Any Tips on getting definition in right arm like Zhang Jike?

Use a light hand weight, something like 5-15 lbs (2.5-7 kg), a weight that you could do 30-40 reps straight without having to stop, and do as many curls as you can in one set until your arms get tired to the point where you cannot do the curls any more. Repeat several times. Then do the same thing with tricep extensions. Use a slightly heavier weight (10-30lbs/ 4.5-14kg) for shoulder presses and do the same thing, then do the same thing with the same weight for bench press.

Low weight, high repetitions gives you more definition. It also does not hurt to have a low percentage of body fat so that the definition can be seen.

His arm is that large from resistance training and short game drills. Flicks and Chinese Blocks all use the forehand to transfer energy into the ball. That can provide definition. Obviously weights can help, but if you're below the 2000 rating level in the U.S. weights will screw with your technique so it's not that recommended. If however you're above there then by all means go for it.

Carl Horowitz said:

Use a light hand weight, something like 5-15 lbs (2.5-7 kg), a weight that you could do 30-40 reps straight without having to stop, and do as many curls as you can in one set until your arms get tired to the point where you cannot do the curls any more. Repeat several times. Then do the same thing with tricep extensions. Use a slightly heavier weight (10-30lbs/ 4.5-14kg) for shoulder presses and do the same thing, then do the same thing with the same weight for bench press.

Low weight, high repetitions gives you more definition. It also does not hurt to have a low percentage of body fat so that the definition can be seen.

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Great answer, Carl! Have you done a lot of free weight training? I found it interesting that the OP didn't ask how he could play like ZJ, but how he could get the same forearm definition. Maybe posing becomes more important than performance at some point. :-D

Alan Williams said:

Great answer, Carl! Have you done a lot of free weight training? I found it interesting that the OP didn't ask how he could play like ZJ, but how he could get the same forearm definition. Maybe posing becomes more important than performance at some point. :-D

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Yep, the original question was, how can you get definition like ZJK. That was the question I answered. I should have added reverse flys for the upper back. Pull downs for the lats would be good too. If the question was, how can I learn to play like ZJK I would not be able to answer that question adequately. But I sure would love to be able to play like him.

I teach Yoga, but feel it is part of my job to know how the body works. I like using my body in lots of different ways so I use weights some of the time. But I do some kind of working out aside from the table tennis training I do, 7 days a week. So I am always using my body.

Also, I don't know that the amount of weight I mentioned for the exercises I mentioned for getting definition would get in the way of someone's ability to improve at table tennis. But one thing I have found is that, abdominal work helps my game a lot.

Spot on Carl!! Less weight, higher reps. Aerobics with resistance...

I suppose you could get the same definition if you trained 40 hours a week: easy as hell

Oh Sang Uhn's father is reputed to have made him do sets of wrist curls to build his forearm to get that explosive BH potential. Reputedly started him out doing this young. I prefer heavier weight and 8-10 reps for power to develop mass then later more reps per set when muscles grow.

A side not, take a look at our TT athletes' upper legs. Explosive polymetrics as part of the normal routine training of the combination footwork drills account for this.

Oh Sang at a young age was above the U.S. 2000 level though der_echte So yes if you have the technique down that is one of the quickest ways to gain definition in the forearm.

Mr. RicharD said:

Oh Sang at a young age was above the U.S. 2000 level though der_echte So yes if you have the technique down that is one of the quickest ways to gain definition in the forearm.

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Why do you so persistently think that getting in good shape by other way than just playing table tennis would make your technique suffer?
The way I look at it, the better shape you are the better you can practise because with good stamina you can train longer time at full power. And thats what you get with light weights and many reps; stamina.
And if you have strong legs you get more power to your shots and you're in place for your shots quicker and more often, which leads to using better technique instead of cramped or overstretched arm.
And defining that Usatt 2000 rating as some kind of a milestone that devides all the players in two categories isn't convincing at all. Like it's some kind of a border that changes a player dramatically when crossed. I'm sure many players below that rating have better technique than those above it, ratings don't really tell anything but whether a player is likely to win another player according to his/her previous performance against other rated players.

Here I come when is about building muscle lol... In practical, there is no specific/definite way that just only do some specific training to get the arm like zjk or any athlete. It still related to your body fat. Lower body fat equal to less fat cover around your muscle.

So, to get that kind of arm, you need to get a some what good and quite a correct workout routine and a good diet (most important).

JustAlt said:

Why do you so persistently think that getting in good shape by other way than just playing table tennis would make your technique suffer?
The way I look at it, the better shape you are the better you can practise because with good stamina you can train longer time at full power. And thats what you get with light weights and many reps; stamina.
And if you have strong legs you get more power to your shots and you're in place for your shots quicker and more often, which leads to using better technique instead of cramped or overstretched arm.
And defining that Usatt 2000 rating as some kind of a milestone that devides all the players in two categories isn't convincing at all. Like it's some kind of a border that changes a player dramatically when crossed. I'm sure many players below that rating have better technique than those above it, ratings don't really tell anything but whether a player is likely to win another player according to his/her previous performance against other rated players.

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Amen. Because 2000 can be crossed in either direction. There are plenty of former US National Team members with ratings now falling below 2000. Being over 70 will do that to you. Their technique is not flawed, but their reflexes and eyesight have diminished.

It is dangerous to make blanket statements about what is 'proper' training and conditioning and at what point a wannabe table tennis star should or could add free weight workouts to their routine. I am certainly skeptical that working with weights will somehow destroy technique you have already mastered. The only caveat I have ever heard re:weight lifting that I agree with is that POWERLIFTING is ill-advised for children under 12. There is a possibility of damaging the growing ends of the long bones when moving onto really heavy weights too young. And by too heavy I mean 200 pounds or more, far more than you'd use for wrist curls or ankleweights for running.

I think you make good sense, a well-conditioned athlete can excel at table tennis and fitness transfers very well between sports of all kinds. Top Table Tennis players, to me, most resemble hurdlers in their combination of coordination, speed, power and body form.

However, one thing with weight training is, that, if you over do it, or use higher weights to gain bulk you can slow yourself down a little. You get stronger but you are mostly strengthening slow twitch muscles and this does not help your bat speed in your stroke. So for your stroke, there is a point in there somewhere. The weight I suggested should not slow someone down to an extent where it would interfere with their game or their bat speed. And some people will not care that weight training can slow their bat speed a little (I know many people who play Table Tennis for fitness rather than for competitive reasons), and you do get stronger and in some version of better shape from weight training.

I totally agree with Carl.

Whilst your aim is to improve muscle size, you have to think about muscle memory..... This is one of the reasons top players have their level of consistency and can execute shots.

Bigger muscles through heavier training weights are likely to reduce motion and likewise mean a retraining of the muscle memory.

So therefore greater reps on lighter weights will provide more tone rather than general bulk. Bulk will, as the word suggests, because bulk and require further training.

I would say that you should try yoga, use a resistance band and a powerball.

Steve

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