Table Tennis Training - The Effects of Concentration

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=E._Owens]E. Owens

The game of Table Tennis requires focus and concentration, and if you often find yourself consistently blowing your 8-4 or 9-5 leads, chances are the problem is simply a lack of concentration. Losing games when you have a great lead is actually a very common problem, but it is a problem that can be easily helped by improving your concentration. So, how can you improve your concentration? Well, practice makes perfect; so, as easy as it might sound, practice concentrating!

Every time you go out to practice at the Ping Pong table, you are developing habits that will surely surface in a match. For example, if you are doing drills with a partner and your focus is great when it's your turn to do the drill but not so great when you are not doing the drill, then you are practicing very short periods of concentration followed by lapses in concentration. In a Table Tennis game or match, this habit of fluctuating concentration often translates into good focus in the beginning of a game helping you to build a lead, and then a lapse of concentration resulting in a loss of the game.

To overcome this bad habit, next time you practice, make sure you are concentrating during the entire practice session. If you find that you cannot focus for two or three hours straight, then start out at about a half-hour and then build up from there. Soon, you will find yourself increasing the time that you can hold perfect concentration, and your focused concentration will lead to you playing an entire game and match with full attention, enabling you to finally finish off those leads.  Remember to stay focused!

For more Table Tennis training tips and techniques plus the latest news in Ping Pong, please visit us at http://www.tabletennis.com . Also, if you would like more information about the Newgy Robo-Pong Table Tennis Training Robots and accessories, visit [http://www.tabletennisbargains.com].

Eric Owens is a U.S. National Table Tennis Champion who has spent his life perfecting his game and sharing his love of ping-pong with the next generations of players.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Table-Tennis-Training---The-Effects-of-Concentration&id=2548925] Table Tennis Training - The Effects of Concentration

The Beauty Of Table Tennis

Table Tennis 2013 My Motivation - [ Adrien mattenet,Timo Boll,Zhang Jike ]

Table Tennis Tips - Clean Paddles And More

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell]Michael Russell

Think it doesn't matter if your paddle is dirty?  Better think again.  You're going to find some tips for cleaning your paddle as well as some other things to help improve your game. 

You don't need anything really fancy for cleaning your paddle.  Just some plain water and a soft sponge will do for general cleaning and dusting.  At the end of the match you might want to do a little more fancy cleaning to get rid of the more deeply seated dirt and the oils that accumulate on your paddle from your skin. 

There are specially made cleaners that come out of cans just for this purpose.  They are expensive but worth it.  If you're on a tight budget and can't afford the good stuff you can clean your paddles cheaply by using a drop of dishwashing detergent.  Make sure you use a brand that is non abrasive like Ivory.
What you do is take a drop of the liquid and put it on the blade.  Then add a few drops of water.  Then take the corner of your sponge and rub the solution into the surface of the rubber. 

 After you're done, rinse the sponge and wipe the blade and handle off completely so that there is no soap left on it.  You're going to have to rinse the sponge several times while doing this procedure.  After you're done, shake the blade dry.  Don't dry with a towel or any kind of cloth.  You'll end up getting fibers in the blade.  

Cleaning your racket is only part of keeping it in good shape.  Make sure that you have a sturdy case for your racket to keep it in.  Also, make sure you keep the case as clean as possible.  Don't leave it out and open for long periods of time.  If dirt accumulates inside the case, that dirt is eventually going to end up on your racket.  

Keeping your equipment in good clean condition is just as important as being on the top of your game.
While we're on the subject of your paddle, this is something that only the really advanced players do but is something that everyone should do.  

For starters, you really need to have more than one type of racket.  The reason for this is because each table surface that you play on is going to be different.  Some will be more slick than others, meaning the ball will react faster on some surfaces than others.  For really fast games you're going to want to use a lighter weight racket that reacts faster.  

So, how do you know what kind of table surface you're going to be playing on?  One way to find out is to check out your opponent before the game starts.  Find out what kind of surface he is practicing on and what kind of racket he's using.  If you see he's changing his racket then find out which one he is using.  This will give you a good idea of what surface you're probably going to be playing on and can choose your racket to match.
Don't underestimate keeping your racket clean and choosing the right one for the table you'll be playing on.  These two tips may make the difference between winning and losing, all other things being equal.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Table Tennis 

[http://table-tennis-guide.com]

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Table-Tennis-Tips---Clean-Paddles-And-More&id=171609] Table Tennis Tips - Clean Paddles And More

The most important skill in Table Tennis

Exercise for Your Heart: Determine Your Target Heart Rate (THR) Without Electronic Gadgets

Exercise for Your Heart: Determine Your Target Heart Rate (THR) Without Electronic Gadgets
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Bailin,_Ph.D.]Jonathan Bailin, Ph.D. 

I want to exercise to improve my cardiovascular health.  How fast should my heart beat during exercise?  How long should my workout be and how many times per week?  These are great questions and ones that more Americans should ask.  This article will provide the basic answers to these questions and you don't need expensive gizmos and gadgets.   

THR is the optimum speed your heart should beat for maximum cardiovascular effect.  Too fast and the duration of your exercise session suffers and injury risk rises.  Too slow and the cardiovascular system is insufficiently taxed.  Staying within a couple beats a minute of THR controls intensity properly.

Many exercise machines and gym posters come with a "zone" for your exercise session, but here are more exact calculations you do for yourself without gadgets.  WARNING--it's important that before starting a new exercise program that you CONSULT A PHYSICIAN.  Assuming you are clear to start, there are three main elements to design your cardio workout--Intensity, Duration, and Frequency.  Let's begin with the principle of intensity, which is best controlled at THR.   

Intensity of your exercise can be measure by how fast your heart is beating and you don't need an expensive heart rate monitor of fancy wristwatch, just two fingers.  There is a good chance that some time in your life you will need to find out if someone's heart is beating, so this is a useful skill to practice on yourself.  To find your heart rate, gently push two fingers into the soft area to the side of your windpipe or on the palm side of your other wrist below your thumb.

Press lightly until you feel the blood pulsing beneath your fingers or adjust your position until you do.  Count the number of beats in 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to get your pulse or beats per minute.  Taking your pulse before you get out of bed is called Resting Heart Rate (RHR).  Knowing your minimum and maximum pulse is essential to finding your Target Heart Rate (THR) during exercise.   

Calculate your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR), the fastest your heart can physically beat, by simply subtracting your age from 220.  CAUTION--YOU SHOULD NEVER INTENTIONALLY EXERCISE AT THIS HEART RATE.  Now that you know your resting (RHR) and maximum (MHR), you now know the range your heart can beat or Heart Rate Range (HRR) by simply subtracting the slowest (RHR) from the maximum (MHR) your heart can beat.  Now you are ready to find your personal and accurate THR.

Sedentary individuals, those that do not exercise regularly, should begin an exercise program at 60% of their range.  So, THR = (HRR x 0.6) + RHR.  Active individuals, those that regularly exercise at least 3 times a week, should exercise at 65% of their range.  For them, THR = (HRR x 0.65) + RHR.  Elite athletes, or those with a background of endurance training, can exercise at 70-75% of HRR.  Now for duration and frequency.

The duration of exercise at THR should be at least 20 minutes with 5 minutes of warm-up and 5 minutes of cool down.  A good warm-up would include stretching of major muscle groups and gradually ramping up heart rate toward THR with the reverse for cool down. 

The frequency of exercise at your THR should be 3-5 times a week for improvement and at least 2 times a week for maintenance of your present level of fitness.  IMPORTANT--research shows that even lower intensity exercise can still have significant beneficial effects like longer lifespan, enhanced mood, and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.  Controlling the intensity, duration, and frequency of exercise is the key to getting the quickest and most profound benefit.
Regular exercise and cardiovascular fitness have been shown to help prevent degenerative diseases like stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease.  It has also proved to help improve allergies, asthma, digestion, stress management, and sleeping disorders. 

Interestingly, it is also at least as important to weight control as good nutrition.  Plan two or more different ways, or modes, of exercise to promote THR.  Whether you choose bicycling, yoga, table tennis, gardening, or even boogie boarding, regular exercise is easier to stick with when it's fun.  Good luck and have fun with your new exercise program! 

Jonathan Bailin, Ph.D. received his doctorate in Exercise Science while coaching tennis at the University of Southern California. Currently, Dr. Bailin operates a tennis coaching business in Marina del Rey, California, publishes research, consults for corporations in ergonomics, and enjoys recreational table tennis locally.

When Dr. Bailin rediscovered his first childhood passion, ping pong, he published [http://www.TableTennisMenace.com]http://www.TableTennisMenace.com, but he wanted to use his expertise to better guide consumers to product. Because the selection of sporting goods from a huge array of products can be such a daunting task, Jonathan decided to pre-select only the best and most popular ping pong tables, table tennis rackets, and accessories from the most respected suppliers and give expert advice on product combinations.

