Help me create a perfect weekly table tennis workout routine

This user has no status.
This user has no status.
New Member
Apr 2020
2
0
2
Hello everyone. I am pretty new here, but I thought that a good post to benefit everyone would be all banding together to build a routine to aid your table tennis playing. We can't always be at the table, so having a routine for building muscle definition, as well as improving cardiovascular endurance and agility could be useful to do when we can't play. In addition, lots of info can be compiled here so future people could learn from this as well.

I guess to start, what do people think are good exercises for abs, biceps, triceps, upper and lower back, quads, hams, calves, forearms, etc., etc.
My goal is to take all the suggestions from you guys and turn it into a very specific routine with specific weights, reps, and durations.

In addition, assembling useful agility exercises, like jump roping, ladder exercises, as well as things like box jumps. Cycling as well. Also diet!

I understand that in some ways including exact reps and weights for exercises is inherently flawed as different people will be at different stages, so I guess in that case I am looking for a less specific routine. Maybe just a clear rotation of what parts to work on each day and such.

What will it take to get legs like ZJK? What causes that higher level of definition than lets say FZDs quads?

I would list some posts I have read through to start building the routine but I need 5 posts to link other posts haha!
 
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Dec 2010
16,146
17,685
54,747
Read 11 reviews
I suggest you search something like "exercises for table tennis" or things like that. There are at least 30 threads on this subject. I can remember at least 3 that are good. In one, someone posted at least a half a dozen videos of the German National Team working out doing circuit training for TT.
 
Hello everyone. I am pretty new here, but I thought that a good post to benefit everyone would be all banding together to build a routine to aid your table tennis playing. We can't always be at the table, so having a routine for building muscle definition, as well as improving cardiovascular endurance and agility could be useful to do when we can't play. In addition, lots of info can be compiled here so future people could learn from this as well.

I guess to start, what do people think are good exercises for abs, biceps, triceps, upper and lower back, quads, hams, calves, forearms, etc., etc.
My goal is to take all the suggestions from you guys and turn it into a very specific routine with specific weights, reps, and durations.

In addition, assembling useful agility exercises, like jump roping, ladder exercises, as well as things like box jumps. Cycling as well. Also diet!

I understand that in some ways including exact reps and weights for exercises is inherently flawed as different people will be at different stages, so I guess in that case I am looking for a less specific routine. Maybe just a clear rotation of what parts to work on each day and such.

What will it take to get legs like ZJK? What causes that higher level of definition than lets say FZDs quads?

I would list some posts I have read through to start building the routine but I need 5 posts to link other posts haha!

Well, all that may look as a good idea and in some aspects it is, but it can't be done in several posts or even several threads.

For example specific weights, reps and durations depend on many personal specific factors, like personal weight and body mass index, age, condition, etc.
Specific diet also depends on many factors, even on ethnics and religion, and no matter the other factors sometimes the most proper looking may be pocket sensitive or region unavailable. For example the world fattest nation is in Nauru and even Xiom couldn't help them. Though they are very good in weight lifting and wrestling.
And right now there are some easter dietary restrictions and its ramadan.

 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
This user has been banned.
Dec 2020
312
217
883

Well, all that may look as a good idea and in some aspects it is, but it can't be done in several posts or even several threads.

For example specific weights, reps and durations depend on many personal specific factors, like personal weight and body mass index, age, condition, etc.
Specific diet also depends on many factors, even on ethnics and religion, and no matter the other factors sometimes the most proper looking may be pocket sensitive or region unavailable. For example the world fattest nation is in Nauru and even Xiom couldn't help them. Though they are very good in weight lifting and wrestling.
And right now there are some easter dietary restrictions and its ramadan.


The easiest diet to follow is the vegan one obviously, for all those concerns: when you take meat and dairy out of the equation, it becomes cheaper and way more resources are available for most of the peole on the planet. Plus, a vegan diet requires less water consumption, less deforestation, less... pollution, a vegan diet is ALL religions compliant.

So, no restrictions in that case.

Of course, it depends on each individual's metabolism: some people like me with a low endomorph metabolism transform any carbohydrate intake in fat if we don't exercise a lot, or do some intermittent fasting. I know some people with a fast metabolism on the contrary, they can eat anything they want, they won't take a single pound !

In my case I had to cut down carbs, sugars so, means no rice, potatoes, pasta, bread. And high proteins intake. I had to loose weight and bring out the muscles I had under my fat layer everywhere on the body.

For others it can be adding carbs and sugars on the contrary if they want to be able to perform cardio exercises. And also eat a lot of proteins to gain muscles, it happens for tall and skinny people most of the time.

