Shakehand Grip

The shakehand grip is the most common type of grip, being used by virtually all European players, and a good part of Asian players as well. This grip, as the name itself shows it, is very similar to shaking one’s hand. The handle of the racket is gripped with the whole hand and the thumb and index rest on opposite sides of the blade. The index finger is extended along base of paddle, on the same side with the other three fingers. The three fingers are curled around the racket handle. The position of the thumb is on the other side of the racket, right at the base of the blade, not touching the rubber.

The shakehand grip is mostly used by players who employ a lot of topspin in their game, being equally good for backhand and forehand strokes. The most important advantage offered by the shakehand is the flexibility of wrist it provides. Another advantage of shakehand is the wider variety of racket choices that exists for this grip, due to its increased popularity.

Beginners should pay attention not to place the index finger around the handle, together with the other three fingers. Also known as the hammer grip, this sort of grip is very restrictive, because it doesn’t allow a lot of wrist movement.

A variety of this grip is when the thumb comes a bit forward, being placed on the rubber and the three fingers are curled around the handle and come closer to the base of the blade; this grip is called deep shakehand. The advantage of the deep shakehand is the control it offers, being usually used for backspin strokes. However, it’s not a grip which allows a lot of flexibility, the range of wrist movement being far more restricted for deep shakehands, that for normal ones.

As for the disadvantages of the shakehand grip in general, you should know that this type of grip has a so-called “crossover point”, that is, a point where players have difficulties in deciding weather to use backhand or forehand strokes.

Penhold Grip

Firstly introduced by Asian players, the penhold grip soon became popular among European and American players. The penhold grip requires a special type of racket, since the handle for this grip is usually shorter than the handle for shakehand grips. Also, the racket for penhold styles has only one rubber side, being therefore lighter that shakehand bats, while the other side is just painted with color to respect table tennis regulations.

The penhold grip resembles more or less holding a pen, with the thumb and index fingers meeting on the same side of the blade (in some versions even overlap), while the other three fingers are curved on the opposite side of the racket. This type of grip allows a lot of movement for forehand strokes, but restricts a bit the area of movement for backhand strokes. Being more efficient for forehand, most players who use penhold rely on forehand strokes and therefore, compensate the lack of backhand strokes by being more active and moving more, in order to cover the whole table surface.

When the three fingers at the back of the racket lay flat on the paddle, instead of being curved, the grip is called Japanese penhold and is a variety of penhold. This type of penhold gives more power for forehand strokes, being mostly used by forehand attackers.

The main disadvantage of the penhold grip is the restriction it has for backhand strokes. However, unlike the shakehand, the penhold doesn’t have a crossover point, and thus moments of indecision between choosing forehand or backhand are avoided.

But what makes China such a prolific competitor in the international scene? With such a huge number of victories and a long history of producing international champions, China is by far the most competitive country when it comes to table tennis. Its activity has been so prodigious in the last 5 decades, that some people nowadays even think that ping pong is a Chinese game, since almost all best players are Chinese or coming from the Asian continent. However, the game of table tennis, or ping pong, is actually an European game, which became famous at the end of the 19th century in the United Kingdom, when it was played for amusement in high-society Victorian families.

But getting back to the Asian continent, it is quite obvious that, as long as table tennis is concerned, the Chinese are better than anyone else. The secret behind their mastery of this game lies in the technique they use to train their olympic team.

The Chinese seem to know very well that talent doesn’t happen overnight. Knowing that the key of success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration, the Chinese like to discover talents since early childhood. In this way, they have more time to refine special talents and produce world champions. Of course, the situation is not very different with table tennis. Since ages like 4 or 5, Chinese children are tested for special talents in kindergarten. If considered promising, they are put in special schools and trained since as early as 5. Most of these children drop school soon after 10 and focus solely on training after that age.

Another particularly interesting fact is that Chinese table tennis coaches do not train multiple moves at the same time, as Western coaches do. Sometimes teaching one single strike can last up to several months, until the coaches consider the move perfect. With this amount of time just for practicing, it is not very hard to understand how they manage to do it, without ever being short on time. Also, the Chinese olympic team trains all year long, and the professional players only have 14 free days a year, unlike the Western term, which only train a few months before each championship.

