Table tennis is a discipline, which is certainly not alien to lovers of sport activities. Despite the fact that at first glance it seems from a technical point of view not particularly demanding, before proceeding to the game it is worth considering the choice of appropriate equipment.
Ping-pong is one of the most widespread games of skill. One of the issues to which table tennis owes its enormous popularity are the rules, which are not particularly complicated. After all, the main point is to hit a plastic ball to the opposite side of the table. Unlike in land-based tennis, it is not allowed to bounce the ball before it hits the surface once. Simple, but at the same time requires a lot of skill and reflexes.
The real challenge begins, however, when we want to take up ping-pong more seriously and start winning regularly. It turns out that just having a flair for the game is not enough – you also need to think about buying a proper racket, also commonly called a pallet. For beginners this may be a bit problematic, after all, most of them seemingly nothing different from each other. So what parameters should be taken into account when buying this indispensable equipment?
The first aspect is, of course, the price. To get a good product, you should reckon with the expense of 50 zł upwards. Cheaper rackets simply do not perform well during more sophisticated plays and thus will only cause unnecessary frustration. Another thing that is important when choosing a racket is the material used for its construction. This is somewhat related to the price, since it is widely known that high-end equipment is usually of higher quality than that purchased for the proverbial “cheap”. More expensive rackets are made of carefully selected materials, which allows for better grip and, as a result, greater pleasure from the game.
Every player has an individual style of play and therefore needs equipment properly adjusted to its characteristics. All paddles are made of wood but its type is what we are most interested in. Harder ones are suitable for fast game, while softer ones will prove useful during slower game. The weight of the paddle also plays an important role – the heavier it is, the more powerful our bounces will be. However the possibility of technical manoeuvres will suffer.
Before the purchase, it is worth to pay special attention to the parameters given by the producer. The three most important features are usually rated on a scale of 1 to 10 (or slightly less often 1 to 100). The first is spin (rotation), which affects the ability to spin the ball. The next is speed, which is the adaptation of the equipment to the dynamic play of the action. Finally, control, which as the name suggests, means control and the ability to maneuver the ball. It is worth keeping in mind that the last two attributes rather do not go hand in hand. The faster the speed, the less control – this is something to keep in mind.
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