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How to Film Your Table Tennis: Phone Setup for Reviewing Your Technique

After a tough match you watch the video back, but you are tiny in the frame, half your swing is cut off, and you still cannot tell what went wrong. A few small changes to how you film make your own movement far easier to see.

Updated 2026-10-18

Why filming matters

You cannot see your own body while you play. That is why comments like 'your elbow is dropping' or 'you are hitting late' are hard to feel. Watching yourself from the outside lets you confirm them with your own eyes.

The other reason is comparison. Film from the same spot at the same distance and you start to see the difference between last week and this week, or between good days and bad days. If you have a coach, you can also share sessions they did not attend.

Table Tennis AI Coach (TTAIC) reads the positions of your joints (a pose skeleton) from your video and turns swings and movement into numbers. The clearer the video, the more useful the app's observations. Everything on this page works just as well if you only want to review footage yourself.

Filming essentials

  1. Any angle, but the same spot every timeFront, behind, side or diagonal all work. What matters is filming the clips you want to compare from the same position, distance and height.
  2. Fix the phone on a tripod or chairHand-held footage shakes, and camera movement becomes impossible to separate from body movement. No tripod? Leaning the phone against a chair or shelf is enough.
  3. Head to toe, including the full swingKeep your whole body and the end of your follow-through in frame. For drills with side-to-side movement, step the camera back so your full range stays in shot.
  4. Bright light, no backlightA player standing in front of a window or bright light turns into a silhouette. Choose an angle where the light is behind the camera.
  5. Record at 60fpsFast swings lose detail at 30 frames per second. The app records at 60fps and reads pose at 30 frames per second.

Common filming mistakes

What you seeThe player is tiny in the frame

WhyThe camera is placed far away to fit the whole table in.

FixMove closer until the player fills at least half the frame height. Use different setups for whole-match footage and for technique review.

What you seeFeet or racket cut off

WhyThe camera points too high or sits too close.

FixBefore recording, take your ready position and shadow a stroke, then check that head, feet and full follow-through are all in frame.

What you seeThe player overlaps with someone else

WhyThe opponent or a player on the next table passes between the camera and the player.

FixRaise the camera slightly or shift it sideways. Ideally the only people moving in the frame are the player and their opponent.

What you seeDark, blurry footage

WhyWeak hall lighting or shooting into the light.

FixPick a brighter table or turn so the light is behind the camera. Dim footage blurs fast movement and lowers reading quality.

What the app needs, and what lowers accuracy

The app reads joint positions from your video and turns them into measures such as wrist speed, body-rotation timing, elbow angle, knee bend and recovery after each shot. So the most important thing is that the player's joints are clearly visible.

Video is analysed on your device. Nothing is sent to a server unless you consent, and you can withdraw consent at any time. Audio is not used.

Different camera positions make different things easier to see. From behind, body rotation and side-to-side movement stand out; from the side, contact point and forward lean are clearer. Pick a position that suits what you want to check, then keep using it.

What it looks at

  • The player's whole body is clearly visible
  • The phone is fixed and does not move while recording
  • The scene is bright and the player stands out from the background
  • The clip is recorded at 60fps

What it can't do

  • Dark halls, backlight and camera shake reduce reading quality
  • Moments where two bodies overlap, or the table, net or other people hide the player, are hard to read
  • Pose is read at 30 frames per second, so each frame spans about 33 milliseconds
  • Ball spin and placement cannot be read from a pose skeleton

Filming step by step

How to film a practice session

5 min ・ You need: Phone、Tripod, phone stand or chair

  1. Decide one thing you want to check, for example forehand contact point or recovery after footwork.
  2. Place the phone where that is easiest to see and fix it on a tripod or chair.
  3. Take your ready position and shadow a stroke to confirm that head, feet and full follow-through are in frame.
  4. Start recording and play about 20 seconds of rally with the same stroke.
  5. Mark the camera spot so you can film from exactly the same place next time.

How to film a match

5 min ・ You need: Phone、Tripod or phone stand、Charger or power bank

  1. Check that your opponent is happy to be filmed. At tournaments, follow the event's filming rules.
  2. Place the phone behind your own end line, in line with the centre of the table and slightly raised.
  3. Check that the whole table, your full body and your opponent's upper body are in frame.
  4. Do not move the phone during the match, and choose a table where the lighting stays constant.
  5. Before starting, make sure you have enough battery and storage.

FAQ

Can I use video filmed from the side?

Yes. There is no fixed camera position, so front, behind, side and diagonal all work. Each angle has its strengths: the side shows contact point and forward lean well, while behind shows body rotation and lateral movement.

I do not have a tripod. What can I use?

Leaning your phone against a chair, shelf or ball box is enough. What matters is that it does not move while recording. Choose a spot where stray balls are unlikely to knock it over.

Is my video uploaded anywhere?

Video is analysed on your phone. It is sent to a server only if you consent. Consent is given step by step and can be withdrawn at any time.