Moreover, the members of the olympic team train with a training partner. So far, there is nothing different between this training technique and the Western one. The twist is in the fact that these partners are not just fellow members of the olympic team, but players who are specially trained to be game partners for the team members. These professional players are specifically trained to mimic the playing styles of the best foreign players, so that, when the time comes, the olympic team members will not be overcome by the Western players’ playing techniques. Of course, having these professional training partners requires a lot of resources and talented players, since this secondary team is almost as proficient as the olympic one. Also, there is a lot of time invested in the professional partners, because they have to master perfectly another player’s (usually a former champion) game technique.

Of course, the aforementioned exercising technique is very useful for most part of the olympic team. The only exception are the champions, the players who are already the best ones. For them, the Chinese invented another training tactic, where best players are paired with 2 training partners at a time. One partner is a strong backhand player and the other one is a strong forehand player; combining the strength of two separate players, they achieve a player who is better than the world champion him/herself. Like this, even the best players can improve and their talent is pushed to limits no other Western country could have imagined.

Taking into considerations the different training and coaching approaches used in China, it is no mystery that table tennis is a sport dominated by the Chinese. The reality is that, until Western teams will start investing the same amount of resources and time into it, they will stand fewer chances to win.

1) Body position

The body position is very important in table tennis and therefore players should pay just as much attention to it, as they do to the actual play. It is recommended to adopt a good ready position during the whole game. A ready position refers to a position to which the player comes back after each shot, inbetween returns, and which can ensure maximum control and fluidity of movement. A typical ready stance involves a slight crouch position, with the knees bent and the feet positioned at shoulder width. Also, the foot opposite to the playing arm (for right-handed people, it’s the left foot) should come slightly forward, because this way, it will serve as a pivot during the shot. The torso in the ready stance is slightly bent towards the table and the upper arm of the playing arm is close to the torso, the forearm pointing towards adversary.

2) Distance to table

A good ready stance positioning is in front of the center line of the table, while taking a distance to the table of about a length of forearm. Players should try to form a slight angle between hips and table, so that it provides range of movement, being able to reach quickly the far left and right of the table.

3) Timing

When retuning the ball, timing the body movement is crucial. Here, you don’t want to start moving towards right or left before the opponent executes, because like this, you would give him/her the perfect opportunity to sent the ball in the exact opposite direction of the one you are heading towards. Instead, your eyes should be on the ball at every moment, waiting until last moment to detect the direction of ball. After doing so, you should move quickly to the point that ensures the best shot and start executing the shot only after you have finished moving and have at least a steady feet on the ground, holding the body weight. After the return, you should resume to the ready stance as quick as possible.

4) Serve

A legal serve beginning with tossing the in the air. The height of the toss is relatively equal to the height of the net, 6 inches. Serves can be executed short or long. A short serve hits the opponent’s court in the close proximity of the net assembly, while a long shot travels long and hits the opponent’s court on the far end of the table. A common practice is to serve short with an underspin (see 5). In this manner, the opponent doesn’t have time to create a good attack or kill the ball straight away.

5) Return

Returns can differ, according to the type of game adopted. While a good offensive return relies on unpredictability, a good defensive return relies on safety.

Offensive play

In offensive table tennis games, a good return is an unpredictable return. In order to do so, players must try to change the direction of ball, by adjusting the wrist-to-forearm angle, and propel the ball with spin and speed. While speed is quite easy to produce, the same thing cannot be said about spin. Since the main component of an offensive play is giving the ball a good spin, it is vital to learn and get used to various types of spin from beginning. Spin is all about control and impregnating a subtle rotating movement to ball.

There are 3 main types of spin: topspin, underspin and side spin. For the sake of concision, we will only be talking about the first two in this article, since they are the most common in beginner to intermediate games.

The topspin is the most common type of spin and it can be obtained by brushing the ball with the racket, while the forearm has a slightly diagonal, upwards movement. The hand movement starts at table level and ends at head level and the contact between racket and ball takes place at approximately 1/3 of this distance.

