Get to know the game

Start with how the sport works — the basic rules and how it is scored. A few minutes here saves confusion later.

Milestone: You can explain the aim of the game, its basic rules and how it is scored.

Lessons

Rule

Let

A call that stops a point and has it replayed without penalty, used across several racket sports.

Scoring system

Table tennis scoring

Table tennis is scored on every rally to 11 points per game, won by two clear points, over a best-of odd number of games.

Quick check: Get to know the game

1. Which of these is a core skill in Table Tennis?
RallyingQuadricepsHamstringsGlutes
2. In sport, what does “Backhand” mean?
An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.The tree-shaped chart that maps who plays whom in a knockout tournament and how winners advance to the final.A short verbal message between players during play, such as calling for the ball or warning a teammate.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Read the basic rules and how scoring works
Watch a few minutes of real play
Explain the aim of the game to someone else

Common mistakes

• Trying to play before you understand how a point is won
• Skipping the rules and picking up misconceptions

Practice goals

◎ Explain the object of the game in one sentence
◎ Follow a full point or passage of play without confusion

2

What you’ll need

The essential equipment, and the kind of place you’ll play. Most sports need far less to get started than people expect.

Milestone: You know what equipment you need to start and the kind of place the sport is played.

Lessons

Equipment

Table tennis bat

A small wooden blade covered with rubber used to hit the ball in table tennis.

Quick check: What you’ll need

1. In sport, what does “Backhand” mean?
An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.The tree-shaped chart that maps who plays whom in a knockout tournament and how winners advance to the final.A short verbal message between players during play, such as calling for the ball or warning a teammate.
2. In sport, what does “Match Point” mean?
A pass delivered while the passer looks in another direction to deceive defenders about its destination.An attacking racket stroke played by swinging above head height to strike a descending ball steeply downward into the opponent's court.A point which, if won by the leading player or side, wins the entire match.An informal term for a highly defensive approach where a team commits nearly all its players to protecting its own goal.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Identify the essential equipment
Borrow or buy entry-level gear
Check any venue equipment rules

Common mistakes

• Overspending on advanced gear before you know you’ll continue
• Ignoring fit and safety in favour of looks

Practice goals

◎ Turn up with everything you need to play
◎ Know what each essential item is for

3

Learn the core skills

The fundamental skills the sport is built on. These are what to practise first — everything else builds on them.

Milestone: You can name the core skills and know which ones to practise first.

Lessons

Skill

Serving

The skill of putting the ball or shuttle into play to start a point or rally.

Skill

Returning serve

The skill of reading and playing back an opponent’s serve to stay in the rally.

Skill

Rallying

The skill of exchanging shots back and forth to build and win a point.

Quick check: Learn the core skills

1. In sport, what does “Backhand” mean?
An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.The tree-shaped chart that maps who plays whom in a knockout tournament and how winners advance to the final.A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.A short verbal message between players during play, such as calling for the ball or warning a teammate.
2. In sport, what does “Motor Learning” mean?
A rule that penalises an attacking player for being in an illegal forward position when the ball is played to them.Padded protective equipment worn on the body or limbs, whose form varies widely from cricket leg guards to ice-hockey goaltender pads.A direct shot at goal from a marked spot, awarded for a serious foul committed inside the defending team’s penalty area.The process by which practice and experience produce relatively permanent improvements in the ability to perform a movement skill.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Name the core skills
Practise the two or three that matter most first
Get feedback on one skill

Common mistakes

• Chasing flashy skills before the fundamentals are solid
• Practising without any feedback loop

Practice goals

◎ Perform the core skills at a basic, repeatable level
◎ Know which skill to work on next

4

Build your technique

How specific movements and shots are performed. Learn these once the basics feel comfortable, one at a time.

Milestone: You understand how the key techniques are performed and when they are used.

Lessons

Technique

Table Tennis Forehand Drive

A controlled attacking stroke in table tennis, played on the forehand side with a compact swing and light topspin.

