Coaching Tips of the Week: Blowing Ball in Air

We’re going to have a little fun this week. There’s more to table tennis than just going to the table and relentlessly trying to win. There’s also the fun part! And next to lobbing, the funnest thing I do in table tennis is blowing the ball in the air. I know, because it’s often what I’m asked to demonstrate more than anything else!!!

First, learn to do it straight up. To do this, face straight up. (In the video, I’m facing somewhat sideways, but you can’t start that way.) Hold the ball a few inches from your mouth. Blow gently, and then release the ball. The key is to find the right distance and how hard you blow the ball, so that when you release the ball, it doesn’t shoot up or down – it just stays where you let it go. If you don’t get this right, and the ball goes up or down as you release it, you’ll lose control. You’ll notice from the video that I started blowing first, and when I released the ball, it barely moved.

So . . . get practicing! When you can do it, show it to me (and everyone else) at a tournament!