How to Purchase the Correct Ping Pong Racket

Many beginners often ask, “How do you choose which ping pong racket to use?” Truthfully, there are five different elements a player must be able to answer before choosing which ping pong racket to use. However, the two most important factors are style and experience. After you answer these two questions, then head to a store that specialize in selling ping pong rackets.

The three factors in a ping pong racket are sponge, the weight and handle types. The handle should be your first question answered. If you swing the ping pong racket with your forehand a lot, choose a flared handle. However, if you prefer using a backhand swing, then a straight handle should help you more. Below is a checklist to help you determine which ping pong racket to purchase:

If you prefer playing with spin:

• Choose a light blade for your ping pong racket that’s between 70-76 grams. Perfect for spin yet not so good with spin.
• A thinner sponge rubber, such as 1.0-1.5mm is perfect for optimum control of the ball. However, if you play close to the table and love to attack, a 2.0mm sponge should do the trick. This thickness of the sponge is the most popular in terms of picking a ping pong racket.

If you prefer playing with speed:

• If you’re looking to crunch the ball for speed, choose a heavyweight blade around 90 grams or better. You will have major league speed but lose control over spin.
• Choose a sponge that’s thicker than 2.0 to hit balls at blazing speeds

For beginners, choose a medium weight in your ping pong racket that’s between 77-89 grams. This will not only give you speed but you’ll be able to put spin on the ball. These factors must be answered as you look over the selection of ping pong rackets. Take your time to fully examine each ping pong racket. This decision will be the ticket to having a comfortable tool to smash your opponent’s shots with.

Anticipate the Shots, Anticipate a Win

When you start playing opponents with a higher skill set, it becomes more difficult to react to all the different shots they can throw at you.

However, every player has tendencies, and you can start to pick up hints and clues in their preparation for shots and their swings.

image source: tabletennis.org.au

First of all, try your best to notice situational trends in your opponent.

For example, if you hit a deep shot to his back hand, does he often return with under-spin?

If you notice trends like this, you can begin to anticipate a shot. This will give that extra little time to prepare.

Also, if you see the player preparing for an under-spin return then you can anticipate and under-spin shot.

A more skilled player will hide their preparation, but it’s very difficult to hide the actual swing that produces the shot. If you see the way the opponent hit the ball, and it looks to be under-spin, then of course prepare accordingly.

Same goes for anticipating location.

You can sometimes tell by the angle of the paddle or even the angle of the opponent’s body where the ball will be going on your side of the table.

With that in mind, be aware of any clues you are giving away.

Work on hiding your clues, or using you clues to your advantage. Think of yourself as a pitcher in baseball who throws two fastballs, then looks like he’s going to throw another but instead it’s an off-speed pitch for strike three.

Hit a few shots the same way in a row, but then try to keep as much about your body, paddle, and swing the same as much as you can, but tweak it just enough to change the shot and throw your opponent off.

Table tennis is as much a chess match as it is about physical technique.