The underspin, or backspin, is produced by “cutting” under ball with your paddle. The arm has a descending, almost horizontal, movement, which starts at chest level and ends at table level. The forearm is almost parallel to the table at the beginning the movement and gets perpendicular to the table when shot execution is over.

Defensive play

The defensive play in table tennis is all about playing safe and limiting the opportunities of your opponent creating an attack. Therefore, players should pay close attention to the spin of the opponent’s ball and adjust the wrist accordingly. For a safe return, players should always try to aim towards the middle of the opponent’s court, since it’s the safest zone. Because it’s difficult to build an offensive return with a low ball, players should try at all times to keep the ball low, thus preventing and unexpected attack. In order to force a slow return from opponent, try to aim the crossover point of your opponent, that is, the area where he/she will have most difficulties returning (for right handed people this area is in front of the right hip).

2. The name “Ping Pong” was registered as a trademark of the Parker Brothers at the beginning of the 20th century. After claiming money for trademark ownership rights from the USA table tennis league, the league decided to change the name of the sport into table tennis.

3. Although Switzerland hasn’t produced too many table tennis world champions in the history of the game, the internationally recognized table tennis body, ITTF, is a Swiss-based organization.

4. A couple of decades ago, before equipment started to be regulated by ITTF rules, all sorts of strange fabrics were being used for rackets and balls. Back in the days, it was no surprise to find 5-inch thick sponges and corkscrews being used as balls. Also, it was common for bats to be covered in sandpaper, cloth or leather and sometimes blades were made from pure, uncovered wood or cardboard.

5. “Ping Pong Diplomacy” refers to the role this game has had during the Cold War. Table Tennis had a major impact in the Cold War, as far as the relations between China and the USA are concerned. In 1971, the first American citizens to enter China since the communist takeover in 1949 were a US table tennis team. They had been invited to play a game in China. This match was about to become a decisive event in the political relations between the two countries. In 1975, another team was invited to play, this time in mainland China, crossing the bridge between Hong Kong and the Asian continent. Shortly after this event, President Nixon traveled to China, opening the door to a new political era.

6. Playing table tennis was forbidden in the USSR between 1920 the 1950, because of common belief that the sport harms the eyes.

7. The game of table tennis first entered the Olympics in 1988, at the Summer Games in Seoul.

8. Contrary to popular belief, table tennis balls are empty and do not contain any sort of special pressurized gas. The particular smell which can come when breaking a ball comes from the smell of air trapped to long inside a plastic container.

9. The official table tennis rules of ITTF state that players are to wear socks at all times.

10. Elite players can propel the ball with up to 100 mph speed.

11. Ever since the discovery of speed glue, in the 60s, table tennis became very fast-paced. As a result, the game started to be almost impossible to watch on TV. After demands to slow down the game, ITTF introduced new standards in 2000. The size of the ball was increased from 38 mm to 40mm, in order to increase the air resistance.

12. Also, to make the game shorter and more enjoyable to watch, the standard 21-point format was reduced to 11-point format.

Before getting started with the strokes, players should know that for all the strokes, a relaxed upper body position is highly recommended, with little to no movement of the upper arm. All strokes are described from a right-handed viewpoint. So if you are left-handed, just replace the right with the left and vice-versa when reading the explanations.

Drive

The Drive, also known as “Speed Drive”, is an offensive stroke used to produce light-topspin strokes, that do not arc much. Due to its relatively low trajectory, this direct hit is usually used to force errors on the adversary, by propelling the ball with enough force and speed, so it would be difficult to return. The position of the racket when executing this stroke is perpendicular to the direction of the ball, applying energy to the ball, and thus producing greater speed and smaller spin. Like any other offensive stroke, the Drive can be executed by using either the forehand, or the backhand.