Because of the sport's universal appeal to all ages, modest requirements of space/money, and potential to fight inactivity, he truly feels that whether you call it "Ping Pong" or "Table Tennis", anyone can "Be a Menace" at TableTennisMenace.com.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Exercise-for-Your-Heart:-Determine-Your-Target-Heart-Rate-(THR)-Without-Electronic-Gadgets&id=6667888] Exercise for Your Heart: Determine Your Target Heart Rate (THR) Without Electronic Gadgets

Table Tennis - 2012 Highlights - [HD]

Racket Sports Biomechanics: Brain Function, Eye Skills & Table Tennis

Can table tennis help me learn tennis? Can ping pong help my vision skills, reactions, and balance? Can table tennis help improve brain function or help me read better? These kinds of questions about the impact of table tennis on brain function and motor skills are starting to capture the attention of researchers. The author has some unique credentials to help bring the reader up to speed on these questions by first looking at the unique qualities of table tennis, then their application to brain function.

First, ping pong can definitely help anyone learn tennis and other racket sports. One rough measure of mastering a tennis movement is the creation of spin. With the exception of flat ground strokes, elite players prefer extreme spin to add control and can make the ball rotate several thousand times a minute. In order to do that the racket must pass steeply through contact. The more steep the path, the more spin is imparted, but as the path becomes faster/steeper it becomes less tolerant for error. That's where better skill comes in!

Since ping pong helps teach players spin (its elite players also want fast rotation for control), that makes table tennis motions great preparation for learning spin for tennis. Further, these sports also use subtle forms of side spin, another rare stepping stone between these two sports. But table tennis can go much farther than good preparation for tennis.

The connection between the brain and visual/motor skills required to play competitive table tennis are useful to practically ANY other sport and even reading as noted below. Many athletic abilities are improved such as eye muscle tracking, recognition, decision making, response time, muscle activation, and rhythmic muscular response are all ramped up.

Eye muscle tracking skills may be the most unique set of physiological skills enhanced by table tennis. Most sports emphasize distances for eye teamwork beyond 15 feet, also called "Optical Infinity". Within 15 feet the eyes work much harder to track, diverge, and converge on objects.

To prove this, stay focused on your finger at arms length as you gradually move it toward your nose. See how it becomes more difficult to keep focused until the eyes "give up" and create a double image? Most of ping pong's tracking skills occur within or near this convergence/divergence range for the human visual system. At the same time, the basic manual task itself is relatively easy.

According to Dr. Gary Polan, a pioneer in the field of Vision Training (VT)/Sports Vision Training (SVT), eye hand skills like ping pong help stimulate the visual/motor system in similar ways to the skills needed for reading performance. Every day at his office he helps patients improve their reading challenges by exercising the visual cortex, the interocular muscles which control the lenses of the eye, and the extraocular muscles which control eye teamwork. Dr. Polan says that EVERY reader and athlete, even elite athletes, can improve performance with VT/SVT. Better eye performance makes better readers AND better athletes because--ALL eye skills are learned!

The attribute of "ease of use", the usability of table tennis, has other huge advantages. Table tennis allows almost every first time user, from kids to seniors, to quickly feel competent. After that, its easier than most other sports to ramp up overall physical performance in the first few sessions, without coaching. This "ease of use" attribute has captured the attention of scientists too.

Some researchers are interested in ping pong's influence on the brain, its ability to adapt, improve function, and ward off chronic disease. Dr. Mehmet Oz calls it his favorite "Brain Sport" because it improves cognitive function and motor function which, help prevent and ameliorate Alzheimer's Disease. Nerve conduction speed actually increases, and with it, the ability to faithfully reproduce a motor program more quickly. It's great brain exercise!

That principle for human muscle in sports medicine is called "Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands" or the SAID principle. Like a skeletal muscle, brain function can be improved, IF it is pushed to improve, at ALL ages. We now know that the brain also responds to the SAID principle and reveals what researchers now call "Brain Plasticity".

For rehabilitation needs in a small space, ping pong can be a potent tool. Remember the table tennis in Forrest Gump? To learn more about table tennis therapy, see the SAEF Table Tennis Therapy Program (SAEF.us). This organization is preparing to launch an in depth study of the effects of table tennis therapy on Alzheimer's Disease. It's a fascinating and FUN form of physical therapy because almost ANYONE can "Be a Menace" with table tennis"!

Jonathan Bailin, Ph.D. received his doctorate in Biomechanics/Exercise Physiology while coaching tennis at the University of Southern California. Currently, Dr. Bailin operates a tennis coaching business in Marina del Rey, California, publishes research, consults for corporations in ergonomics, and enjoys recreational table tennis locally.Dr. Bailin published TableTennisMenace.com when he rediscovered his first childhood passion, ping pong. On this site he uses his expertise to better guide consumers to the best products for them. Here you will find only the best and most popular ping pong tables, table tennis rackets, ping pong balls, and accessories from the most respected suppliers. Because of the sport's universal appeal, modest space requirements, and potential to fight inactivity, he truly feels that whether you call it "Ping Pong" or "Table Tennis", anyone can "Be a Menace" at TableTennisMenace.com.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Bailin,_Ph.D.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6703554

Best Of Table Tennis - HD

Biomechanics: Can Table Tennis Skills Be Transferred to Other Racket Sports?

Can ping pong help me learn tennis? Will racquetball hurt my tennis game? Can badminton help me play better table tennis? These kinds of questions about the transference of skills between racket sports come up all the time. The author has some unique credentials to help answer these questions. We will examine some of the mechanical similarities and differences between racket sports to help answer some of these questions.

To best compare the mechanics of tennis, table tennis, or other racket sports requires a bit of basic kinesiology. If you are standing relaxed with your hands at your sides, palms facing forward, you are in what is called the "Anatomic Position". If you angle your fingertips away from your thighs, the max being about 45 degrees, that movement is called "Wrist Abduction". Reversing that small movement is called "Wrist ADDuction". Kinesiology students remember the difference by visualizing that this body part is being "ADDed" toward the midline, or long axis of the body and like to capitalize the first three letters for clarity.Wrist posture is one very important difference between table tennis, tennis, racquetball, squash, badminton, and even fencing. Picture a fencer with a sabre or foil in their hand thrusting toward the opponent. In order to make the foil tip reach as far as possible, the wrist must be fully adducted. The wrist posture for table tennis is nearly the same but used for another purpose, not just for extending the reach.

In table tennis, the wrist is adducted to allow it to express whip during forward motion at contact. The legs, torso, shoulder, and arm start the movement and transmit momentum in what is called a "Kinetic Chain". That chain of movement snaps the table tennis racket like a bullwhip at the ball. This kinetic chain of momentum from the ground, up through the body, then culminating at contact is actually common to most, if not all, contact/collision sports such as football and baseball. In contrast to table tennis, the wrist in tennis is usually "ABDucted".

With the brief exceptions of reaching defensively to get to a ball or reaching upward for a serve or smash, the wrist posture in tennis is more like holding a hammer, much more "ABDucted". This posture does several things for a tennis player. First, it makes bearing the extra weight and length of a tennis racket easier by it being above the hand vertically.Second, an "ABDucted" wrist is a stronger, more controllable wrist posture. It is more able to resist the high impact forces of a tennis ball and also more able to resist the high twisting forces of off center impacts. Obviously, these kinds of impact forces do not exist in table tennis and learning this posture requires a great deal of practice and discipline. Unfortunately, as the author has found, that same "ABDucted" wrist discipline painstakingly learned to play better tennis is difficult to set aside when one tries to play ping pong with its "ADDucted" wrist.

This is THE main complaint of table tennis coaches, when teaching those who have come from tennis, that they must constantly remind them to "drop" or "ADDuct" the wrist. The author's own ping pong coaches just smile and point now! In the authors theoretical and practical opinion, It appears that among racket sports, tennis requires the most discipline in terms of wrist "ABDuction". Tennis, and perhaps ping pong, may also require more discipline in its strokes in general. Again, some additional basic kinesiology is useful.From the "Anatomic Position" described above, if you bend your wrists so that your palms face upward, you are FLEXING your wrists. When you return your hands to the position in which your fingers point toward the floor, you are EXTENDING your wrists. When you rotate your forearms so that your thumbs are next to your thighs and your palms face behind you, you are PRONATING your forearms. The opposite movement is called SUPINATION. Both PRONATION and SUPINATION are defined by the two bones in the forearm rotating around each other, movements which are distinct but often confused with flexing the wrist.Because the target for badminton, squash, and racquetball is so large, acceleration of the racket and contact speed is usually top priority. To do that, both flexion and pronation is used in the forearm to obtain the highest velocity. The target in tennis and table tennis is smaller than the other sports and maximum racket velocity is less often desired. The notable exceptions are the tennis serve and smash, but even those strokes generate racket velocity by almost exclusively using PRONATION, not FLEXION of the wrist. Pronation is also the dominant forearm movement in throwing a fast baseball.

