, also called table tennis machine, or ball machine, is sports equipment which is placed on top of the table, or behind the table using a separate stand or rack. The ball machine automatically serves balls toward the other half of the table. This takes place with varying settings, such as speed, type of spin, direction, frequency, etc. Whether or not such a table tennis robot makes sense, what pros and cons must be considered, or whether a robot can substitute a human training partner or not ... all this will be discussed in this article. Have fun reading through!
Table tennis robots - basics and properties
Ping pong robots are generally appropriate for many different requirements in terms of gaming levels. No matter if you are a beginner or an advanced player - thanks to an advanced technology, many different settings are possible. Hence, also advanced players and even pros will definitely sweat! This is not only because of settings with respect to spin, speed, direction, etc. Also, complete exercises can be programmed.
Table tennis machines are often placed at the end of the table, right in the middle. They particularly make sense when they are equipped with a net which catches and collects the balls. This prevents the long search for the balls afterwards. If not included in the offer yet, these nets can also be ordered separately. Some robots are not only equipped with a net, but also with a recycling ball system (automated ball return). This means that the balls are collected by the net, and automatically returned toward the head of the robot allowing for a continuous, nonstop training. This feature, however, is only common in relatively expensive robots.
Table tennis machines consist of the following major components:
- Head: The head serves the balls toward the player located at the opposite half of the table. For this, many settings are possible, such as the interval of ball serves (serving frequency), speed, spin (topspin, backspin, sidespin, ...), oscillating positions, and so forth.
- Net: The net serves to collect balls which the player returns. Such nets are very easily and quickly assembled and taken down. If not inclueded in the offer yet, we highly recommend to buy a net as well. Additionally, some robots exhibit an automated ball return system which guides these balls back to the robot. Hence, a continuous training is possible.
- Control Unit: The control units of TT robots are commonly digital and structured very clearly. Usually, there are various languages available. A simple and easy to understand menu navigation is very important. As already mentioned, some robots contain pre-programmed exercises. Sometimes, individually compiled exercises may also be created and saved. To make and change settings, many robots provide a remote control which is very handy.
Table tennis robots - Do I still need a human training partner?
The above mentioned properties sound, to be honest, quite good, isn´t it? Can a
ping pong machine really replace a partner of flesh and blood? What are the pros of such a robot in terms of basics of coaching and conditioning? Well, one thing is certain: Implementing a
table tennis robot in your training sessions (especially during, but not only limited to, the summer season), provides a beneficial addition and supplement compared to the "normal" training with human beings.
Such a training is very similar to using ball buckles: The coach plays the balls in a highly repeated manner, or with certain variations, over and over again, and the player has to return. Using
table tennis robots, however, enables higher frequencies which is particularly interesting for advanced players and pros. Balls are also collected via the net (if present) and nobody needs to manually pick them up from the floor. This saves energy and time! Another advantage is that during the robot training, the coach has now enough time to watch and analyze your game, from any position. These points allow for a better focus on the exercises and techniques. Thanks to the advanced technology, the training with ball machines is not rigid and boring anymore: The settings enable a highly variable structure of the training, no matter what gaming level you are in. When exercising with robots, endurance and footwork (legwork) can specifically be trained. For this reason, please always consider sufficient breaks to recover. Also of importance: When playing with a human being, one can or should - based on his/her movement of the arm, hand, and bat - assess the spin and speed of the incoming ball. This, in turn, is very important to act appropriately and the whole process has to be practiced. However, this is not possible when training with a
TT robot! Therefore, a robot never entirely replaces a human being. A robot is an addition, a supplement, never forget that.
In summary, table tennis robots are a clever addition to your table tennis training, and worth a true recommendation. However, they never entirely replace a human training partner!
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