- Forehand Drive: The starting position for this stroke is by forming a 90 degree angle between the upper arm and the forearm, while keeping the upper arm close to the torso. With the forearm at a 3 o’clock position, the waist turns naturally and follows the arm, applying the weight of the body on the right foot. The left foot comes a bit in front on the right foot, for balance. The upper arm and the elbow remain almost still throughout the stroke,providing a pivot for the forearm. Also, the racket is closed (slightly facing downwards) during the follow through. The forearm swings forward with a subtle upward movement, using the waist to provide additional force to the movement. While executing this movement, the weight of the body shifts from the right to the left foot. The stroke finishes when the paddle comes close to the left shoulder, being perpendicular to it at the same time. After execution, the player returns to ready stance, positioning the left foot a bit in front of the right one.

- Backhand Drive: The player turns its waist to the left, keeping the racket in a 9 o’clock position. The forearm and upper arm are in a position similar to that of the forehand drive. During the follow through, the arm moves to the right, together with the torso, making contact with the ball in front of the body, after the top of the bounce. Just like the forehand drive, the upper arm and elbow act as a pivot for the forearm and the latter follows a slight upward trajectory. The follow though ends when the forearm reaches the 1 o’clock position.

- Counter Drive: This type of stroke serves as a counter attack against drives, as the name indicates. For this stroke, the paddle is closed and near the ball and the racket hits the ball with a short movement, called off the bounce (immediately after the ball hit the table, after the bounce). This hit results in a high-speed propelling of the ball, used to force mistakes on the opponent. The follow through is very short, ending usually at eye level, in order to get back quickly to the ready position.

Loop

This offensive stroke is considered the opposite of Speed Drive, in terms of racket positioning. While the Drive requires a perpendicular position of the racket, for the Loop, the racket is parallel to the direction of the ball. Like this, the racket only touches the ball in passing and produces great topspin. The Loop arcs more then the drive and is a stroke which isn’t very difficult to retun. However, as the ball jumps relatively high after hitting the opponent’s court, it is very likely to rebound from the latter’s racket at high angle, preparing the ground for a kill follow-up.

- Forehand Loop: The player stands close to the table, placing weight on the right foot. The right shoulder is slightly tilted to the ground and the paddle is also a bit lower than the Drive starting position. The player pushes upwards using the legs, grazing the ball as it starts to descend, with an ascending arm movement. For counterbalance, the left shoulder and arm descend at the same time as the right forearm goes upward.

- Backhand Loop: Similar to the forehand Loop, the difference is that the backhand Loop starts from a squat position, with the knees more flexed. As the player pushes upward using the legs, the racket grazes the back of the ball. The weight of the body is transferred from the left to the right leg and the hand follows a semi circle upward trajectory, starting from between the knees and ending near the head level, slightly towards right. The ball comes in contact with the paddle halfway thought the trajectory, slightly under the chest level.

Tips: The arm should rotate from the elbow. The finer the grazing motion, the bigger the spin effect. If you aim for more speed, make sure that the ball makes longer contact with the sponge.

Smash

Also known as “Kill” or “Slam”, this stroke employs a large backswing and rapid acceleration, in order to give as much speed as possible to the ball. The porpose of propelling the ball with great speed is that the opponent will not be able to return the ball. However, a good defense can still retun a good smash. Experienced players usually plan series of smashes in order to rush the adversary and force him off balance. All Smash strokes are similar to Drive strokes. The main difference is that the ball is contacted at the top of the bounce, when it reaches the highest point in its trajectory

- Forehand Smash: The particularities setting a Forehand Drive and a Forehand Smash apart lay in longer backswing and faster, more powerful stroke of the ball. Also, the waist turns more and there is a substantially greater weight transfer from the right to the left leg during the swing. Like this, the player uses its entire body to hit and the follow through is longer. However, players should bare in mind that, however difficult, a smash is not impossible to return and a response should be anticipated.

- Backhand Smash: Just like the Backhand Drive, the payer’s right hand and torso are turned to the left. However, when executing a Backhand Smash, the waist is turned more and the hand with the racket is brought to a 7 or 8 o’clock position. Moreover, the right wrist is bent more, to allow for bigger snap at contact with the ball. This stroke finishes as well in long follow through. However powerful this strike, a response can be anticipated.

Tip: Try to direct the ball towards a place where it is the more unlikely to be hit back.