What does this tell us about transferring skills from one sport to another? Does this make one racket sport easier to learn if you are already familiar with another? These are obviously difficult and complex questions even for a biomechanical specialist in racket sports, but if we isolate just the differences discussed here, one path to the answers can be found.When it comes to the wrist and forearm discipline described above, we can assume that it is more difficult to acquire discipline than to suspend it. For that reason it follows that it is easier to learn racquetball, badminton, and squash AFTER learning tennis or table tennis. Conversely, it is more difficult to acquire the forearm discipline required in tennis and table tennis, AFTER learning the other sports which emphasize laxity of both forearm motions described here.

Beyond its biomechanical logic, this principle is born out in the author's personal experience in racket sports and over 30 years of coaching. His tournament experience in racquetball followed that of tennis and it always seemed easy to relax the discipline of tennis to "snap" at maximum velocity at a racquetball. Over these years many students struggled to learn the additional discipline of tennis after the other sports. In short, the author recommends learning tennis and/or table tennis BEFORE branching out into the other sports that are dominated by whipping arm swings.

Jonathan Bailin, Ph.D. received his doctorate in Biomechanics/Exercise Physiology while coaching tennis at the University of Southern California. He also taught racket sports to future coaches and broadcasters at USC and played in many handball, table tennis, racquetball, and college tennis events. Currently, Dr. Bailin operates a tennis coaching business in Marina del Rey, California, publishes research, consults for corporations in ergonomics, and enjoys recreational table tennis locally.

Dr. Bailin published TableTennisMenace.com when he rediscovered his first childhood passion, ping pong. On this site he uses his expertise to better guide consumers to only the best products for them. He pre-select only the best and most popular ping pong tables, table tennis rackets, ping pong balls, table tennis equipment, and accessories from the most respected suppliers and gives expert advice on product combinations.

Because of the sport's universal appeal, modest space requirements, and potential to fight inactivity, he truly feels that whether you call it "Ping Pong" or "Table Tennis", anyone can "Be a Menace" at http://www.TableTennisMenace.com.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Bailin,_Ph.D.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6619712

Timo Boll Vs Zhang Jike -| Best Rallies

Some GOOD ADVICE

Print this; keep in the car--cell phones -   (OR PUT IN SAFE PLACE...)   4 Things you might not have known about your Cell Phone   For all the folks with cell phones. (This should be printed and kept in your car, purse, and wallet. Good information to have with you.)   There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies.   Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival.   Check out the things that you can do with it:    FIRST (Emergency)  The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an Emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly, this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.    SECOND (Hidden Battery Power)  Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370#. Your cell phone will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell phone next time.    THIRD (How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone? ) To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following Digits on your phone:       *#06# A 15-digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe.   If your phone is stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.      And Finally....    FOURTH (Free Directory Service for Cells)  Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial:  (800) FREE411   or (800) 373-3411      Without incurring any charge at all.  Program this into your cell phone now. This is sponsored by McDonalds.

Table Tennis and Your Health - A New Exercise Option

Table Tennis and Your Health - A New Exercise OptionBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lauren_Traveau]Lauren Traveau

Many members of our society cringe when they hear the word exercise. Visions of laborious repetitions of sit-ups and mindless miles on a treadmill are not motivators to get one up and moving. Table tennis is a wonderful alternative to other tedious exercise options. It can be played any time of the year. Most equipment is inexpensive and does not require a lot of space. Foldable tables can be stored when not in use and moved indoors or out depending on the weather.

The tabletop sport is a good aerobic activity. It is, after all, one of the fastest sports around. Achieving an effective aerobic workout does not require one to push him or herself to exertion. Accumulating a couple of hours each week playing this game, at any level, can be beneficial to your cardiovascular health. The sport is unlikely to become boring because you will never play the same game twice. You can exercise with a partner or on your own by utilizing a table tennis robot. Regardless of whether your partner is human or robotic, you can determine how strenuous to make the workout.

Not only can this sport provide an effective workout, it is a game that can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age, disability, or limitation. It is not reserved for one group of people. Able-bodied athletes and disabled athletes, young players and senior players, men and women can all compete against one another on equal terms. Because it is a non-contact sport, players of different strengths and sizes can compete against one another without one having the advantage. Players are also spared the need to be worried about the bruises and broken bones that can often result from playing contact sports.
Playing this tabletop game is a great way to exercise your brain. According to Clinical neuroscientist and psychiatrist, Dr. Daniel Amen, author of "Making A Good Brain Great: The Amen Clinic Program For Achieving And Sustaining Optimal Mental Performance", table tennis is the best sport to exercise the brain. Many areas of the brain are put to use when you play a match. You engage both the upper and lower parts of your body, you utilize hand-eye coordination skills, and you perform aerobic activity. Playing this game engages your brain on many levels. The more you engage your brain, the sharper you will be.

Another benefit of playing is that you constantly develop your hand-eye coordination. Consistently playing will help you to continue to develop and maintain this important skill. Hand-eye coordination is necessary for everyday agility. Bad hand-eye coordination can result in accidents and injuries. Playing this game will help to keep your hand-eye coordination at a high level. This is an added benefit for seniors who practice the game. It helps you to stay alert and able to react.

The benefits of this sport are being seen around the world.   rel=nofollow [http://tabletennis.com/features/table-tennis-a-tool-for-family-bonding/]Table tennis clubs are being set up in schools to engage children who are struggling academically or socially. Children who take to the game are demonstrating improved communication skills, better attendance at school, higher levels of self-esteem, and are more alert and willing to participate. This game is a tool that is being used around the world to help our children to grow into confident, healthy young men and women.

Lauren Traveau is a table tennis enthusiast who researches and writes articles about the game of table tennis. For more of her articles and other information about table tennis or ping pong, visit our Table Tennis website linked above. To take your table tennis game to the next level, consider training with a table tennis robot; learn more at [http://www.tabletennisbargains.com].

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Table-Tennis-and-Your-Health---A-New-Exercise-Option&id=4228303] Table Tennis and Your Health - A New Exercise Option

The Magic of Table Tennis

Choosing A Table Tennis Racket From Beginner to Tournament Player

Want to try some table tennis and need a racket? Is it time to go from that old sandpaper ping pong paddle to a racket with power and spin? Of course, you can keep borrowing a friends paddle, but since you are becoming a table tennis menace, it's time to buy your own and make it unique to your style. This article will give you some things to consider when searching for a perfect match between you and your new table tennis racket and also acquaint you with the styles of tournament players and their equipment.

Of course, each tournament player has a unique technique and combines equipment based on their particular style and preferences. That said, here are the "main" styles of play at tournaments and the equipment choices each TENDS to prefer.

The "Close-table Attacker" emphasizes short spinny serves and tries to finish the point quickly. Attacking shots are made within a couple feet of the table with short, efficient strokes. This style is based on fast paced shots that dictate the point even when not on the offense. Generating power quickly is best done by a light carbon blade, large sweetspot, durable topsheet, and hard sponge for easy power shots and quick, driving loops.

The "Mid-distance Looper" generally starts several feet from the table which requires quick foot speed. At this distance, topspin looping or counterlooping strategies dominate rallies. In this case, several plies of wood with reinforced carbon will be a bit heavier but will supply the extra "kick" at lower racket speeds. A durable topsheet, but a softer sponge, is best for topspin rallies and counterlooping.

The "Short-pips Attacker" has very fast paced shots which benefit from a center ply of horizontal carbon laid up with intersecting vertical layers of carbon. The rubber should have short pips with hard sponge which are better for an extremely offensive backhand. These are slightly wider than traditional pips. This player wants a grippy topsheet with a soft sponge for an arcing topspin loop to set up a backhand finish shot.

The "Long-pips Chopper" uses a medium speed blade and oversized racket head for defensive placement and chops. The rubber needs to be tacky and the sponge very hard and springy so that the heavy chops can be executed with the inverted rubber. The pips should be long to help the player pinch-hit, block, and chop against heavy topspins.

The "Long-pips Blocker" use long pips rubber to confuse opponents to blunt their attack and cause unforced errors and/or set up their own attack. Blades have to be extremely fast but have great feel so no carbon fiber. The attack must be fast with an extremely soft sponge for a longer dwell time which can also serve the defensive side of play. Effective chopping, blocking, pinch hits, and punch on attacking balls are part of the equation for this racket.

