Top 10 Mistakes Amateur Table Tennis Players Make (And How to Fix Them)
Table tennis is one of the fastest, most technical racket sports in the world — and while it may look simple from the outside, there’s a reason even casual players hit a skill ceiling fast. Whether you're struggling to win club matches or just want to stop making silly errors, chances are you're making a few of the classic amateur mistakes.
Let’s break down the top 10 mistakes most amateur players make — and how to fix them today.
1. Gripping the Paddle Too Tightly
The mistake: Often Table tennis players hold the paddle with with a dead solid grip, resulting lack of wrist mobility and reaction time.
The fix: Loosen your grip! Think of holding your paddle like holding a small bird: firm enough that it doesn’t fly away, but gentle enough not to crush it. A relaxed grip improves spin, feel, and touch.
2. Standing Too Close to the Table
The mistake: Hugging the table may help with net balls, but it destroys your ability to react to deeper shots or loops.
The fix: Stand about an arm’s length behind the table. This gives you space to move and time to react.
3. Poor Footwork or No Footwork
The mistake: Standing flat-footed or only using your arm to reach balls.
The fix: Always stay on the balls of your feet. Use short side-to-side shuffle steps. Practice footwork drills like “shadow forehand-backhand” for 5 minutes daily.
4. Only Practicing Forehand or Backhand
The mistake: Focusing on your strong side and ignoring your weak side.
The fix: For every 10 minutes you practice your forehand, spend at least 5 minutes on your backhand (or vice versa). Balance is key to being match-ready.
5. Ignoring Spin
The mistake: Beginners often hit as if spin doesn’t exist — but it absolutely does.
The fix: Learn to read your opponent’s spin by watching their paddle angle and follow-through. Practice returning underspin and topspin separately. Use multiball or robot drills if possible.
6. Using Inappropriate Equipment
The mistake: Playing with dead or low-quality paddles that limit control or generate random bounce.
The fix: Use an allround paddle with good control and moderate speed — ideally with ITTF-approved rubbers. Steer clear of toy paddles or overly fast blades early on.
Need help choosing a better paddle? Check our guide: [How to choose the TT blade in 2025]
7. Serving Without Purpose
The mistake: Toss, hit, repeat—same spin, same placement, every time.
The fix: Vary your serves. Add backspin, sidespin, and no-spin options. Change depth and angles. Always think: What return do I want from this serve?
8. Not Recovering After a Shot
The mistake: Watching your own shot or freezing after hitting the ball.
The fix: Immediately return to your ready position (usually a neutral stance near the table center). Recovering quickly prepares you for the next ball.
9. Playing to Win Every Rally Instead of Building Points
The mistake: Trying to hit a winner on every shot.
The fix: Build the point with placement, control, and spin. Only attack when you’re in position and the ball is attackable. But attack-based games are recommended after practice and when you start avoiding these mistakes.
Understand why offensive players prefer offensive TT blades.
10. Getting Too Emotional
The mistake: Getting frustrated, slamming paddles, or giving up after a few lost points.
The fix: Breathe. Reset mentally between points. Table tennis is fast-paced—the best players move on from mistakes instantly.
Final Thoughts
Fixing these 10 mistakes isn’t about perfection—it’s about awareness and slow, steady improvement.
Every player makes them. The difference between casual and competitive players is that the latter identify and correct them early.