2 examples:
- Jorgen Persson, tall and skinny, obviously ectomorph fast metabolism, his body hasn't change that much now that he's 50+
- JO Waldner, less tall, endomorph low matbolism, in his 1/4 final World Team Championship VS Timo Boll in 2000, you can see he was getting fatty (he changes his shirt after the 2nd game), and it became harder for him to maintain a normal weight.

https://gethealthyu.com/the-3-metabolic-body-types-explained/

There are some basics, but we're not ALL the same of course

 
  • Like
Reactions: doppelganger_LT
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
This user has been banned.
Dec 2020
312
217
883

Well, all that may look as a good idea and in some aspects it is, but it can't be done in several posts or even several threads.

For example specific weights, reps and durations depend on many personal specific factors, like personal weight and body mass index, age, condition, etc.
Specific diet also depends on many factors, even on ethnics and religion, and no matter the other factors sometimes the most proper looking may be pocket sensitive or region unavailable. For example the world fattest nation is in Nauru and even Xiom couldn't help them. Though they are very good in weight lifting and wrestling.
And right now there are some easter dietary restrictions and its ramadan.


The easiest diet to follow is the vegan one obviously, for all those concerns: when you take meat and dairy out of the equation, it becomes cheaper and way more resources are available for most of the peole on the planet. Plus, a vegan diet requires less water consumption, less deforestation, less... pollution, a vegan diet is ALL religions compliant.

So, no restrictions in that case.

Of course, it depends on each individual's metabolism: some people like me with a low endomorph metabolism transform any carbohydrate intake in fat if we don't exercise a lot, or do some intermittent fasting. I know some people with a fast metabolism on the contrary, they can eat anything they want, they won't take a single pound !

In my case I had to cut down carbs, sugars so, means no rice, potatoes, pasta, bread. And high proteins intake. I had to loose weight and bring out the muscles I had under my fat layer everywhere on the body.

For others it can be adding carbs and sugars on the contrary if they want to be able to perform cardio exercises. And also eat a lot of proteins to gain muscles, it happens for tall and skinny people most of the time.

2 examples:
- Jorgen Persson, tall and skinny, obviously ectomorph fast metabolism, his body hasn't change that much now that he's 50+
- JO Waldner, less tall, endomorph low matbolism, in his 1/4 final World Team Championship VS Timo Boll in 2000, you can see he was getting fatty (he changes his shirt after the 2nd game), and it became harder for him to maintain a normal weight.

ZJK to me is an ecto, as Ma Long. On the other hand, FZD is an endomoprh, he's also called "little fatty"... says a lot. So obviously it will be easier for FZD to build strong legs muscles, we endomorph have facilities to build muscles, to gain mass, our problem is getting lean muscles, because of our body fat percentage.

https://gethealthyu.com/the-3-metabolic-body-types-explained/

There are some basics, but we're not ALL the same of course

 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Oct 2016
1,883
1,583
3,807
We really need to know your current level of strength.
also what your goal with tabletennis.

Training should be so specific to the sport as possible but you need general strength to be able to play well and to avoid injury. I think you should try to develop explosive strength and get elasticity. Pure strength will not help you as much since we need to do the motions fast in tabletennis. So look up how to train explosive strength and plyometric training is probably good for tabletennis. You should do as much functional training as possible with the whole body so you at the same time train coordination, balance, mobility and so on.

The strain on the lower extremities like hips and knees are very high and get even higher when doing more demanding exercises so for tabletennis you would focus most on lower extremity and core strength. To heavy tmuscles on the top of the body will make even more strain on the lower part of the extremity. This is the reason why Michael Maze always want to below 70 kg. To avoid to get more injuries.

do not forget mobility and stretching. A short muscle will get injuried more likely. And to short muscles will make it difficult to do all the correct strokes. For example I have been able to stay wider with the legs since doing more stretching. You could also do some strength exercises that do the opposite motion than tabletennis to help for this as well. Since tabletennis is the same motions these muscles can get short so we need to stretch them out and work out the opposite muscles.

You could probably also do some more pure tabletennis exercises like mobility by the table. And also add shadow tabletennis.

I do not know your age and history with physical activity but today’s youth have so bad motor skills since they have not played enough and moved enough as a child so this seriously limit their ability to learn and do the strokes correct. So if this is you, you could benefit from just doing different movements. One more reason why strength training should be functional.

Training is specific. For example If you train for endurance you get endurance so I think you are thinking correctly when try to tweak it.

But do remember that all training is better than none training at all! Always please be aware of overtraining so remember to periodize and rest. Without rest the muscles will not grow. Good luck and keep us updated.
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Apr 2020
269
241
703
My plan would be:

Daily: 20 minutes yoga
10 minutes or more shadow swings in front of a mirror, sometimes half with a weighted bat (normal blade with 4 rubbers glued on for extra weight)
8 minutes abdominal exercises
3 x a week: 20 - 30 minute run
3 x a week: leg strength and speed exercise
Extra: Exercises for balance, skipping, more challenging core strengthening

But of course these things always depend on the individual person and always make sure to consult your doctor or physician😉
 
Top