The "Anti-spin Blocker" has multiple plies of soft Cottonwood for great feel creating a very slow, controllable blade covered by a soft, anti-spin rubber. This player plans to disturb their opponents with a variety of defensive shots. Should this player want to attack, a fast rubber will be necessary. In this situation the blade and rubber are a bit of conflict requiring great skill and precision.

The "All-around Player" tries to do it all! They emphasize consistent, spinny shots without excess power or speed. Several all wood plies in the blade create fast, but not extreme speed. For more offense, the rubber should be harder, good for topspin rallies and driving loops. On the other hand, this player might favor more defensive skills with a softer sponge and grippy topsheet which is better for underspin and placement.Players using the "Chinese-penholder" and "Japanese-penholder" usually require very specialized blades and rubbers for these techniques. The Chinese style includes close to the table power loops on the forehand and requires a soft sponge for a controlled backhand. The Japanese style is extremely powerful and fast with good ball feel from Hinoki wood blades and a softer sponge for longer dwell times.

FOR THE ENTHUSIASTIC BEGINNER OR STEADY PLAYERJust in case you are not quite as far along in your table tennis prowess as the players above, here is some advice for a style still in its developmental stages. The first step in choosing the right racket is to determine your interest level. Are you just playing for fun, starting to learn, playing for exercise, or training pretty seriously?Once you have decided that, you can shop by category within the Beginner, Learner, All-Round, Sport, and Competition areas of interest. The author's site has several rackets in each category to give you some of the best options when selecting the one that best fits your style, however, there is more to know about racket specs that will be helpful.SPIN, SPEED, CONTROL, AND WEIGHT

Sorry, you can't have them all! Now that you've read about how the tournament players handle these characteristics, consider their styles before you determine what racket works best for you. Try to prioritize them in terms of your preferences. Of course, this requires knowledge about your own style and physical attributes. If your game has not matured sufficiently to be able to address these issues, choose an all around racket, until your style better reveals itself.Take a look at the weights of each racket. Lighter blades can usually be swung more quickly, but they won't have the mass of heavier blades. Mass means more power. A good rule of thumb for finding the most suitable weight for you is probably to look for the heaviest blade that you can still swing comfortably and quickly. Ideally, this should give you the best speed when making your shots.

Go For It! Although, the best way to choose a racket is to hold it in your hand and get a feel for it, getting a hold of every racket available to buy is impossible. The choices can be overwhelming, so the guidelines here can help you get started and narrow down the choices. If you are new to the sport, don't try to put your own racket together using a separate blade and rubber combination yet.

For your first racket, a good choice is a racket/rubber combination that is already prepared for you like the Rossi Action Racket. It's moderately priced and has playing characteristics that are fairly all around so that it will help you during the development phase of your game.If you are dedicated to BUILDING a racket/blade combination that meets these general requirements, the Rosskopf Allround and the Mambo Rubber would make great choices. At the same time, you take your chosen sport to a new level of dedication by learning to build your own racket's playing surface and frame. This is one of the great things about table tennis because most tennis players never learn to put strings in their racket!

In any case, go take a few lessons with it and compare it to what your coach uses or other rackets at your local table tennis center. After that, you will quickly get a feel for the differences. That will take time as table tennis racket variations can be very subtle, especially if you are not well versed in all the shots in the sport!

At some point, you will know whether its time to build a blade/rubber combination that more meets your game and physical abilities. Whether your buying a complete racket or building one, the first choice is handle type among the anatomic, flared, or straight varieties. To choose that, style will play a role.

The anatomic handle was developed to fit the natural curves of your hand and has a bump in the center, so that a player's hand can wrap comfortably around it. The flared handle widens at the end to allow players with strong shots to maintain control of their racket during those key points.The straight handle offers more flexibility in grip, as players can alternate easily between forehand and backhand. This handle is often preferred if players tend to twiddle (shift their hand position on the handle when switching between forehand and backhand) or play a defensive game. Each handle type has its strengths, so choose wisely once you are familiar with your style!

Next on the agenda is choosing the type of rubber. Table tennis rubber sheets generally consist of a top sheet and a layer of sponge underneath. The top sheet can either be pips out or inverted (smooth out, pips in), depending on your preference. Pips out surfaces are the classic surface of table tennis, but as the sport evolved, inverted rubbers grew increasingly popular. In general, pips out rubber, usually offers more control, but less spin variation.

On the other hand, inverted rubber tends to give you more spin and speed, but with less control. For more additional effect, as you read above, players can opt for a layer of sponge underneath the top sheet, which basically enhances spin and speed of the ball. The thicker the sponge, the longer the "dwell" time of the ball, and thus more spin and less speed. Conversely, the thinner the sponge, the shorter the "dwell" time of the ball, which means more speed and less time for adding spin. Whew!Although, the best way to choose a racket is to hold it in your hand and get a feel for it, it's just not practical to try even most of the rackets available. Visiting a table tennis center is a great way to meet new players, find a coach, and try some different rackets. Be part of this new community of great people and you will get advice on what can be an overwhelming decision. Be a table tennis menace!

Jonathan Bailin, Ph.D. received his doctorate in Sport Science while coaching tennis at the University of Southern California. Currently, Jonathan operates a tennis coaching business in Marina del Rey, California and consults for corporations in nutrition, ergonomics, and productivity while enjoying recreational table tennis locally.

Dr. Bailin published http://www.TableTennisMenace.com when he rediscovered his first childhood passion, ping pong. On this site he uses his expertise to guide consumers to the best ping pong tables, table tennis rackets, ping pong balls, table tennis supplies, and accessories from the most respected suppliers. Because of the sport's universal appeal, modest space requirements, and potential to fight inactivity, obesity, and even Alzheimer's Disease, he truly feels that whether you call it "Ping Pong" or "Table Tennis", anyone can "Be a Menace" at TableTennisMenace.com.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Bailin,_Ph.D.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6856338

.Timo Boll Vs Wang Xi: 2012/2013 .Match 4 German league

Best Of DTTL 2012/2013 Part 2 (By QDL) .

Best Of DTTL 2012/2013 Part 1 (By QDL) .

2012 WTTTC: ZHANG Jike - BOLL Timo

 张继科（英语：ZHANG Jike，1988年2月16日－），是中國男子乒乓球運動員[1]，籍貫青岛市，乒乓球界继瓦尔德内尔、刘国梁、孔令辉之后的第四位全满贯选手，同时也是最短时间(18个月)完成大满贯的乒乓球运动员。他的名字源於父親對足球明星濟科的喜愛。張繼科是2008年後冒起的新人，與馬龍、許昕成為中國乒乓球隊新興的勢力。他的打法剛柔並重，技戰術運用合理，反手技術出眾，攻防得宜。 [编辑]运动员生涯 2010年世界杯乒乓球赛张继科与马龙、王皓、许昕、郝帅等在迪拜代表中国国家队出战最终蝉联冠军，并实现三连冠。 2010年世界乒乓球锦标赛团体赛张继科与马龙、王皓、马琳、許昕等在莫斯科代表中国国家队出战最终蝉联冠军。同年11月，張繼科代表中國出戰廣州亞運會，參加乒乓球比賽的男子團體、男子雙打（夥拍：王皓）及混合雙打（夥拍：丁宁）項目，在男團和男雙贏得兩面金牌的佳績[1]。2011年夺得世界乒乓球锦标赛男子单打冠军。 於2011年11月，又在法國世界盃獲得男子單打冠軍。 於2012年6月, 張繼科登上世界排名第一。 於2012年8月2日, 張繼科在2012年伦敦奥运会男单比赛中打入决赛，在決賽中以4:1擊敗王皓取得冠軍。

蒂莫·波尔（德语：Timo Boll，1981年3月8日－），生于埃尔巴赫，德国乒乓球运动员，在2003年及2011年一度达到世界排名第一。波尔4岁开始接触乒乓球，左手横握球拍，打法为两面弧圈。他在2002年首次获得世界冠军，2005年获得国际乒联职业巡回赛总决赛男单冠军，2006年在中国公开赛广州站战胜中国选手王励勤获得男单冠军，2007年战胜萨姆索诺夫赢得欧洲锦标赛男单和男双（与队友克里斯蒂安·聚斯）冠军。他成為了21世紀首十年中國乒乓球隊最有威脅的對手；他是繼瓦尔德内尔後，公認的歐洲首席球員。

• 2002年欧洲锦标赛男单、男双冠军，欧洲12强赛男单冠军，世界杯男单冠军；

• 2003年欧洲12强赛男单冠军；

• 2005年第48届世界乒乓球锦标赛男双亚军，国际乒联职业巡回赛总决赛男单、男双冠军，世界杯男单冠军；

• 2006年欧洲12强赛男单冠军，国际乒联巡回赛德国站、波兰站、广州站男单冠军；

• 2007年世界杯男单第四名，国际乒联巡回赛台北站男单亚军，科威特站、卡塔尔站男单四强，欧锦赛男团、男单、男双冠军。

• 2008年世界杯亞軍，歐洲錦標賽男單、男雙、團體冠軍，奧地利公開賽男單冠軍，超級杯金牌，德國公開賽男單冠軍，波蘭公開賽男單冠軍。

• 2009年歐洲12强赛男单冠军，卡達公開賽男單冠軍，德國公開賽男單冠軍，歐洲錦標賽男雙、男團冠軍，波蘭公開賽男單冠軍，超級杯金牌，年終巡迴賽男雙冠軍。

• 2010年歐洲12强赛男单冠军，世界錦標賽男團銀牌，日本公開賽男單冠軍。

[编辑]

Best Table Tennis Shots of 2012

Why I Love Table Tennis

China National Team Studying Timo Boll!!! .

