When I first picked up a table tennis paddle while I was in the U.S. Navy in 2001, I learned I actually had an advantage: I had played tennis for a year in high school. Sure, I wasn't that great at it, but it was good fun and exercise at the same time.

The reason I had an advantage was because some of the simplest table tennis strokes and spins put on the ball are the same ones used on the tennis court with a racket and tennis ball. The only difference is the size of the arena the game is being played.

My favorite stroke, or shot, is the topspin shot. It can be deadly to an opponent if used correctly or totally off the mark if used poorly. The ball must be hit just as it is reaches its pinnacle of height after it bounces. Whether your opponent hits a topspin, backspin, slice, or any other shot will determine where the ball will be hit on the table, but not at what point you should hit the ball. Remember, always hit the ball when it is at its highest point.

In order to make the ball have topspin, all you have to do is graze the top of the ball with the paddle. Don't hit the ball too low or it may miss the table, and don't aim too high or you may miss it altogether, making yourself look foolish. Don't worry, though; everybody has whiffed once or twice.

In order to hit the top of the ball correctly, think of it like peeling a potato. You want to just get the top layer off. It isn't about taking the ball apart in chunks.

Your arm should start off by your side, at almost a 25 degree angle, with your elbow straight. When the ball hits your side of the table, begin to swing your arm forward. When your elbow is almost perfectly aligned with your chest, with your wrist facing away from our body, quickly snap your arm in toward your body, flipping your wrist over at the same time.

If performed correctly, you should be able to catch your hand with the paddle in it with your other hand just as it aligns with your opposite shoulder. Always follow through with your shot. That is imperative, and it teaches your body muscle control.

The topspin shot can be used anywhere on the table, and it can be a hard-hitting shot or a soft one. Either way, it should always be in a table tennis player's mind. Always look for that next shot, and always remember to follow through.

Other shots, like backspin, slice, and drop shots, believe it or not, are all quite easy once the topspin is mastered. It is possibly the most difficult spin to put on a ball, but it is also the deadliest.

Learn more about this author, Nathan Walters.
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