The jump from recreational table tennis player to a more competitive level can sometimes be difficult to motivate oneself to make – let alone a little intimidating.

If you’re at a stage where you feel you’d like to get more from the game and you honestly believe you have a bit to offer, chances are good that you owe it to yourself to see what you’re capable of doing.

Research a local recreational club and go out with a friend. Neither you nor your friend need to be ready to compete with fifteen year veterans your first time out; be able to sustain a rally and you’ll be more than fine.

Watch what other people do and absorb information to improve the quality of your play and your approach to the game. Things to look for include etiquette when playing with strangers, any minor variations in the rules you may have missed as a strictly recreational player, different players’ techniques for warming up and staying loose in between points, and any interesting in-game tactics that you could immediately implement.

A key rule here is to play with strangers: this will give you a feel for how you stack up against a random selection of players a bit more serious than you; it’ll make you learn to respond to different, possibly more polished styles of play and you just might meet some nice who has a few tips to share.

Other advantages to being familiar with a local club include access to new, higher quality equipment, equipment repair opportunities and the possibility of lessons if that interests you.

The last rung on the ladder guiding you to a more competitive level of play is to participate in a tournament.

Local clubs offer those chances if they interest you; tournaments are usually organized by age group and skill level so you’re virtually assured of not being dramatically overmatched right out of the gate.

You should find that many of the tournament players are first-timers like yourself, and after a bit of regular play who knows how you could feel about moving up a competition level or two!

Related Articles:

• Training Correctly for Ultimate Results
• Getting Ready for Tournament Matches
• Getting The Most Out of Practice

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