide

One of the less-known and unconventional tricks to increasing your reaction speed is to stand with your legs stretched wide. By doing so, you can efficiently and quickly change positions.

Whether the response shot of your opponent is coming towards the right or the left, you can use the foot opposite to the direction of the balls to glide into action and reach for your stroke.

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