Hi JoudaCZ,
Yes it can be really frustrating when you feel you can’t play your best because your body is aching and you are in pain. I’ve had a tennis elbow type issue for a while and other aches and pains in the past too. Match play is for sure when it gets worse as there is more strain and unexpected movements and that little extra effort on every shot like you said.
We will definitely add some upper body strength exercises in the near future, we’ll doe some resistance band ones and also other drills you can follow at home to give you some exercises that will help. I think the best exercises for table tennis aren’t heavy weights but more body weight drills like press ups etc and also resistance bands as you can kind of mimic the action of shots but with a little force resistance. These type of drill also but less stress on the body compared to heavy weight lifting which some people do.
My other advice before we create a video on this topic would be to maybe identify if there is a reason in your technique that could be causing extra stress and strain on the shoulder and upper arm that could be changed slightly to make it easier on your arm. We’d be happy to have a look at a video of you playing and see if there is anything that might help save energy and maybe reduce the aching afterwards. We’ll work on those videos too so hopefully have them on the Academy soon!
