Any racket can be your equipment if you are an avid tennis player. But do you know the racket type strongly influences your game performance? Also, how would you know which type of racket suits you best?
Pro players spend the maximum time choosing their type before jumping into the game.
In this article, I will discuss the basic market types you come across. Also, you will be able to learn what makes a good ping pong paddle, so stick around up to the very end of this article.
Every game has its uniqueness and equipment to be followed. When choosing the right equipment for gameplay considerably Table Tennis, choosing the best for yourself could come in handy. Because when you step your foot into the market, you’ll be met with an uncountable amount of paddles type. It could be pretty confusing and put you in doubt all at once, so to save you time, I’ll briefly explain the different types of Ping Pong Paddles and their benefits.
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Contents
Sponge Paddles:
Beginning with the sponge paddles, the sponge has stayed to remain an essential part of multiple paddles throughout the years. A paddle with a thicker sponge is said to benefit the gaming style of many players as it manages to generate more spin. On the other hand, a thinner sponge bids a slow and lenient grip during the match.
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Hardbat paddles:
Coming to Hardbat paddles, these types of paddles are uncommon and do not have sponges attached to them; rather, they operate short outward pips on the blade. These pips stimulate lessened spin, contrary to sponge paddles. Because of these pips, the shots become slower, and players can get a chance to strategise their next move.
Note: Hardbat paddles lack sponges in them, so for this reason, this racket produces a little too much sound. This sound could probably benefit the leading player as it could create a kind of distraction for the opponent.
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Sandpaper Paddles:
High school was all about sandpaper paddles when it came to Table Tennis. This paddle is known for its Sandpaper covering and modern wood-like paddle. Like Hardbat paddles, these rackets also don’t contain sponges. For a defensive game, these paddles are the ideal tool as they can enable the player to make more points.
What makes a good Ping Pong Paddle:
Table tennis is a world-famous game. Lots of people from all over the globe take part in it. The everyday manufacturer has been putting their blood and sweat into producing the best equipment for this game. Although plenty of Ping Pong paddles are available online and in markets, in this article, I’ll discuss the main types of paddles and the parts that make these rackets whole.
Basically, there are three main types of Ping Pong paddles: defensive, offensive, and all-rounder. The thing that makes a defensive paddle different from an offensive one is its lightweight and easy grip. Meanwhile, the offensive paddle is heavier in weight and has more resistance power.
The handle, the blade, the sponge, and the rubber are the four major parts of a ping pong paddle. Without these parts, you cannot make a good racket out of the ordinary.
Parts of a Table Tennis Racket:
While thinking about buying your desired table tennis racket, you should always pay attention to every little detail of it. Different parts of a Table Tennis Racket combine together to form one single piece of the paddle. These parts are an essential guide to producing the best types of ping pong paddles for you.
Below is everything you need to know about the parts of these rackets before buying them.
Handle:
The type of handle you choose for your gameplay could be the turning point in your career. There’s no doubt that the table tennis racket type you select for yourself can define your gripping style. Out of each part of the paddle, a ping pong handle withstands the most burden, so selecting the right one for yourself is important to avoid breakage throughout the match.
My suggestion to beginners would be to consider the right type of handle for yourselves before indulging in the game because it’ll evaluate your playing style in the near future.
To dive more into learning what handle type would suit you the most and how each handle will influence your game, I’m gonna discuss various types of it below.
- Flared handle: Starting with flared handles, these types of handles are generally used by Chinese players. This handle is wider in capacity and is mostly preferred by the leading players.
- Straight handle: European ping pong players prefer these types of handles. Unlike flared handles, straight handles don’t have any flared parts in the middle or towards the end of the handle.
- Anatomic handle: If you’re the opponent in the game, you should totally use this type of handle. It has a unique wave-shaped grip making the middle of the handle a little bit wider, and the lower part Flared.
These are some of the major types of ping pong handles, although there are also conical handles and Chinese penholders that haven’t been in the limelight yet.
Blade:
The blade of table tennis is made up of numerous plates of wood and carbon piled up together. These blades usually consist of a flat paddle area for striking the ball. If you look at some of the players and their way of holding a racket, it says a lot about their background. Penhold style and western or shakehand style are the two most famous styles to date. Penhold grip has been adopted by Asian players mostly; it allows them to clench the handle between their thumb and index finger; on the contrary, the shakehand style allows a player to clench the handle in the palm of their hands.
A table tennis racket is not too heavy in weight; it weighs around 75 to 95 grams in general. Every style has its own blade type, depending on the technique that is being used by the player. A unique type of wood is used for each level of the game and for the resistance power over the ball.
Rubber:
The rubber on the table tennis paddle is as essential as the handle on the bat. It mainly covers either side of the paddle; ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) keeps a check of rubbers preserved for the players and often redoes the record. Every racquet has a black and red cover on each side; this helps the players specify the type of swirl they’re about to set off on the ball. There are some variations in rubbers, thickness, and style. I’m going to jot down some properties of these rubbers below briefly.
- Thick rubbers: enable players with an offensive style of game.
- Inverted pimples rubber: helps conserve good resistance of the ball and also has a steady texture.
- Pimple style rubber: these styles of rubbers compromise extended and lower pimply textures. The short ones help for blocking purposes, and the long ones are usually helpful for the defensive side.
For International matches, a rubber must always contain a brand logo to ensure it fulfils the rules and regulations of USA Table Tennis.
Glue:
The rubber on the paddle tends to come off as quickly sometimes, so to prevent this blunder glueing the rubber right can save up to a lot of your time. Ping pong players have to maintain their racquets now and then, so for this purpose; they should always consider using water-based glue as they’re the most effective and free of fatal components.
Conclusion:
Ping pong is a game of intelligence that requires all your attention and stamina to get you somewhere in the game. You cannot just go out there and impulsively purchase ping-pong equipment because they’re the ones that can make or break the game for you.
I’ve covered some of the best types of Ping Pong paddles and their fluency for you in this article so that you won’t have to go buy them before knowing the actual facts about them.
FAQs:
Is there a difference in Ping Pong paddles?
Yes, there is a clear difference between Ping Pong paddles as the lighter paddle tends to create a more attacking power, while the heavier paddle could go on a defensive side.
What is the difference between a ping pong paddle’s red and black sides?
The red side usually enables the ping-pong ball to run faster; on the contrary, the black side helps put a better spin on the ball.
What is the best grip for table tennis?
The shakehand grip is the finest grip used by pro players and beginners.