马龙（英语：MA Long，1988年10月20日－），是中國男子乒乓球運動員[1]，籍貫辽宁省。馬龍的打法先進，球感極佳，借力打力，其中遠檯攻防技術非常突出，是一位具有歐洲中遠檯和亞洲近檯打法結合的球手。他是2008年後冒起最快的中國球手，是中國近年集中培訓的未來領軍人物。 [编辑]运动员生涯 2010年世界乒乓球锦标赛团体赛马龙与王皓、马琳、张继科等在莫斯科代表中国国家队出战最终蝉联冠军。亦在2010年廣洲亞運會男子單打決賽上擊敗隊友王皓獲得冠軍。 2010年世界杯乒乓球赛許昕与马龙、王皓、郝帅、张继科等在迪拜代表中国国家队出战最终蝉联冠军，并实现三连冠。 2012年世界杯乒乓球赛马龙又获得单打冠军。

珍惜現時，享受餘生！

Table Tennis Troubleshooting Ep 6 Building Fitness

Ping Pong Film - Never Too Old For Gold

Buffett & Gates Ping Pong 2012

The Funny Table Tennis

Funny Ping Pong

Less Is More - 少即是多

此文不长，建议反复读几遍，如能早日真正领会，

你就能学到做人的智慧，得益匪浅！

等到真能悟出了，代表著智慧已達巔峰，但等到真能悟出也該是衰老時。

less is more = 少即是多

最近我去見一位老業主，過去我替他設計了多家旅館，一家比一家繁複華麗。

後來他生了一場大病，到美國住了十年，現又回台北，他說他的觀念完全改變了，過去他經營的旅館，設計是用加法，現在是要求用減法，一家比一家精簡，不只成本低，回收快，且整理方便，生意更好。

減法的設計，我們學建築的早就知道”less is more” 的道理。

嗯！我想不只設計，現在也可用減法來過生活，以減法來過後半生吧？

其實在世上擁有的越多，煩惱也越多。

有一棟房子，有一個煩惱，擁有兩棟，煩惱加倍。

財產越多，留給家族子孫的煩惱就越大。

最近金融風暴，也可見證那些擁有越多的人就越不快樂。

前一陣子，我為一位建築商做家庭室內設計，兩個兒子的房子都是百餘坪，等老東家房子來委託設計時，我想那不知要多豪華，未料拿來一看，大吃一驚－總面積： 二十一坪 。「這……」我才在懷疑，他打斷我的話，說：「我打拼了一輩子，蓋了不少房子，也擁有不少房子，想通了，小房子既溫馨又好整理，只剩我兩老，這就夠了! ，孩子們還想不通，由他們去吧！」

世上的一切我們只能享有，不可能擁有，何必一定要佔有？

因此，五十五歲之後的我，非必要的東西不再添購，去旅遊也不再買東西回來了，也不想與風景合照，只拍些使我感動的景緻、上帝創造的美、或設計上的新知。我覺得最要把握的是當下，在此時、此景、此物，親臨的那一刻，我是否真正認真的享受、體會、感恩，那一刻才是需要的。

六十歲那年，我把家中多餘的用品、裝飾品、收集的紀念品清了出來，拿去社團義賣，做社區服務經費。家中清楚多了。現在，該是以減法過人生的時候了。

好友Coral，是個很好的典範，她曾有過華麗的生活，但同時也曾伴著傷心的往事，而我們現在看到的她，並不會抱著過往，自哀自憐，相反的，她清理心情，拋開過去，積極地投入人群，擁抱有盼望而光明的人生。

再次提醒自己，放下對世界的慾求，放下心中的掛念，卸下對人的恩怨，過減法的生活，輕鬆的面對人生。

人，一無所有時，倒很容易滿足；一旦擁有，則有一欠九，反而不足。

心不要貪，一個人能得多少，不是自己可決定的。   

China Open 2012 Final - ]Xu Xin Vs Ma Long:

要長壽每天必須笑一笑

1. 老夫婦去拍照，攝影師問︰「大爺，您是要側光，逆光，還是全光？」   大爺靦腆的說︰「我是無所謂，能不能給你大媽留條內褲？」 2. 老婆語錄︰允許你喝醉，允許你勾妹，但晚上必須給老娘歸隊，   如果你敢傷我的心,傷我的肺，老娘一定把你的第三條腿打殘廢，   讓你的鳥鳥永遠打嗑睡。 3. 倆老夫妻某日吃晚飯時突發奇想︰「裸餐！找找從前的感覺！」   脫光後老太婆道︰「我還有回應耶！乳房還和年輕時一樣發熱！」   老頭斜了一眼道︰「垂到湯裡頭了！」 4 .四隻老鼠吹牛︰   甲︰「我每天都拿鼠藥當糖吃」；   乙︰「我一天不踩老鼠夾腳發癢」；   丙︰「我每天不過幾次大街不踏實」；   丁︰「時間不早了，回家抱貓去咯」。 5. 天是藍的，海是深的，男人的話沒一句是真的；   愛是永恆的，血是鮮紅的，男人不打是不行的；   男人如果有錢和誰都是有緣的，男人靠的住豬都會爬樹。 6. 當你在路上遇到狗的時候不要驚慌，要勇敢地與它博鬥，   頂多會有三種結果︰   一是你贏了，你比禽獸還禽獸；   二是你輸了，你連禽獸都不如；   三是你們打平了，你就是禽獸。  7. 實習醫生問老醫生：「為什麼你要夾一支溫度計在耳朵上？」   老醫生：「完了！我一定把鋼筆插在病患的肛門裡了！」

祝你 週末愉快!   

