Ping Pong, also known as table tennis, is a sport that requires you to move your entire body while working out your mind at the same time. The mechanics behind the sport may seem simple, wherein two players at the opposite ends of a table need to hit a lightweight ball back and forth across them by using a racket. However, ensuring that you hit the ping pong balls, and making it hard for your opponent to do the same can prove to be challenging. This is because, just like with any other sport, you need a technique and strategy to help you win a match. Hence, here are simple hacks on how you can master Ping Pong.
Background
Ping Pong originated in Victorian England as an after-dinner parlor game among the upper classes. It has been suggested that makeshift versions of the game were developed in India around the 1860s or 1870s by British military officers who brought it back with them. A row of books stood up along the center of the table as a net, and two more books served as rackets and were used to continuously hit a golf ball.
Ping Pong was widely used before British manufacturer J. Jaques & Son, Ltd. registered the trademark in 1901. The term “Ping Pong” came to refer to the game played with the rather expensive Jaques’ equipment, while other manufacturers referred to it as table tennis. In the United States, a similar situation arose when Jaques sold the rights to the “Ping Pong” name to Parker Brothers. Parker Brothers then enforced its trademark for the term in the 1920s, forcing various associations to change their names to “table tennis” rather than the more common but trademarked term.
The following major breakthrough was made by James W. Gibb, a British table tennis enthusiast who discovered novelty celluloid balls on a trip to the United States in 1901 and discovered them to be ideal for the game. E.C. came after that. Goode invented the modern racket in 1901 by affixing a sheet of pimpled, or stippled, rubber to the wooden blade. By 1901, table tennis had grown in popularity to the point where tournaments were being organized. Books on the subject were being written, and an unofficial world championship was held in 1902. The scoring system was the same as in lawn tennis back then.
Learn About Ball Spin
One of the objectives of the sport is to be able to hit the ball at all times and return it back to your opponent. However, in order to predict the direction where the ball is heading for you to hit is properly, you must be knowledgeable about ball spin. A top spin happens when your opponent’s racket is moving from low to high when he hits the ball, otherwise, it is a back spin. In addition to this, the ball spin is a right side spin if your opponent hits the ball from their left to the right, otherwise, it is a left sidespin.
Hit the Ball at an Angle
You can compensate for the spin by hitting the ball with your paddle positioned at a certain angle. For a topspin, position your paddle at an angle that is slightly face down and hit the ball above the center of the paddle. Conversely, position your paddle at an angle slightly face up for a backspin. Aside from the angle position of your paddle, having the right racket can also aid you in ensuring that you return the ball properly according to its spin. According to seasoned table tennis players, you can find the best ping pong paddles here where you will find a comprehensive review, as well as a buying guide. In general, you need to consider what the paddle is made of, because the handle will affect your grip, while the blade, the sponge, as well as the rubber sheet will affect the bounce of the ball.
Maintain a Ready Position
Always anticipate where your opponent will direct the ball and it will always help to maintain a ready position. To be effective in a ping pong match, you need to move to the direction of the ball with your feet but stay balanced. Once you hit the ball, return to your ready position and repeat this cycle until the rally of hitting the ball across the table comes to an end.
Conclusion
Ping Pong is a great sport if you intend to have a whole body and mind workout. However, to be able to get good at it, keep in mind that you need the proper physical and mental preparation, as well as the right gear. Thus, perhaps it is about time for you to venture out into Ping Pong, if you haven’t yet.