Posts Tagged ‘Tennis’
Having speed, spin, accuracy and control is what one needs to enjoy a game of ping pong on a Stiga table tennis table . And for that one needs to have good quality ping pong paddles which are also known as handles or rackets. Usually ping pong paddles are designed with wooden handles finished with sponge to make it comfortable for the players to hold and grip the handle easily and enjoy unlimited wrist movements to swing the paddle at any time.
It is the quality of ping pong paddles which helps in producing incredible flow of speed and accuracy when one hits the ball on a Stiga table tennis table. There are numerous ping pong paddles, but not all of them are perfect for everyone. For instance, a ping pong paddle that suits you might be a disaster for someone else. If one enjoys a tight swing, a smaller paddle is a better option, but for free flowing swing at wide angles one must go for a slightly bigger one.
In the market one can find different types of paddles just like ping pong tables. As far as handle style is concerned one can go for personal preference, but one needs to seriously think about the material composition as one’s performance hugely depends on it. Plus, buying the right ping pong blades also depends hugely on playing style and level. Thus it is essential to decide the style of the game first before purchasing a table tennis blade that matches your game.
Here are some tips to help you choose the right table tennis paddles:
Handle Type
Mostly players go for the handle of their preference, although there are a few rules of thumb that can help you in choosing one. Straight ping pong paddles give the best flexibility and are the easiest to flip while hitting the ball on a ping pong table. Hence, these are popular amongst players who like to flip the ping pong blade. On the other hand flared ping pong paddles are for players who prefer to maintain a loose grip. Another most popular handle style is the anatomical ping pong paddles also known as double flared handles. These paddles come with a flared handle with a second wide part in the middle.
Penhold Table Tennis Racket
Penhold table tennis blades are usually for the Asian style of table tennis game. These paddles hugely differ in the grip and the blade itself. The Japanese table tennis blades come with a longer and narrower head and thicker handles. Whereas the Chinese one are designed with rounder thinner blades with rounded handle.
Table Tennis Blade Composition
Thin slices of wood veneers are put together to make the table tennis blade. Some of these blades come with an outer laminate coating of carbon fiber. Apart from this, there are composite blades too that come with one or more carbon fiber, graphite, or other synthetic material layers. These composite blades are lighter, faster, and stronger as compared to the blades made of wood and are better for hitting the ball on a ping pong table. However make sure to find a blade made of 85 percent wood.
Just remember the above mentioned points while buying ping pong paddles and you can enjoy table tennis on your ping pong table for years.
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Table tennis or ping pong as its popularly known has grown into a very engaging and addictive sport over the years. It is a good recreation and leisure time activity in families. After a while of playing table tennis or just when you are getting interested in the game, you might decide to buy a ping pong table. There are a lot of things you should keep in mind while buying a table for your home.
Initially, if you are just learning the game or your kids are, you might not want to go for such an expensive table. You and your kids can make use of a lower end table tennis table and beat the hell out of it while learning the tricks of the game. During the aggressive playing days, a table can take quite a beating and make sure u don’t waste a lot of money buying a higher end ping pong table. After your kids have matured into serious players, you can think of getting them a good Stiga ping pong table which is a good table for playing at home.
The next thing you have to consider is whether you will leave your table tennis table in a permanent place or keep packing and unpacking it . Most people go for a folding table, due to space constraints, which can be folded and packed away in a corner when you are not playing.
Make sure that the roller wheels are good quality flexible wheels so that they can be moved easily. The braking mechanism on these wheels is very good on a Stiga ping pong table.
Many people are very comfortable playing on a one inch thick table because the bounce is very even. People believe that the thicker a table is, the better the bounce. Very true. But a 0.75 inch table is not bad and will give you a reasonable bounce. A one inch table is preferred because that is the table people grow up playing, especially at the community center or at tournament level. I have a one inch Stiga ping pong table at home because I grew up playing with them at school tournaments.
Another thing you have to keep in mind is that your table tennis table should have strong legs and supports to withstand the test of time. Some tables come with an additional leveler which is ideal for surfaces where the floor is not level. These levelers will help in keeping your table straight and level. Other things you will need to check is whether the playing surface of the table is even. Run your eye at the playing surface of the table and check that there is no warping or folds on any parts of the table.
Make sure the net clamps of the table have a soft padding under them so that they do not cause any scratch marks on the table. The clamps should also not dig into the underside of the table. Finally, check out the 30-23 rule on your Stiga ping pong table. Drop a ping pong ball from a height of 30 cm anywhere on the table and it should bounce back to about 23 cm. This 23 cm bounce should be even on parts of the table and you can be pretty sure you have one of the best quality tables.