China Open Table Tennis 2011 - Ma Lin vs Ma Long

馬琳（1980年2月19日－），籍貫瀋陽，中國男子乒乓球運動員，是乒乓球历史上拥有单打世界冠军头衔最多的选手（4个世界杯冠军和1个奥运会冠军），但遗憾的是职业生涯未能获得一块世锦赛的单打冠军，与乒乓球大滿貫失之交臂。 目录 [隐藏] 1 球風 2 生涯 3 馬琳职业生涯统计 4 參考資料 5 外部連結 [编辑]球風 馬琳是技術、手感高超的一位球員，他在球場上決不輕言放棄的精神更讓他成為了在乒乓球界值得敬佩的一位選手。馬琳是持中國式直拍，正反手兩面反膠弧圈結合快攻。不同於王皓，馬琳的反手結合了傳統和新興的技術－除了橫打，還有很突出的推擋以及小球細膩處理的技術。 馬琳的發接發環節是世界頂尖，轉不轉的發球套路配上犀利的發搶，一向都能給對手極大的壓力。而接發球上，馬琳一流的擺短工夫常讓他的對手在與他較量的過程上使不上勁，彷彿英雄無用武之地一般。馬琳風格恰好與王勵勤相反，比賽常常在馬琳的細膩思路與巧妙的旋轉變化中變的極其複雜，對手常常還在困惑中，比賽就已經到了尾聲。[5] [编辑]生涯 馬琳於1986年開始打球，4年後入遼寧隊。1993年，马琳在汕头市举行的一项少年赛上显示出良好的潜力而被汕头市乒乓球学校教练看中，不久后被引进到汕头。1994年在中国青少年锦标赛中勇夺男子单打冠军后成為國家隊的成員。 慣用右手直板的馬琳於1996年贏得了亞洲杯的男子單打項目冠軍、亞洲錦標賽的男單季軍與混雙賽事冠軍。1年後，馬琳於美國公開賽男單中得亞軍、亞洲盃男單賽事奪冠。1998年，馬琳在亞錦賽中奪得了男雙、男團冠軍、馬來西亞公開賽男單賽事冠軍、中國及黎巴嫩公開賽男單項目得亞軍、世界盃男單名列第5，表現出眾。 1999年，馬琳於世乒賽中得到男單亞軍與混雙賽事贏得了冠軍、世界俱樂部錦標賽男團冠軍、國際乒聯巡迴賽男雙冠軍和澳洲公開賽男單賽冠軍。1年之後，馬琳分别在瑞典與波蘭公開賽的男雙中奪標、日本公開賽男單項目得亞軍、世界盃男單賽事得到冠軍、世乒賽男子團體賽亞軍。2001年獲得世乒賽的男團賽冠軍、男單項目季軍、男雙與混雙八強出局、九運會男單與男雙賽事金牌、丹麥公開賽男單冠軍、男雙亞軍、日本公開賽男單賽事四強出局、男雙冠軍、中國公開賽男單與男雙兩個亞軍以及國際乒聯巡迴賽的男單賽冠軍。 2002年，馬琳於美國公開賽男單與男雙的冠軍、德國公開賽男單、男雙冠軍、波蘭、丹麥公開賽男單賽事冠軍、荷蘭公開賽男雙冠軍，又於國際乒聯總決賽的男雙項目冠軍以及亞運會的男雙項目銅牌以及男團項目金牌。1年後，是馬琳的豐收年：世乒賽混雙賽取得冠軍、男雙四強出局、南韓、中國、丹麥公開賽中奪得了男單和男雙冠軍、日本公開賽男單賽四強出局、男雙奪冠、德國公開賽男單亞軍、瑞典公開賽男雙冠軍、國際乒聯總決賽男雙冠軍與世界盃的冠軍得主。 2004年，馬琳分別於希臘兩次奪冠：一次是希臘公開賽的男雙賽事冠軍，另一次是雅典奧運夥拍陳杞奪得男雙金牌[6]，馬琳又於同年贏得了新加坡公開賽男雙冠軍以及世乒賽男團冠軍。 2005年，馬琳於十運會中的男子雙打得銀牌、男子團體賽得銅牌。 同年，馬琳於48屆世乒賽中的男子單打得銀牌，冠軍由當前世界排名第二的王勵勤摘下。 2007年，馬琳於49屆世乒賽中的男子單打得銀牌，冠軍再由當前世界排名第二的王勵勤摘下，但是马琳和陈杞合作获得男双冠军。 2008年，北京奧運會男子團體冠軍。 2008年8月22日，在北京奧運男子乒乓球單打賽上，馬琳以局數4比0擊敗韓國選手吳尚垠，進入四強，跟王勵勤對賽。 2008年8月23日，在北京奧運男子乒乓球單打準決賽上，馬琳以局數4比2擊敗隊友王勵勤，進入決賽，以4比1戰勝王皓獲得金牌，成为历史上唯一一位在所有的奥运项目上（团体，单打和双打）都获得金牌的男选手。[7] 2009年5月，馬琳參加第50屆世乒賽，他主攻單打比賽，但於四強敗於隊友王勵勤，獲得銅牌。 2010年5月，馬琳參加第50屆世乒賽团体赛。艰难取得参赛资格的他，在决赛中，作为中国队的第一单打，一人独得2分，帮助中国队卫冕成功，第17次捧得斯韦思林杯。也是他个人第5次捧杯。同年11月，馬琳代表中國出戰廣州亞運會，參加乒乓球比賽的男子团体及男子双打（夥拍：许昕）項目，贏得一金一銀的佳績。

马龙（英语：MA Long，1988年10月20日－），是中國男子乒乓球運動員[1]，籍貫辽宁省。馬龍的打法先進，球感極佳，借力打力，其中遠檯攻防技術非常突出，是一位具有歐洲中遠檯和亞洲近檯打法結合的球手。他是2008年後冒起最快的中國球手，是中國近年集中培訓的未來領軍人物。 [编辑]运动员生涯 2010年世界乒乓球锦标赛团体赛马龙与王皓、马琳、张继科等在莫斯科代表中国国家队出战最终蝉联冠军。亦在2010年廣洲亞運會男子單打決賽上擊敗隊友王皓獲得冠軍。 2010年世界杯乒乓球赛許昕与马龙、王皓、郝帅、张继科等在迪拜代表中国国家队出战最终蝉联冠军，并实现三连冠。 2012年世界杯乒乓球赛马龙又获得单打冠军。

A Baby Boomer's Retirement Activities

My retirement dated back to  21st of February 2011. It was The Family Day and  a public holiday.    The 18th of February 2011 was my last working day.     More and more people asked what  I do during the retirement.   


I have given much thought to my retirement activities.   There are plenty of them and they will keep me very busy.  Here below is the abstract from my previous post:

Fitness exercises - ping pong 
Body fitness and health are important during retirement.  To maintain the health and body fitness regular exercise such as walking, going to the gym and yoga are the things I would do and would do them regularly.

Blogging 

I started blogging several years already.  It was fun for myself as I like to express my ideas and share these ideas with other people who have the similarinterest.    Blogging is also a very good exercise for the brain.   You know what,  with blogging I can make some extra money for my out of pocket expenses.

Video production
I want to produce my own videos.   I would start searching for a suitable video camera and start making video shooting for my daily activities.  Hopefully, I would be able to show you guys my videos on my own blog.  What I have in mind is David Singing old time songs such as 'My Way' 'Moon River'  'Green Green Grass of Home' in the videos.

Singing
I like singing.  I like it so  much that I can sing for hours alone by myself. I like singing the old songs, the pop songs both Chinese and English and Chinese opera.  I would join some buddies who are singing fanatics like me.  Probably, we would meet and sing every week.

Guitar/piano lessons
I don't know playing guitar.  I have one in the closet.  I would like to learn guitar in my forthcoming retirement.   Piano is also my next favourite.  A little hesitation here because it costs a lot more. 

Gardening
Both in my front and backyard I have plenty of trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials.  I need to do some research to know them and to look after them better.  This is a promise to myself as well as the previous owner of my existing home.   

House maintenance
The house I bought for retirement is an old house built in 1958.  In order to keep this house in good condition, regular maintenance such as painting, repairing, updating are very important.  It would be lot of action and plenty of exercises for me.  

Cooking
It is my favourite because I enjoy doing it.  I like eating and sharing good food with friends.  I would write on a regular basis about cooking and their recipes here in this blog for my buddies and readers.

Library
The library building is around the corner at the intersection of Yonge and Major Mackenzie.    I like going there browse through the books and I would be a happy man.

Voluntary works
What I have in mind is going to Yee Hong and the similar nursing homes to entertain  the seniors with my songs, the old time songs.  These songs would bring back lot of sweet memories for them.  I make them happy and I am happy too.

Tea party
This is the best time when old buddies meet and talk or just sitting there without talking but don't feel bored.   The reason, each of them is special in some way sometime and somewhere long long ago.  We drink tea or coffee some with sugar some without.   Of course, we would eat some Chinese dim sum.  

My buddy wrote me this after reading my post on "Boomers Gossip - Retirement Activities":

The way you put it, you will have a plate full.

Don't worry.  You will complain you don't have enough time, especially when you are "fortunate" enough to take care of your grand children.

Trust me, you'll be too busy to attend to your other plans.

Tony

PS - Info from current retirees

The Amazing Table Tennis Rallies

Table Tennis - Ping Pong 乒乓

Table Tennis

Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net. Except for the initial serve, players must allow a ball played toward them only one bounce on their side of the table and must return it so that it bounces on the opposite side. Points are scored when a player fails to return the ball within the rules. Play is fast and demands quick reactions. A skilled player can impart several varieties of spin to the ball, altering its trajectory and limiting an opponent's options to great advantage.

Table tennis is controlled by the worldwide organization International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), founded in 1926. ITTF currently includes 217 member associations.^[1] The table tennis official rules are specified in the ITTF handbook.^[2] Since 1988, table tennis has been an Olympic sport,^[3] with several event categories. In particular, from 1988 until 2004, these were: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles. Since 2008 the doubles have been replaced by the team events.

History

Parker Brothers Ping Pong game.

The game originated as a sport in Britain during the 1880s, where it was played among the upper-class as an after-dinner parlour game,^[4][5] then commonly known as "wiff-waff". A row of books were stood up along the center of the table as a net, two more books served as rackets and were used to continuously hit a golf-ball from one end of the table to the other. Alternatively table tennis was played with paddles made of cigar box lids and balls made of champagne corks. The popularity of the game led game manufacturers to sell the equipment commercially. Early rackets were often pieces of parchment stretched upon a frame, and the sound generated in play gave the game its first nicknames of"wiff-waff" and "ping-pong". A number of sources indicate that the game was first brought to the attention of Hamley's of Regent Street under the name "Gossima".^[6][7] The name "ping-pong" was in wide use before British manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd trademarked it in 1901. The name "ping-pong" then came to be used for the game played by the rather expensive Jaques's equipment, with other manufacturers calling it table tennis. A similar situation arose in the United States, where Jaques sold the rights to the "ping-pong" name to Parker Brothers.

