Are you mad about table tennis? Whether you are a beginner or advanced player there are always ways that you can improve your game. The first step is to find a good table tennis table for sale, helping you to squeeze some practice time in at home.
More about the game of Table Tennis
Also referred to as ping pong, fun and competitive Ping pong games can be played with two or four people. The players use a paddle to hit ping pong balls across the table. A table tennis table is hard and it has a net separating the sides of the opposing players.
Some Table Tennis Rules Basics
Before you start to play you will need to review the table tennis rules. Players must hit the ball across the net and it must bounce on the opposite side of the net only once before the opponent returns it.
A player is awarded a point if their opponent doesn’t return the ball. Table tennis games have a fast pace and, to be a successful, players need to be able to react quickly. Once you learn the basics of the game you can start advancing your skills. Learning more advanced techniques will help you to beat your opponent.
Where did Table Tennis Begin?
Table tennis, or ping pong, has its origins as a game that was played after dinner by wealthy families in Victorian England. Since then, it has grown into a thriving sport with international players. The International Table Tennis Federation oversees the sport on an international level and their guidelines are available in a handbook.
Table Tennis games first became part of the Olympics in 1988, with the categories for this sport including men’s and women’s single and doubles games. In 2008 a team game replaced the doubles competition.
Gear for the perfect match
Now that you know more about the basics of the game let us take a look at what equipment you need. Firstly you will need to find a table tennis table for sale. If you are just starting out you may want to buy a second hand table. That way you can find out if this sport is really for you without spending a fortune.
If you want to play on a professional level, you will need to check that your table tennis table meets the specified dimensions and guidelines. Next you will need to buy paddles. It’s a good idea to buy four paddles so that you can play doubles when your friends are visiting. Rackets typically have different coloured rubber which distinguishes between its two sides. To play this fun game you will also need ping pong balls, which are available in a variety of colours and it is advisable to choose a colour that contrasts with the table and background colours.
Once you have all the equipment that you need, you can start playing table tennis. First determine which player will serve first by doing a coin toss. The server throws the ball up in the air and hits it making it bounce on their side of the table before it goes over the net and bounces on their opponent’s court. The ball must not touch the net. The reviewer hits the ball back making it bounce once on their side of the court before it goes over the net and bounces on the server’s side of the court.
Table Tennis as a competitive sport
Competitive table tennis games are played across the world. The game has a large following in East Asia as well as Europe. Renowned competitions include the World Table Tennis Championships as well as the ITTF World Tour. Also worth mentioning is the European Championships.
Once you have mastered the basics of ping pong, it is helpful to watch the professionals play so that you can learn useful techniques. Clubs also host games at a professional level. Renowned players include Wang Nan from China as well as Zhang Yining. Jean-Philippe Gatien from France is another note-worthy player. If you want to learn from one of the best, take a look at Vladimir Samsonov.
Now that you know more about this fun sport you can look for a table tennis table for sale on Junk Mail. Whether you want to play with your friends just for fun or reach a professional level, owning a table is a good start. Selling your table tennis table and ping pong balls? Place your FREE AD on www.JunkMail.co.za now!