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Table tennis is a really fun sport and most people love to enjoy this sport on the patio on a beautiful warm summer afternoon or in the basement for some friendly competition. If you are a die hard fan of table tennis you must have your own table tennis or ping pong table to enjoy your favorite sport anytime. But before planning to purchase one for yourself you need to be sure of what you want to get the best bargain. There are several table tennis equipments that you need to consider. Table tennis equipments in general are not too many and one must not hesitate to purchase the best.
The Table
Generally the standard size of tennis table is 2.74 m long, 1.525 m wide, and 76 cm high made with a hardboard layered with a smooth, low-friction coating. The table top is supported by eight legs. Always remember that the playing surface must be thirty inches from the floor. To divide the table into two parts a white line of around one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch is marked on the playing surface which generally comes in a dark green or some dull, non reflecting color. This line is must while playing doubles but it is not mandatory for singles. Depending upon your storing facility and open space you can consider a folding or stationary table tennis table. As far as quality is concerned, Stiga ping pong table tennis tables are the best in the market.
Racket
For playing table tennis the most important equipment is the racket. As far as the rules of table tennis are concerned one can use a racket of any size, shape, and material. But however for quick response it is better to invest on a good quality laminated wooden racket covered with pebbled rubber on one or two sides. The rubber helps in controlling the ball and spinning it the way the player wants. Go for a racket which has a better grip, feel and touch abilities.
The Ball
Extreme care should be taken while purchasing the ball for your Stiga table tennis table. The ball should be perfect round and should neither be too hard nor too soft. Buy a light 2.7 gram, 40 mm diameter ball and the ball must bounce up to 23 cm when dropped on the Stiga ping pong table from a height of 30 cm. To check the quality of the ball check the stars on the ball. A ball with 3 stars is of the highest quality, and is used in official competitions.
Lighting
As table tennis is an indoor game it is essential to have good lighting overhead. For adequate lighting use at least four 200-watt bulbs in a playing space of twenty-five feet by twelve. Plus there must be ample space between the floor and ceiling to allow the players enjoy strokes without hitting the ball on the ceiling.
Net and the Posts
Buy a net with a total length of six feet for your Stiga table tennis table. The net is fixed on the posts located on both sides of the table by using a cord. The posts must be six and three-quarter inches high. Always remember that the net must be exactly six inches from the table top.
Once the above equipments are purchased, you can enjoy playing table tennis on your Stiga ping pong table.
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The sport of table tennis has been encouraging new players, creating Olympic champions, and inspiring crowds of eager spectators for many many years, though few know the true history of the how the sport began, developed, and became what it is today. Below, is a brief digestible history of the sport of table tennis, that will hopefully inspire a better appreciation for it.
Though there are many variations on the initial beginnings of table tennis or ping pong, most scholars and sources concur that table tennis began in England in the late 1800s as a fun after-dinner diversion. Some rumors say it was enacted on the dinner tables themselves, while others stick to the more popular assumption that it began as a lawn and garden game, closely tied to badminton. At this time, they didn’t yet have ping pong paddles, and so English socialites used vellum bats to play. In the 1890s, Parker Brothers began work on an indoor version of the popular lawn tennis, which included the net, paddles, and ball.
In the very beginnings-though table tennis was very very popular in England-it was still looked at as solely casual, certainly not as a sport. It was not until much later-approximately 1905-1910, when table tennis/ping pong started becoming popular in other countries, such as: Japan, China, and Korea. Meanwhile, England created the first official Table Tennis Association for the purpose of finally recognizing the pastime as a sport, but it was the Asian countries who had adopted table tennis to their own national hobbies, that made it the highly competitive and respected sport it now is. These countries took on the pastime as a full-fledged sport to be mastered, and is still a highly popular sport there. Today, millions of people in these countries play; and consider table tennis a highly competitive sport to be respected and perfected.
After a brief period, England took up the sport again in the 1920s as a popular diversion. This is truly when the standardization of the game, i.e. rules, organizations, and competitions were begun. Since then, table tennis has become a popular worldwide sport, and even an Olympic event; with competitive players outnumbering 30 million worldwide and millions non-competitive. It was during this time that table tennis-through a series of adjustments-truly transformed. In 1926, the International atble tennis Federation was formed. In 1935, the three major table tennis organizations: The American Ping Pong Association, The Amateur Table Tennis Association, and the National Table Tennis Association combined to form the U.S. Table Tennis Association. In 1957, with the overwhelming worldwide popularity the once annual worldwide table tennis championships, becomes biennial. Finally, in 1988, table tennis becomes an Olympic sport at that year’s Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
Today, the game of competitive table tennis has been preserved to almost the same rules, measurements, etc that it began with; it’s most avid competitors and the International Table Tennis Federation ensuring that the human skill and capacity for the sport is not changed with the introduction of new technology.