Quick check: Build your technique

1. In sport, what does “Backhand” mean?
An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.The tree-shaped chart that maps who plays whom in a knockout tournament and how winners advance to the final.A short verbal message between players during play, such as calling for the ball or warning a teammate.A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.
2. In sport, what does “Playing the percentages” mean?
A strategy of consistently choosing the option most likely to succeed rather than a lower-probability, higher-reward play.Moving up from a lower division to a higher one, usually earned by finishing near the top of the table or winning a play-off.The tightness at which a racket's strings are strung, usually measured in pounds or kilograms, which shapes the balance between power and control.A second-chance round that lets some competitors beaten earlier still qualify for the medal stages.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Break a key technique into its steps
Practise it slowly before adding speed
Film or check your form

Common mistakes

• Adding power or speed before the movement is grooved
• Copying a pro’s style without the underlying basics

Practice goals

◎ Perform a key technique with sound, safe form
◎ Self-correct one common fault

5

Understand tactics & strategy

How the game is actually played and thought about — the tactics and bigger-picture strategy that turn skills into a game.

Milestone: You can follow how the game is played tactically, not just physically.

Lessons

Strategy

Playing the percentages

Favouring the higher-probability, lower-risk option most of the time to cut out unforced errors, while recognising when a calculated risk is worth taking.

Quick check: Understand tactics & strategy

1. In sport, what does “Backhand” mean?
A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.The tree-shaped chart that maps who plays whom in a knockout tournament and how winners advance to the final.A short verbal message between players during play, such as calling for the ball or warning a teammate.
2. In sport, what does “Reaction Time” mean?
A cricket batting shot in which the batter reverses their hands to sweep the ball to the opposite side from a normal sweep.The interval between the appearance of a stimulus and the start of a deliberate movement made in response to it.A move where a player legally positions their body to block or obstruct an opponent, creating space or an advantage for a teammate.In training, a set is a group of consecutive repetitions of an exercise performed before resting.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Learn one simple tactic or pattern
Watch how better players use space and timing
Try the tactic in a low-pressure game

Common mistakes

• Learning tactics before you can execute the skills
• Copying complex strategy without understanding why

Practice goals

◎ Apply one tactic deliberately in a game
◎ Explain why a common tactic works

6

Train your body for it

The physical qualities the sport asks for, and ways to build them. Educational — not a personalised plan.

Milestone: You know which physical qualities the sport asks for and, in general terms, how they are built.

Lessons

Physical quality

Speed

How quickly you can move your body or a part of it from one point to another.

Physical quality

Coordination

Getting your body parts to work together smoothly and accurately, often with what you see.

Physical quality

Reaction time

How quickly you respond to something you see, hear or feel.

Quick check: Train your body for it

1. In sport, what does “Backhand” mean?
An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.The tree-shaped chart that maps who plays whom in a knockout tournament and how winners advance to the final.A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.A short verbal message between players during play, such as calling for the ball or warning a teammate.
2. In sport, what does “Reaction Time” mean?
A cricket batting shot in which the batter reverses their hands to sweep the ball to the opposite side from a normal sweep.A move where a player legally positions their body to block or obstruct an opponent, creating space or an advantage for a teammate.In training, a set is a group of consecutive repetitions of an exercise performed before resting.The interval between the appearance of a stimulus and the start of a deliberate movement made in response to it.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Identify the physical qualities the sport asks for
Add one simple conditioning habit
Warm up and recover properly

Common mistakes

• Training hard with no recovery
• Ignoring the qualities the sport actually demands

Practice goals

◎ Build one relevant physical quality over time
◎ Train consistently without overdoing it

Course knowledge check

Test what you’ve learned across the whole course. Every option is a real fact from the knowledge graph.

Learn Table Tennis

Before you start

Get to know the game

Lessons

Quick check: Get to know the game

Practice checklist

Common mistakes

Practice goals

What you’ll need

Lessons

Quick check: What you’ll need

Practice checklist

Common mistakes

Practice goals

Learn the core skills

Lessons

Quick check: Learn the core skills

Practice checklist

Common mistakes

Practice goals

Build your technique

Lessons

Quick check: Build your technique

Practice checklist

Common mistakes

Practice goals

Understand tactics & strategy

Lessons

Quick check: Understand tactics & strategy

Practice checklist

Common mistakes

Practice goals

Train your body for it

Lessons

Quick check: Train your body for it

Practice checklist

Common mistakes

Practice goals

Course knowledge check

Table Tennis knowledge check

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