The Ready Position of Table Tennis
Updated: Feb 23, 2023
Layla Sun (Translated by Kyra Tsen)
“Why does my ready position look awkward?”
“Why is it always different from professional players?”
“What's the difference?”
And...is this a big deal? Believe it or not, many beginners overlook the essence and importance of the ready position. Some people would just think of it as the posture before a player receives a serve. Is this all it is?
Of course not! Read the full text, and you will discover the secrets of the ready position😊
The Ready Position
The ready position actually requires practice and discipline, just like serving, forehand, backhand, or other techniques. The table tennis ready position can be divided into four steps:
Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, with your arms out in front of your body (around the chest), as shown in Figure 1.
Your knees should be bent slightly, but not too much, to keep flexible. Have your non-playing foot slightly further forward (about half of the forefoot) than your playing foot, as shown in Figure 2.
Lower your center of gravity by pushing your hips back. Make sure your center of gravity is stable and not too low as this will affect your starting speed for your next movement.
Lean your upper body forward and keep your back straight. Keep the angle of the knee at around 100°, and the distance between your body and the table about one forearm, as shown in Figure 3.
PS: The demonstrated posture can still be adjusted according to individual differences such as the height of the person.
Table Tennis Ready Position (German Table Tennis Player: Timo Boll)
Lessons from the Hip Hinge Posture
A Good Posture
If you have difficulty preparing a good ready position, here's a practice which will help you improve!
The ready position of table tennis is in fact closely related to the hip hinge posture, as they are both dominated by the hips. There are several key points relevant to a good hip hinge. Look at your posture in front of the mirror, and try to correct your posture using the right muscle.
Lower abdomen contracted. Pull your midsection towards your back and keep your torso straight.
Hips back, not down. Stand up and drive your hips back, as if you are sitting on an invisible chair behind you. As your hips move back, your knees will bend slightly. To ensure doing the right posture in this step, look at your hips in the mirror, which should be pointing to the backside of your body.
Knees slightly bent. The knees and toes of the feet are facing forward. Avoid pointing your toes inwards or outwards.
Back straight. Do not let your chest collapse or round your shoulders and droop forwards.
Arms and head in line with spine. Extend upward.
Demonstration of a Good Hip Hinge
A Bad Posture
Here we also list the common mistakes of the hip hinge posture. Make sure you do not make these mistakes.
Hunchback (or round back). Round back is a common symptom of abdominal muscle weakness.
Shoulder/neck tension. Tension and tightness in your neck and shoulders is a common symptom of stress and anxiety.
Knock knee (knee bent inward due to muscle weakness).
Toes pointed inwards (pigeon-toed) may be the result of muscle tightness in the outer thigh and muscle weakness on the inner thigh.
Hips down. If you let your hips droop down instead of pushing them to the back, it may increase the burden on your lower body and slow down your footwork and movement.
Demonstration of a Bad Hip Hinge
Ready Positions of Different Sports
Almost every sport has an athletic ready position, and in general there are similarities. Take a look at the pictures below, and prepare a perfect ready position like a professional athlete from now on!
Ready Positions of Different Sports
How Important Is It Really?
The ready position is the starting position for all shots. Either you are serving or receiving, it allows us to transition from one shot to the next. It must be comfortable and just right. A better ready position will give you a faster step, a smoother transition, and a more precise approach to each ball. Although it is the most basic skill it is also an important skill for every table tennis player. Have you noticed this secret?
The devil is in the detail!
…I mean, God is in the detail 💖