Flick

This stroke is used when there isn’t enough space and time to construct a backswing. The ball is hit before it has bounced beyond the edge of the table, the backswing motion being compressed into a wrist movement. The Flick can resemble a Loop or a Drive in terms of effect, only it doesn’t demand so much waist and elbow flexibility, requiring instead a lot of wrist movement and force.

- Forehand Flick: The right foot moves forward to approach the ball and points towards the direction of the contact zone. The forearm forms a 150 degrees angle with the torso. The racket hits the top of the ball. There is a simultaneous movement of the right arm and left leg and the weight moves to the right leg during follow through. As the movement is from the wrist and not from the elbow, the direction of the ball can be changed last minute, by a slight change of the wrist-forearm angle.

Tips: Keep legs close to each other in order to return to the ready position quickly. Do not overstretch the left leg so you won’t loose your balance.

- Backhand Flick: The right leg moves to the right, towards the ball, while the left foot remains on the ground. At the same time, the right hand is brought in front of the chest, bending the wrist and keeping the elbow in straight line with the racket, parallel to the ground. The body weight moves to the right leg in the moment of the strike and the player hits the top of the ball, with a upward wrist movement, using the elbow as pivot.

Price: Ok, so you are an intermediate player. Chances are you are a recreational player, meaning you play ping pong for fun and aren’t yet convinced to spend a lot on a paddle. In this case, you may want to consider the pre-made option because this one is usually cheaper that custom made bats, plus you don’t have to bother with choosing the blade and the corresponding rubber. Famous brands like DHS, Dunlop or Butterfly already provide a great and varied selection of pre-made bats to suit all styles.

Technique:Intermediate players shouldn’t spend a lot of money for the racket at this level, as the personal style can change and/or improve and you might want to change the paddle sooner than you think. So if you aim at improving your technique and consider that you may change your style from an all round play to an offensive play for example, consider buying a cheaper paddle so that you can change it often, without loosing your investment. As we mentioned before, pre-made paddles tend to be cheaper, but there are also some cheap, custom made paddle options aswell. We are going to talk about this in the following paragraphs.

Also, at this level, you should bare in mind that, in order to improve your technique, you will need a blade that gives you good spin and excellent control, but not so much speed, as you are still discovering your style and developing your technique and a paddle with too much speed may force you to stagnate in your technique, while trying to handle an equipment you’re not ready for. So opt for DEF+, ALL-, All+ or OFF- at this point. Of course, you will not win all the games, but at least you will have the change to improve and discover your personal style.

Frequency of use: Also, when deciding between custom or pre-made rackets, you may want to think about the frequency of use. As we have said before, recreational players can easily choose a pre-made paddle, whereas intensive players should go for a custom made. The advantage of the latter is obvious in this situation, because you can quite simply change the rubber when it becomes used and keep the blade. Like this, you just spend money on the rubber, as opposed to buying a new paddle altogether. Besides that, players usually tend to get accustomed to the same blade and handle. Custom made paddles allow you to keep the blade and skip the new period of getting accustomed to a new handle.

Now let’s discover some of the best pre-made paddles, as well as some cheap, yet qualitative custom made combinations, suitable for an intermediate player:

Pre-made paddles

So you made up your mind in favor of a pre-made bat. Here are some of the best options out there:

1. The Dunlop Venom Control: having a very thin rubber (1.2 mm.), this paddle gives you a lot of control. Being designed for defensive players, it is ideal for intermediate players.

2. DHS X4002: this intermediate paddle allows you to develop technique, while providing a good control and an amazing spin, thanks to its tackiness. But you should be careful when cleaning it, because the tackiness can easily fade away. Overall, it is an excellent bat to help you transition from beginner to intermediate level.

3. Dunlop Venom Spin: another best-seller from Dunlop, this paddle provides excellent spin, as the name indicates, and is highly recommended for intermediate players.

4. Robbins Powerlite Super Spin: if you are willing to spend a bit more, you can try this extra light paddle from robbinstabletennis.com. Weighting only 70 grams, this bat is good for intermediate players who enjoy a quick game and have an all round style.

