Training

For those of you out there who can only sneak in an hour of training here and there, I've put together a sample table tennis training session, outlining a number of drills, and how long to perform each drill.
I'll explain in more detail later in the article the reasoning behind the drills selected and the times chosen. As for any advice given, feel free to modify the outline to suit your ownindividual needs and preferences.
Sample One Hour Table Tennis Training Session Outline
Pre-Session
Warm up
0 Minute Mark
Forehand to Forehand Counterhit - 2½ min
Backhand to Backhand Counterhit - 2½ min
5 Minute Mark
Forehand Loop to Block - 5 min
Swap roles 5 min
15 Minute Mark
Backhand Loop to Block - 5 min
Swap roles - 5 min
25 Minute Mark
Falkenberg Drill - 5 min
Swap roles- 5 min
35 Minute Mark
Loop to Loop - 5 min
OR
Smash to Lob - 2½ min
Swap roles - 2½ min
40 Minute Mark
Push to Push - 5 min
50 Minute Mark
Serve, Return, Open - 5 min
Swap roles
1 Hour Mark
Cool down
Explanation of the Training Outline
Pre-Session
Warm up
Even though this training session is only an hour long, that doesn't mean that you should ignore getting an adequatewarm up. You'll be doing some drills that are going to require a lot of your body, so make sure you are warmed up and fully stretched before beginning to avoid getting injured.
0 Minute Mark
Forehand to Forehand Counterhit - 2½ min
Backhand to Backhand Counterhit - 2½ min
This counterhitting drill is just a quick way of making sure that you get adjusted to the conditions. Forget about hittingthe ball hard and concentrate on consistency. You should be aiming to hit as many balls in a row as you can, so that you you get your eye in and are ready to hit the ground running in the next exercise.
5 Minute Mark
Forehand Loop to Block - 5 min
Swap roles - 5 min
This is the first real drill of the session. The idea is for one player to be using his forehand attack (loop or drive, whicheveris preferred), while the other player provides a steady block to make sure the first player is working hard. Beginners should focus on keeping the drill simple so that their success ratio is at least 70-80. I'd also recommend that beginners use a simple topspin serve, to make it easier to get straight into working the forehand attack.
Intermediate players can add other variations to the drill,such as the blocker varying the placement of the ball, or using a proper serve and serve return, then a forehand open. I've got a number of suggested forehand drill variations for intermediate players.
15 Minute Mark
Backhand Loop to Block - 5 min
Swap roles - 5 min
This is similar to the previous exercise, but from the backhand side. I have a number of more advanced backhand drill variationsfor intermediate players.
25 Minute Mark
Falkenberg Drill - 5 min
Swap roles - 5 min
Now that the forehand and backhand attacks have been drilled, you can move onto a footwork drill which combines both elements. The Falkenberg drill is a classic example, but any drill that combines forehand, backhands, and footwork will do the job.
Most players find 5 minutes of concentrated footworkpractice is more than enough before needing a rest. Again, the emphasis is on footwork practice - if you are not getting through at least 2-3 cycles of the drill, slow down.
35 Minute Mark
Loop to Loop - 5 min
OR
Smash to Lob - 2½ min
Swap roles - 2½ min
Having done a few intense drills, now it's time for a fun drill for 5 minutes or so for a change of pace. Both the loop to loop or smash to lobdrills are unlikely to last more than a few strokes if done properly, but it's a nice change to be able to go all out on your strokes for a while, after spending the first 35 minutes training your consistency.
40 Minute Mark
Push to Push - 5 min
The push is not a glamorous stroke, and tends to get ignored by new players. This is not a good idea, as many players find out the first time they...