The next major innovation was by James Gibb, a British enthusiast of table tennis, who discovered novelty celluloid balls on a trip to the US in 1901 and found them to be ideal for the game. This was followed by E.C. Goode who, in 1901, invented the modern version of the racket by fixing a sheet of pimpled, or stippled, rubber to the wooden blade. Table tennis was growing in popularity by 1901 to the extent that table tennis tournaments were being organized, books on table tennis were being written,^[6] and an unofficial world championship was held in 1902. During the early 1900s, the game was banned in Russia because the rulers at the time believed that playing the game had an adverse effect on players' eyesight.^{[citation needed]}

In 1921, the Table Tennis Association was founded in Britain, and theInternational Table Tennis Federation followed in 1926.^[4][8] London hosted the first official World Championships in 1926. In 1933, the United States Table Tennis Association, now called USA Table Tennis, was formed.^[4][9]

In the 1950s, rackets that used a rubber sheet combined with an underlying sponge layer changed the game dramatically,^[4] introducing greater spin and speed.^[10] These were introduced to Britain by sports goods manufacturer S.W. Hancock Ltd. The use of speed glue increased the spin and speed even further, resulting in changes to the equipment to "slow the game down". Table tennis was introduced as an Olympic sport at the Olympics in 1988.^[11]

After the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, the International Table Tennis Federation instituted several rules changes aimed at making table tennis more viable as a televised spectator sport.^[12] First, the older 38 mm balls were officially replaced by 40 mm balls in 2000.^[6][13] This increased the ball's air resistance and effectively slowed down the game. By that time, players had begun increasing the thickness of the fast sponge layer on their rackets, which made the game excessively fast and difficult to watch on television. Second, the ITTF changed from a 21-point to an 11-point scoring system in 2001.^[6] This was intended to make games more fast-paced and exciting. The ITTF also changed the rules on service to prevent a player from hiding the ball during service, in order to increase the average length of rallies and to reduce the server's advantage.

Variants of the sport have recently emerged. "Large-ball" table tennis uses a 44 mm ball, which slows down the game significantly. This has seen some acceptance by players who have a hard time with the extreme spins and speeds of the 40 mm game.

There is a move towards reviving the table tennis game that existed prior to the introduction of sponge rubber. "Hardbat" table tennis players reject the speed and spin of reversed sponge rubber, preferring the 1940-60s play style with no sponge and short-pimpled rubber. Defense is less difficult by decreasing the speed and eliminating any meaningful magnus effect of spin. Because hardbat killer shots are almost impossible to hit against a skilled player, hardbat matches focus on the strategic side of table tennis, requiring skillful maneuvering of the opponent before an attack can become successful.

Equipment

Ball

The international rules specify that the game is played with a light 2.7 gram, 40 mm diameter ball.^[14] The rules say that the ball shall bounce up 24-26 cm when dropped from a height of 30.5 cm on to a standard steel block thereby having a coefficient of restitution of 0.89 to 0.92. The 40 mm ball was introduced after the 2000 Olympic Games.^[13] However, this created some controversy as the Chinese National Team argued that this was merely to give non-Chinese players a better chance of winning since the new type of balls has a slower speed, while at that time most Chinese players were playing with fast attack and smashes. A 40 mm table tennis ball is slower and spins less than the original 38 mm (1.5 inch) one. The ball is made of a high-bouncing air-filled celluloid or similar plastics material, colored white or orange, with a matte finish. The choice of ball color is made according to the table color and its surroundings. For example, a white ball is easier to see on a green or blue table than it is on a gray table. Stars on the ball indicate the quality of the ball. Three stars indicate that it is of the highest quality, and is used in official competition.

Table

Diagram of a table tennis table showing the unofficial dimensions

The table is 2.74 m (9 ft) long, 1.52 m (5 ft) wide, and 76 cm (30 inch) high with aMasonite (a type of hardboard) or similarly manufactured timber, layered with a smooth, low-friction coating.^[15] The table or playing surface is divided into two halves by a 15.25 cm (6 inch) high net. An ITTF approved table surface must be in a green or blue color. Concrete tables with a steel net are sometimes available in public parks.^[16]

Racket

Main article: Table tennis racket

Players are equipped with a laminated wooden racket covered with rubber on one or two sides depending on the grip of the player. The official ITTF term is "racket", though "bat" is common in Britain, and "paddle" in the U.S.

The wooden portion of the racket, often referred to as the "blade", commonly features anywhere between one and seven plies of wood, though cork, glass fiber, carbon fiber, aluminum fiber, and Kevlar are sometimes used. According to the ITTF regulations, at least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood.^[17] Common wood types include Balsa, Limba, and Cypress or "Hinoki," which is popular in Japan. The average size of the blade is about 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) long and 6 inches (15 cm) wide. Although the official restrictions only focus on the flatness and rigidness of the blade itself, these dimensions are optimal for most play styles.

Table tennis regulations allow different surfaces on each side of the racket.^[18]Various types of surfaces provide various levels of spin or speed, and in some cases they nullify spin. For example, a player may have a rubber that provides much spin on one side of his racket, and one that provides no spin on the other. By flipping the racket in play, different types of returns are possible. To help a player distinguish between the rubber used by his opposing player, international rules specify that one side must be red while the other side must be black.^[17]The player has the right to inspect his opponent's racket before a match to see the type of rubber used and what color it is. Despite high speed play and rapid exchanges, a player can see clearly what side of the racket was used to hit the ball. Current rules state that, unless damaged in play, the racket cannot be exchanged for another racket at any time during a match.^[19]

Gameplay

Starting a game

According to ITTF rule 2.13.1, the first service is decided by lot,^[20] normally acoin toss.^[21] It is also common for one player (or the umpire/scorer) to hide the ball in one or the other hand (usually hidden under the table), allowing the other player to guess which hand the ball is in. The correct or incorrect guess gives the "winner" the option to choose to serve, receive, or to choose which side of the table to use. (A common but non-sanctioned method is for the players to play the ball back and forth four times and then play out the point. This is commonly referred to as "play to serve" or "rally to serve".)

Service and return

In game play, the player serving the ball commences a play.^[22] The server first stands with the ball held on the open palm of the hand not carrying the racket, called the freehand, and tosses the ball directly upward without spin, at least 16 centimeters (approximately 6 inches) high.^[23] The server strikes the ball with the racket on the ball's descent so that it touches first his court and then touches directly the receiver's court without touching the net assembly. In casual games, many players do not toss the ball upward; however, this is technically illegal and can give the serving player an unfair advantage.

The ball must remain behind the endline and above the upper surface of the table, known as the playing surface, at all times during the service. The server cannot use his body or clothing to obstruct sight of the ball; the opponent and the umpire must have a clear view of the ball at all times. If the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a service they may first interrupt play and give a warning to the server. If the serve is a clear failure or is doubted again by the umpire after the warning, receiver scores a point.

If the service is "good", then the receiver must make a "good" return by hitting the ball back before it bounces a second time on receiver's side of the table so that the ball passes the net and touches the opponent's court, either directly or after touching the net assembly.^[24] Thereafter, the server and receiver must alternately make a return until the rally is over. Returning the serve is one of the most difficult parts of the game, as the server's first move is often the least predictable and thus most advantageous shot due to the numerous spin and speed choices at his or her disposal.

Let

A let is a rally of which the result is not scored, and is called in the following circumstances:^[25]

• The ball touches the net in service, provided the service is otherwise correct or the ball is obstructed by the player on the receiving side. Obstruction means a player touches the ball when it is above or traveling towards the playing surface, not having touched the player's court since last being struck by the player.
• When the player on the receiving side is not ready and the service is delivered.
• Player's failure to make a service or a return or to comply with the Laws is due to a disturbance outside the control of the player.
• Play is interrupted by the umpire or assistant umpire.

Scoring

A point is scored by the player for any of several results of the rally:^[26]

• Opponent fails to make a correct service or return.
• After making a service or a return, the ball touches anything other than the net assembly before being struck by the opponent.
• The ball passes over the player's court or beyond his end line without touching his court, after being struck by the opponent.
• The opponent obstructs the ball.
• The opponent strikes the ball twice successively. Note that the hand that is holding the racket counts as part of the racket and that making a good return off one's hand or fingers is allowed. It is not a fault if the ball accidentally hits one's hand or fingers and then subsequently hits the racket.
• The opponent strikes the ball with a side of the racket blade whose surface is not covered with rubber.
• The opponent moves the playing surface or touches the net assembly.
• The opponent's free hand touches the playing surface.
• As a receiver under the expedite system, completing 13 returns in a rally.^[27]
• The opponent has been warned by umpire commits a second offense in the same individual match or team match. If the third offence happens, 2 points will be given to the player.^[28] If the individual match or the team match has not ended, any unused penalty points can be transferred to the next game of that match.^[21]

A game shall be won by the player first scoring 11 points unless both players score 10 points, when the game shall be won by the first player subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points. A match shall consist of the best of any odd number of games.^[29] In competition play, matches are typically best of five or seven games.

