Effects of Upper Limb Strength Training on Physical Fitness in Table Tennis

Abstract

Introduction: Strength training is the basis for all sports and physical training. Evidence suggests that its benefit may extend to the athlete’s general physical fitness, although few studies refer to the table tennis player. Objective: Study the effect of upper limb strength training on the physical fitness of table tennis players. Methods: Twenty sportsmen from a college were selected and randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group had the addition of an upper limb strength training protocol in their training, while the control group continued with conventional training. The experiment lasted eight weeks, with interventions three times a week, at intervals with a minimum of one day. Results: Specific fitness varied widely between groups: spinning technique in the experimental group increased from 36.66±6.85 per minute before the experiment to 41.03±7.06, P<0.05. In the control group, the turning technique was 61.41±4.73/min to 66.49±4.74/min after the experiment, P>0.05. Conclusion: Complementing the tennis training program with specific upper limb muscle strength training can effectively improve explosive muscle strength in its athletes, substantially increasing physical fitness for table tennis players. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.