Custom made paddle

As far as custom paddles as concerned, there are also some every good options out there for intermediate paddles, which offer good quality at reasonable prices:

1. Stiga Allround Classic blade with control rubbers like Butterfly Flextra (1.7-1.9 rubber thickness). This combination provides good spin and excellent control, allowing you to easily adjust from a pre-made to a custom racket.

2. Stiga Allround NCT blade combined with Yasaka Mark V rubber. The controllability of the NCT blade, combined with the classic Mark V rubber (2.0 mm), provides a very good, allround offensive paddle. Also, you can combine the bestseller Mark V rubber with a Butterfly Primorac ALL- blade for more control.

3. Nittaku Moniphonic blade with Renanos Bright Soft rubber. This defense paddle has a straight handle, its slim rubber (1.9 mm.) providing a good spin and moderate to low speed. Also, this is a technical bat, suitable for intermediate players.

4. You can also go to colestt.com and try one of the proposed custom pre-made combos. A good intermediate paddle suggested here is the “Premade Buster”: Dawei R2 blade combined with a Dawei Inspirit rubber. This is a good first custom racket, thanks to its maximum control, which allows players to learn new strokes.

We hope this article gave you a good starting point in your search for the ideal intermediate table tennis racket. Good luck and good game!

Why customize?

While some of you may already know the advantages of custom made ping pong paddles, others may still have doubts as to why choose making their own bat, since sports shops offer such a wide range of tennis table rackets nowadays.

A very important argument in favor of designing your own paddle is that often pre-made rackets don’t work for a certain type of play and, while perfect for beginner players, they prove to have many shortcomings in the case of experienced players. And it is at this point that the solution of creating your bat, to suit your personal game style comes into discussion. If you already have a custom-made paddle, it is easier to change the rubber than in the case of a pre-made bats and like this, you can save up a bit, by simply replacing the rubber instead of buying a new racket altogether. Moreover, in the case of custom made bats, there is a wider variety of blades and rubbers from which you can choose that can virtually suit all types of game styles.

Last but not least, building your own paddle can be a good option for intermediate players as well because, as we mentioned before, it is easier to replace the rubber for this type of rackets than for pre-made bats. Like this, you can change the rubber whenever you develop or change your style and there is no need to buy another new bat every time.

So if you are willing to spend a bit of time and effort to build your own paddle, here are a few tips about the process of creating the bat, together with a list of things you will need during the process.

Tools you need:

Materials you need:

Wood

When it comes to the wood for making the handle, there is a great variety of options and we will try to give some general guidelines about the main types of wood you can choose from:

Birch plywood: offers some really flat sides and is a good option for exterior layers

Balsa wood: light, low-density wood, good for the core of the blade; it should be put between 2 layers of harder wood to make the blade stronger. Because of its very low weight, it is ideal for players with a lot of wrist movement, since the bat is very light. Good for both low and high impact strokes, the Blasa wood changes its properties depending on the stroke type. While good for return of serves and pushes, it is also ideal for high impact strokes because of its short dwell time, making the blade efficient in blocking and counter hitting.

Ayous: makes a good pair with most types of wood and it’s better to be used as an outer layer. Poplar: good for both inner and outer layers

Limba: very popular for European blades, this wood offers a good control of the blade and in good for the top layer

Cypress: popular amongst Asian players, this wood is also good for the exterior layer. Good for offensive game styles

Yellow aningre: offers good control and is excellent for the outermost ply; is suited for all types of play

Other woods which suit for exterior layers: Walnut, Movinge, Ash, Pine, Koto, Planchonello

Apart from the wood layers, many blades also contain layers of Arylate or Carbon. These two materials are used for vibration control and are usually places in the middle, between a soft core and a harder exterior.

Rubber

No matter the type of rubber you will use for your racket, there is just one important detail to bear in mind. The rubber should be ITTF approved and should have the ITTF sign. Also, don’t forget that one side should be black and the other red. The ITTF website offers a great variety of rubbers you can choose from, depending on weather you are an offensive or defensive player.

