June 12, 2023 - Accelerate Through the Ball for Power

Mike Tyson once said, "I tried to punch his nose bone into his brain." That's a rather graphic way of showing how to maximize power as well as killer instinct. (That's a separate issue.) But it is one of the reasons why he had such power. In boxing, they tell you to punch through the target. This forces you to accelerate your fist through the target, thereby maximizing power.

The principle is the same in table tennis. When you are looping or smashing, don't think of hitting the ball; think of accelerating through the ball. If you just hit the ball, then you lose much of this natural power. Don't try to spastically "muscle" the ball; it should be a smooth acceleration through the ball, leading to "natural power."

And if you want to add in some killer instinct, smack the ball so it goes right through the table! That way you not only get power . . . but you make sure it actually hits the table.