Boxing Facts

Table tennis is a highly competitive sport that requires plenty of practice and the right racket to excel in it which is why table tennis experts recommend that beginners spend some time choosing their ping pong paddles.

Parts of a table tennis racket

A racket has two general parts, the blade which is the wooden portion and the rubbers which cover both sides of the blade.

Blade

Table tennis rules require rackets to be at least 85% natural wood. Other bats contain composite materials such as carbon fiber and aralyte which add strength or dampen vibration.. Beginners need to develop their skills and game style before deciding to buy a composite bat with carbon fibers..

Rubber

Rubbers can be smooth or reverse type or pimpled or pips. Start with a quality smooth rubber on both sides because these allow you to try and develop various play styles before focusing on a specific one for professional play. Pimples or short pips are good only for limited strokes and spins and are ideal for more specialized playing styles.

Sponge

In between the rubbers and the blade is a layer of sponge measuring anywhere from 1.2 mm to 2.5 mm thick. A thin sponge layer gives you better control and is best suited for beginners who are developing their game while a thicker sponge gives less control but faster speeds suitable for more seasoned players.

Price

While investing in the best quality you can afford may be more cost effective, you don’t have to purchase the most expensive ping pong paddles to play well. But if you’re serious about developing your skills and playing style, even as a beginner, choosing a custom bat over a pre made one is a must.

While custom paddles cost more than pre made ones, these let you replace worn out or damaged rubbers and eventually upgrade them making them cost effective in the long run..

After buying your blade, rubbers and sponge, you’ll have to put these together using a special glue. You can have it assembled by the paddle supplier or someone with assembly experience so you avoid making costly mistakes..

Buying good covers for ping pong paddles also protects them from sunlight, liquid spills and other harsh conditions so they last longer.

Table tennis is one of the world’s most popular racket sport with hundreds of millions playing the game for recreation, exercise or competition. As table tennis tables are set up in schools, health clubs, sports centers and most homes, ping pong paddles and balls are all you need to get a game going.

Your table tennis bat or racket is your personal partner that can make or break your game which is why most players carefully choose their rackets.

Each racket is composed of two parts: the blade and the rubbers.

Blade: Table tennis rules require all competition blades to be made of at least 85% natural wood. The remaining percentage of the blade can be made of other materials like carbon fiber or aralyte to either increase speeds or increase the sweet spot of the paddle.. Manufacturers may add carbon fiber to strengthen and stiffen the blade for increased speeds or aralyte which has a softer feel than carbon for reduced vibration and also increased sweet spot.

Rubbers: These cover both sides of the blade and can be pimpled, reverse or anti spin rubbers.

• If you want to develop your defensive playing style, look for pimpled or short pips which can change the speed of the game, block and chop well, and produce deceptive returns..
• Reverse or smooth rubber is chosen by aggressive players who want to produce powerful strokes and forceful spins as this material promotes high speed plays.
• Anti spin rubber has a “no surface” grip often preferred by defensive players whose strategy is to disrupt the rhythm of a powerful opponent’s game.

Buying your first table tennis racket can be easy if you know your skills level and type of play. Bats can either be pre made or custom made..

Pre made bats are ready made ping pong paddles that are easily found in sports stores and specialty shops. These are less expensive than custom made bats and are ideal for beginners and recreational players.

Custom bats require separate purchases of the blade and rubbers which are then joined together using special glue. Seasoned and competitive players often choose the parts of their rackets according to their skills, playing style and strategy. Custom rackets offer the practical advantage of being able to replace the rubbers when they are worn out, damaged or no longer suitable for your playing style.

Price should be the least of your considerations when choosing ping pong paddles. However, this does not mean that you should buy the most expensive racket nor does an inexpensive racket imply poor quality. Instead, you should buy one that enhances your skills and promotes your game plan.

Table tennis continues to rank as the most popular indoor and outdoor racket sport which appeals to sports enthusiasts of all ages.. When playing for competitions, choosing ping pong paddles is important because these affect ball spin, speed, placement and strategy.

Kinds of paddles

Pre-made rackets: These bats are sold with rubbers already attached to the blade and are generally used for recreational purposes. Pre made bats are generally inexpensive and are bought off the rack, making it convenient for starter and recreational players..

Custom paddles: These rackets must be assembled before they can be used. To build your own bat, you will need to purchase two rubbers and a blade of your choice and fuse them together using a special glue. Table tennis rules allow you to install different types of rubber on either side of the racket. Custom ping pong paddles are suitable for competitive players because they can put together the best blade and rubbers for their games. A custom racket also makes it easy for you to replace worn out or damaged rubbers.

Parts of the racket

Blade: this is the wooden part of the racket which may be combined with other materials such as cork, glass fiber, carbon fiber, aluminum fiber and aralyte. An all natural wood blade provides the best feel and great control while the composite blade is good if you want greater speed during play.