Technique

First, you should think of drawing the shape of the paddle on the chosen type of plywood and then cut the wood so that you will have a square perimeter around this shape. This way, it will be easier later to cut the shape of the blade. The usual ping pong paddle is 6 inches (15.2 cm) wide and 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) tall and the handle is 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide and 5 inches (12.7 cm) tall. The thickness each ply of wood should not exceed 1/8 inches (0.3 cm).

Now you can glue together the core wood with the chosen exterior layer. On the outermost ply you can either add 1-2 layers of fiberglass on each side to further reinforce the blade or add a 1/32 layer (0.1 cm) of Birch wood. The thin Birch wood can be replaced with paper backed Cherry veneer, although the first is a better option. To assure a better and quicker drying, use clamps.

After allowing time to dry properly, you can cut the shape of the paddle. To both sides of this shape, you can now add the handle. It is better to finish the handle before gluing it to the blade because otherwise, it will be a bit difficult to work the shape, once the piece of wood is attached to the blade.

After gluing the handle, you can start sanding the entire paddle to eliminate the excess wood, as well as the extra glue which may have reached the side of the blade.

Now you can proceed to gluing the rubber. Make sure to spread a thin layer of glue on the surface of the blade. You can use the paint brush to equally distribute the glue on the entire surface. Make sure you didn’t miss any spot. Place a square, uncut, piece of rubber on top of the blade and press it gently, using a roller. If you don’t have a roller, a can of soda or a glass bottle can to the job.

Now repeat the same action on the other side and after that, place the racket under a heavy stack of books for at least 30 minutes, to make sure the rubber will glue equally.

The last step is to remove the excess rubber using a sharp pair of scissors. After this, the edges of the rubber may pull up a bit. If this happens, place the paddle under the stack of nooks again and wait 15 minutes.

Hoping you have found our advice useful, we will now leave you get to work.

The ITTF regulations specify that a racket can have different rubber surfaces on each side, in order to provide different levels of spin or speed. A table tennis player can have a side which allows a high level of speed and spin and another side with no spin, for example. As we are going to see in the next paragraph, each side is connected to a certain type of play, and by flipping the racket, a player can go from an offensive to a defensive game play. In order for the opponent to be aware of this change, ITTF standardized two different colors for each side of the racket: black and red. The ITTF Handbook for table tennis rackets states that the wooden blade can be covered by either an ordinary pimpled rubber or sandwich rubber. The ordinary pimpled rubber displays outward pimples and is no ticker that 2 mm and the sandwich rubber has both inwards and outwards pimples and is not ticker than 4 mm.

The ordinary pimpled rubber, with exterior pimples, can display two types of pimples: short and long. The short outward pimples are suitable for fast blockers and counter-hitters, whereas the long outward pimples are best suited for defensive players. The sandwich rubber is more commonly used because it allows the development of different ranges of strokes. Also known as reverse rubber, this racket side gives the player a good command of the ball and helps him in developing a personal style. The sandwich rubber is best for beginner and intermediate players, while the ordinary pimples rubber is good for advanced players, who already have a personal style. Also, as a general rule, regardless of the racket side you choose to use, the thickness of the rubber and sponge comes in direct connection with an offensive game play: the more offensive the player, the thicker the paddle sponge and rubber. A thicker rubber (2.0 to 2.5 mm) is referred to as a high speed rubber, since it increases the speed of the ball, being used in offensive games. Moreover, a thicker sponge will provide more speed and spin and will be more efficient in propelling the ball, whereas a thin sponge will produce less speed.

So, whatever might be you ping pong level or style, be sure to choose your racket carefully, by correctly assessing the rubber surface.

First of all, you should keep in mind that a gentle, mild cleaning is always more efficient that a rough one. Although you want to get rid of the excess dirt from the rubber, which can eventually damage the ball grip, you should be careful not to harm the quality of the rubber in doing so. One golden rule before we get started on the techniques, is to try avoiding the exposure of the rubber to extreme temperatures (hot/cold water, sun exposure for drying etc.). A prolonged exposure to sun heat will soften the rubber to the extent of turning it into an antispin sheet. Moreover, the exposure to cold will harm the rubber by making it fragile and will damage the springing effect of the sponge.

