physical training?

What kind of physical training do you suggest to strengthen legs? Just play more frequently?

My legs are the first to get tired from playing TT.
Especially my calves(cramping), then soreness of the knees and just above knees.

Thanks

Running and skipping ropes.

Ab Ripper X and Plyo-X from the p90X series, that'll get your legs and core in prime condition for table tennis.

Such a weight resistance of body and sandbag is easy to make, easy to understand how to perform, inexpensive, and great for the core where you need it.

twinblock wrote: What kind of physical training do you suggest to strengthen legs? Just play more frequently? My legs are the first to get tired from playing TT. Especially my calves(cramping), then soreness of the knees and just above knees. Thanks

One simple exercise that I find effective (for cardio and legs) is quickly climbing and running down the stairs, repeat a few times, a few times a day... seriously. It can be done anywhere in a taller building.

Seriously, people!  Where are you getting this stuff from?  Are you making it up as you go along, or are you simply repeating the myths spun to you by the TV promotions?

Edited by Tassie52 - 04/19/2014 at 6:38am

Tassie52 wrote: Seriously, people!  Where are you getting this stuff from?  Are you making it up as you go along, or are you simply repeating the myths spun to you by the TV promotions? AbRipper?  You must be kidding.  There is zero evidence of any correlation between core body strength and athletic ability.  Read the work by Thomas Nesser PhD at Indiana State University and abandon ideas put into your heads by TV advertising. Slow distance running?  As a marathon runner with some relatively respectable performances, let me tell you that distance running makes you good at distance running.  It doesn't make you any better at TT. Olympic lifts like squats?  Yes! if you want to be an Olympic weight lifter.  Useless if you want to play a sport where you move rapidly from side to side.  Think about it - you're not meant to be jumping up and down; you're meant to stay down and move laterally. And this one is the best of all: "<span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;">Your knees hurt because your quads (muscles at the front of your thighs) </span><span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;">are 'asleep' - muscles are not warmed up and actively working. Leaving your </span><span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;">knees doing more work than they should."</span> <span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;"> </span> <span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;">In case no-one has noticed, the knees are a hinge.  They don't do "work" in the same way a muscle works.  They bend.  That's all.  Knee pain is not muscle pain.  In fact, the knees can't do anything unless the muscles above and below them are working.</span> <span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;"> </span> <span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;">A number of suggestions here will help you get fit - and that can't be a bad thing.  Go ahead and do some skipping, do some running or even stair climbing.  Being fit (and probably losing some weight) will be good for you overall.  But if you want to develop your table tennis muscles, then do table tennis exercises.</span> <span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;"> </span> <span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;">And BTW, cramping has sod all to do with dehydration.  At least, that's what Kevin Miller PhD the professor at the Athletic Training Program at North Dakota State University says.  But what would he know?  Cramping?  Forget the water: try drinking pickle juice.</span> <span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;"> </span> <span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;"> </span>

Core is absolutely important for table tennis as it is for any sport and just daily functional living. A lot of people think of core as only abdominals but it actually covers multiple muscle groups; some even consider glutes as part of the core. Core provides stability for your entire body. Fh power comes from primarily from leg and core muscles. So no, there are direct correlations between core strength and atheltic abilty. I'm curious to see the article you mention by the Indiana State researcher, you should post it. I agree deep squating with heavy weight wouldn't be incorporated in a table tennis program but squating is absolutely an essential exercise for table tennis players. Think about the position you are in when you play (should be constantly in a squating position). Think about what you do when you lift a ball off under spin just as one example of how explosive motions are involved in table tennis. You are shifting your body weight to one side then exploding upwards and forward shifting most of your weight to your opposite side. If you don't think explosive motion exercises like jumping as you mentioned, don't correlate to movements in table tennis, you clearly have a poor understanding of biomechanics involved in TT.

Also, cranestyle is correct in a sense although he shouldn't be trying to diagnose someones knee pain over the internet. If your quads are not firing correctly your knees will be overcompensating for this weakness. Although saying that is the reason your knees are hurting is generalizing. There are many possible reasons for his knee pain, and saying "your knees are hurting because...." is misguided.

Edited by Entering_ripcity - 04/19/2014 at 11:28am

Physical training!? What the hell is that!? ONLY EQUIPMENT MATTERS!!!!!
WRONG FORUM to ask this question!!! >:(

Tassie52 wrote: Seriously, people!  Where are you getting this stuff from?  Are you making it up as you go along, or are you simply repeating the myths spun to you by the TV promotions? AbRipper?  You must be kidding.  There is zero evidence of any correlation between core body strength and athletic ability.  Read the work by Thomas Nesser PhD at Indiana State University and abandon ideas put into your heads by TV advertising. Slow distance running?  As a marathon runner with some relatively respectable performances, let me tell you that distance running makes you good at distance running.  It doesn't make you any better at TT. Olympic lifts like squats?  Yes! if you want to be an Olympic weight lifter.  Useless if you want to play a sport where you move rapidly from side to side.  Think about it - you're not meant to be jumping up and down; you're meant to stay down and move laterally. And this one is the best of all: "Your knees hurt because your quads (muscles at the front of your thighs) are 'asleep' - muscles are not warmed up and actively working. Leaving your knees doing more work than they should." In case no-one has noticed, the knees are a hinge.  They don't do "work" in the same way a muscle works.  They bend.  That's all.  Knee pain is not muscle pain.  In fact, the knees can't do anything unless the muscles above and below them are working. A number of suggestions here will help you get fit - and that can't be a bad thing.  Go ahead and do some skipping, do some running or even stair climbing.  Being fit (and probably losing some weight) will be good for you overall.  But if you want to develop your table tennis muscles, then do table tennis exercises. And BTW, cramping has sod all to do with dehydration.  At least, that's what Kevin Miller PhD the professor at the Athletic Training Program at North Dakota State University says.  But what would he know?  Cramping?  Forget the water: try drinking pickle juice.

Edited by V-Griper - 04/19/2014 at 11:56am

JacekGM wrote: One simple exercise that I find effective (for cardio and legs) is quickly climbing and running down the stairs, repeat a few times, a few times a day... seriously. It can be done anywhere in a taller building.

Better than climbing stairs he can come to my 5 acre property and weedeat my 35 degree slope.  I'll even provide the Weedeater. 

Climbing upstairs (better with some weight added in ruck) is GREAT, but take the elevator down. Going downstairs places 10X more strain on knees/joints.

When did squats and deadlifts become "Olympic" lifts???

FOREWORD:
my present advice is for real sporty men only.
Lazy beery people is free to reject my hint and you had better go and crush a beer mug dry., Yes.

ADVICE:
some Yoga assana's may help, mild.
Go and take some yoga lessons.