Rubbers: cover both sides of the bat and may be pimpled or smooth. Defensive playing skills require pimpled rubber or short pips which allows you to alter the rhythm of your opponent’s game, block and chop his serves and produce deceptive returns..

On the other hand, the smooth or reverse pimpled rubber is for the aggressive player whose strategy consists of high speed plays, powerful strokes and forceful spins.

A table tennis racket determines the kind of game you play because it can be used to control the ball’s speed and spin. But this does not mean that you should run out and buy the most expensive paddle you can find.

Your choice among the many kinds of ping pong paddles will depend on your skills and purpose of playing. If playing for recreation or just starting out, a pre made racket is convenient and sufficient. But if you want to develop your game or are practicing for competition, then you’ll have to invest in high quality rubbers and a blade for your custom bat.

Playing table tennis has many uses. It can be used to bond with all the family members, or an enjoyable way to workout and get in shape. Most sports clubs have table tennis tables so that members need only to bring their own table tennis racquets. Buying your own racquet for the first time is often a major decision you must make because a table tennis racquet will have a major impact on your playing skills.

Basic Types of Table Tennis Racquets

There are two basic types of table tennis racquets to choose from:

* Recreational racquets

Recreational types are pre-assembled wood and rubber racquets that provide good to moderate performance levels, sufficient for beginners and recreational players. Selecting this type of racquet not as expensive as buying ones that are custom-made. This ones are also found in a number of sporting goods stores. If you don’t want to go through the hassles of selecting wood blades and rubbers and gluing them together, then this type is for you.

* High performance custom racquets

Seasoned players invest in high performance table tennis racquets because these provide the right kind of spins and speeds best suited to their playing styles. This type of racquets is made of specialized and higher quality table tennis rubber and blades which produce higher speeds and spins than recreational racquets. Competitive players assemble their own racquets by choosing the type of rubber (inverse, pips or anti spin), padding and blade (natural wood or composite materials). The people who use custom racquets have a playing advantage compared to users or regular racquets.

How to select custom table tennis racquets

Getting a high performance custom racquet is a good idea for those who play table tennis regularly or who want to develop their games. Unlike recreational racquets, custom racquets allow you to replace rubbers when they are worn out, damaged or no longer responsive to your playing style.

Consider your playing style when buying a custom racquet and choose from among the following:

* offensive spin, which produce high spins with less emphasis on speed
* offensive speed, which produce high speeds with less emphasis on spin
* all around spin, which provides superior spin control and the ability to mix in topspin offense
* all around speed, which provide enough control and high offensive ability to mix in topspin offense
* defensive spin/control, for defensive play when you want to control the rhythm of your opponent’s game by producing deceptive returns and a variety of spins.

Once you already develop your skill in the game, you may want to change the table tennis racquets, rubbers or blades. Buying an expensive racquet at the beginning is not really advisable for you there will come a time that you will want a racquet that will suite your needs.
Comments

Add a comment

Find table tennis racquets here

If you are looking at improving your table tennis game or becoming more competitive in ping pong, one of the essential moves that you should remember when playing the sport is the backhand loop. It is best to use the backhand loop when you are trying to return a serve that is long or high on your part of the table. Being a very aggressive offensive move, it is often difficult for many people to execute effectively, but learning it can help you to accumulate many points over time and make you one of the more competitive ping pong players in your league or even just amongst your friends.

In addition to helping you to accrue more points in your table tennis game, the backhand loop is a great way to give yourself the upper hand in any game of table tennis. If your waiting for a serve, ensure that you are prepared with the stance that is similar to the forehand return. Your left foot should remain slightly in front of the right, with your weight shifted to this side. However, you should stand a bit more to the opposite side of the table than if you were returning with the forehand.

In order to perform a perfect backhand loop, you should hold your ping pong paddle in your front just behind the ping pong table. The position should also be just behind the ping pong paddle. Holding your ping pong paddle just to the inside of your left knee will help you to generate some additional topspin on the return as well. To achiever more balance, you can hold one of your arm out. This is very useful if you plan to do this position. For the backhand loop, it is important that most of your movement comes from the forearm. Your wrist should be cocked back slightly and your elbow lifted in order to allow for the right amount of force.

When the ball comes toward you, keep your eye on it, and when the moment is right, both the elbow and the wrist should snap forward to deliver the ball upward in a rapid motion. The backhand loop may be a difficult move to master, but the repeated practice of getting it right can be rewarding not only in terms of the sense of accomplishment generated but also in terms of points and games won. If you are trying to master the backhand loop, it is a great idea to see and observe how other people perform this as well. If you practice this constantly, you will be better in your game in no time.

Hey, drop a comment and let me know what you think!

If you like our stuff check out what we have on offer!