• The traditional way: tap water combined with 1-2 drops of liquid soap or detergent (think of using a professional cleaning sponge, like the Butterfly sponge). Dampen the sponge into the plain/ soapy water and clean using linear movements. Try to avoid circular movements, as you are risking to move the dirt from one place to the other. Just think of it as cleaning a window or giving someone a shave. Although argued that this method does not allow a deep cleaning and that dirt can still remain between the rubber pores, if you are not extremely demanding about this process, the traditional tap water- sponge method will work just fine, being 100% harmless for the rubber.
• Rubber cleaning foam: it comes in a variety of shapes, at different prices. The JOOLA Rubber Foam is quite efficient and is also handy because it comes with its own sponge. The foam cleaners are the most efficient, since the foam allows a deep cleaning of the rubber pores. A sole precaution should be taken when using this type of cleaning: do not use too much foam and remove all the foam with the sponge, before allowing to dry.
• Cleaning spray: although not as efficient as the foam, the spray cleaners do their job and leave a clean, natural rubber. The Butterfly Clean Wateris a best seller and provides a very good price-quality ratio. When using sprays, think of using it sparingly because too much can leave a sticky feel to the rubber; one-two sprays are enough for each side.
• Brushes: are preferred for the cleaning of pimples (long and short). The Butterfly Pimps Brush is a good alternative to the traditional toothbrush and is good for players who use pimps-out rubbers. The toothbrush is still a good option, if you don’t have a professional brush, but always keep in mind that the movements should be gentle, in order not to harm the rubber.
• Grip-enhancement solution: you can give a good cleaning to your ping pong paddle and also enhance its grip. The Spinmax products have the property of restoring and even improving the grip of your paddle. Do not use it if you prefer non-sticky rubbers. Spinmax products are useful when you play in a highly moist temperature and you want a good grip of the ball.

There is a great variety of methods for cleaning the ping pong paddle, and each player should decide for himself, based on his own level of game and playing tactics. Also, whatever may be the chosen product, it is important to clean the paddle after the game and not before and let the paddle rest for a while before your next game.

Whether you are new to table tennis or you are already a professional of the game, you should know that using the right ping pong rackets can make quite a difference in your performance. There is the option of simply purchasing a ready-made ping pong paddle, which has some advantages, such as a lower price and the fact that you will not have to go through the trouble of choosing, purchasing and assembling every part of the paddle. However, even though you will buy the already made paddle, you will still have to search for the one with the right features for you game style, which can prove to be harder to find than you might expect.

Granted, if you have only been playing ping pong for a short time, you should first purchase an already made paddle, at least until you get the hang of the game and figure out if you are really enjoying it, but when you want to take table tennis to a professional level, it is time to make your own custom made ping pong rackets. The performance increase in your game style will make all the hassle of gathering the right pieces worthwhile.

The most important decision whenever you will pick a paddle is the blade. If you are still trying to define your play style, it would be best to choose blades that have an intermediate speed level for your ping pong rackets. You should have no problem finding it since there is a wide variety of manufacturers on the market that you can choose from. Once you have figured out your play style, you can adjust the speed level of your racket by replacing the blade.

The next part that you will have to choose is the handle or, more accurately, the shape of the handle. Professional players state that this does not really make much of a difference when you are new to the game and it is more of a finesse choice. What really counts when it comes to the shape of the handle of your ping pong rackets is that you do not feel any discomfort when holding it for a long period of time.

After you have assembled the basic parts of your paddle, it is time to choose the glue and the rubber. For your first custom ping pong rackets you should choose smooth rubber, with no pimples or sponge. Later on, you can simply replace the rubbers of your ping pong rackets as you see fit, as each type of rubber will give a certain effect whenever you hit the ball. As far as the glue is concerned, it is a good idea to ask for advice or even have a more experienced person show you how to do it the first time.

Once you have found all the pieces that you need to build the perfect custom made ping pong racket for your play style, you should also check out how much they cost. Ideally, you should be spending around one hundred dollars on all the parts. Keep in mind that you should not be cheap with any of the parts, but you should not spend more than you can afford on your paddle, as some shops may have unjustified prices.