Alternation of services and ends

Service alternates between opponents every two points (regardless of winner of the rally) until the end of the game, unless both players score 10 points or the expedite system is operated, when the sequences of serving and receiving stay the same but each player serves for only 1 point in turn.^[30] Player serving first in a game shall receive first in the next game of the match.

After each game, players switch sides of the table. In the last possible game of a match, for example the seventh game in a best of seven matches, players change ends when the first player scores 5 points, regardless of whose turn it is to serve. If the sequence of serving and receiving is out of turn or the ends is not changed, points scored in the wrong situation are still calculated and the game shall be resumed with the order at the score that has been reached.

Doubles game

Service zone in doubles game

In addition to games between individual players, pairs may also play table tennis. In doubles, all the rules of single play are applied except for the following.

1. A line painted along the long axis of the table to create doubles courts bisects the table. This line's only purpose is to facilitate the doubles service rule, which is that service, must originate from the right hand "box" in such a way that the first bounce of the serve bounces once in said right hand box and then must bounce at least once in the opponent side's right hand box (far left box for server), or the receiving pair score a point.^[23]
2. Players must alternate hitting the ball. For example, if A is paired with B, X is paired with Y, A is the server and X is the receiver. The order of play shall be A → X → B → Y. The rally proceeds this way until one side fails to make a legal return and the other side scores.^[31]
3. At each change of service, the previous receiver shall become the server and the partner of the previous server shall become the receiver. For example, if the previous order of play is A → X → B → Y, the order becomes X → B → Y → A after the change of service.^[30]
4. In each game of a doubles match, the pair having the right to serve first shall choose which of them will do so. The receiving pair, however, can only choose in the first game of the match. When the first server is chosen in the second or the latter games of the match, the first receiver of the game is the player who served to the first server of the game in the preceding game. For example, if the order of play is A → X → B → Y at beginning of the first game, the order begins with X → A → Y → B or Y → B → X → A in the second game depending on either X or Y being chosen as the first server of the game.
5. When a pair reaches 5 points in the final game, the pairs must switch ends of the table and the team that receives the service must switch receiver. For example, when the last order of play before a pair score 5 points in the final game is A → X → B → Y, the order after change shall be A → Y → B → X if A still has the second serve. Otherwise, X is the next server and the order becomes X → A → Y → B.

Singles and doubles are both played in international competition, including the Olympic Games since 1988 and the Commonwealth Games since 2002.^[32] In 2005, the ITTF announced that doubles table tennis only was featured as a part of team events in the 2008 Olympics.

Expedite system

If a game is unfinished after 10 minutes' play and fewer than 18 points have been scored, the expedite system is initiated.^[27] The umpire interrupts the game, and the game resumes with players serving for 1 point in turn. If the expedite system is introduced while the ball is not in play, the previous receiver shall serve first. Under the expedite system, the server must win the point before the opponent makes 13 consecutive returns or the point goes to the opponent. The system can also be initiated at any time at the request of both players or pairs. Once introduced, the expedite system remains in force until the end of the match. A rule to shorten the time of a match, it is mainly seen in defensive players' games.

Grips

Though table tennis players grip their rackets in various ways, their grips can be classified into two major families of styles, penhold and shakehand.^[33] The Laws of Table Tennis do not prescribe the manner in which one must grip the racket, and numerous grips are employed.

Penhold

The penhold grip is so-named because one grips the racket similarly to the way one holds a writing instrument.^[34] The style of play among penhold players can vary greatly from player to player. The most popular style, usually referred to as the Chinese penhold style, involves curling the middle, ring, and fourth finger on the back of the blade with the three fingers always remain touching one another.^[34] Chinese penholders favour a round racket head, for a more over-the-table style of play. In contrast, another style, sometimes referred to as the Korean penhold grip, involves splaying those three fingers out across the back of the racket, usually with all three fingers touching the back of the racket, rather than stacked upon one another.^[34] Sometimes a combination of the two styles occurs, wherein the middle, ring and fourth fingers are straight, but still stacked, or where all fingers may be touching the back of the racket, but are also in contact with one another. Korean penholders will often use a square-headed racket for an away-from-the-table style of play. Traditionally these square-headed rackets feature a block of cork on top of the handle, as well as a thin layer of cork on the back of the racket, for increased grip and comfort. Penhold styles are popular among players originating from East Asian regions such as China,Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.
Traditionally, penhold players use only one side of the racket to hit the ball during normal play, and the side which is in contact with the last three fingers is generally not used. This configuration is sometimes referred to as "traditional penhold" and is more commonly found in square-headed racket styles. However, the Chinese developed a technique in the 1990s in which a penholder uses both sides of the racket to hit the ball, where the player produces a backhand stroke (most often topspin) by turning the traditional side of the racket to face one's self, and striking the ball with the opposite side of the racket. This stroke has greatly improved and strengthened the penhold style both physically and psychologically, as it eliminates the strategic weakness of the traditional penhold backhand.

Shakehand

The shakehand (or shakehands) grip is so-named because the racket is grasped as if one is performing a handshake.^[35] Though it is sometimes referred to as the "tennis" or "Western" grip, it bears no relation to the Western tennis grip, popularized on the West Coast of the United States in which the racket is rotated 90°, and played with the wrist turned so that on impact the knuckles face the target. In table tennis, "Western" refers to Western nations, for this is the grip that players native to Europe and the Americas have almost exclusively employed.

The shakehand grip's simplicity and versatility, coupled with the acceptance among top-level Chinese trainers that the European style of play should be emulated and trained against, has established it as a common grip even in China.^[36] Many world-class Asian players currently use the shakehand grip, and it is generally accepted that shakehands is easier to learn than penholder, allowing a broader range of playing styles both offensive and defensive.^[37]

Types of strokes

Table tennis strokes generally break down into offensive and defensive categories.

Offensive strokes

Speed drive

A direct hit on the ball propelling it forward back to the opponent. This stroke differs from speed drives in other racket sports like tennis because the racket is primarily perpendicular to the direction of the stroke and most of the energy applied to the ball results in speed rather than spin, creating a shot that does not arc much, but is fast enough that it can be difficult to return. A speed drive is used mostly for keeping the ball in play, applying pressure on the opponent, and potentially opening up an opportunity for a more powerful attack.

Loop

Perfected during the 1960s,^[4] the loop is essentially the reverse of the speed drive. The racket is much more parallel to the direction of the stroke ("closed") and the racket thus grazes the ball, resulting in a large amount of topspin. A good loop drive will arc quite a bit, and once striking the opponent's side of the table will jump forward, much like a kick serve in tennis. A loop drive might not be as difficult to return as a speed drive; however, because of its topspin, it is more likely to rebound off the opponent's racket at a very high angle, setting up an easy smash on the follow-up. As the loop drive requires a lot of topspin, players generally use their entire body to generate the movement required. Variations in spin and speed add to the effectiveness of this shot.

Counter-drive

The counter-drive is usually a counterattack against drives, normally high loop drives. The racket is held closed and near to the ball, which is hit with a short movement "off the bounce" (immediately after hitting the table) so that the ball travels faster to the other side. A well-timed, accurate counter-drive can be as effective as a smash.

Flick

When a player tries to attack a ball that has not bounced beyond the edge of the table, the player does not have the room to wind up in a backswing. The ballmay still be attacked, however, and the resulting shot is called a flick because the backswing is compressed into a quick wrist action. A flick is not a single stroke and can resemble either a drive or a loop in its characteristics. What identifies the stroke is the backswing is compressed into a short wrist flick.

Smash

The offensive trump card in table tennis is the smash. A player will typically execute a smash when his or her opponent has returned a ball that bounces too high or too close to the net. Smashing is essentially self-explanatory--large backswing and rapid acceleration imparting as much speed on the ball as possible. The goal of a smash is to get the ball to move so quickly that the opponent simply cannot return it. Because the ball speed is the main aim of this shot, often the spin on the ball is something other than topspin. Sidespin can be used effectively with a smash to alter the ball's trajectory significantly, although most intermediate players will smash the ball with little or no spin. An offensive table tennis player will think of a rally as a build-up to a winning smash; only a calculated series of smashes can guarantee a point against a good opponent. However, most players will be able to return at most one or two smashes consistently. Provided that the opponent is not too close to the table or too far away from the ball, a smash can be lobbed, chopped, blocked or even counter-looped, albeit with some difficulty. A player who smashes generally works out a series of smashes (and possibly drop-shots) to rush the opponent out of position, put him off balance, or both. Smashers who fail to do this find it difficult to win a point against an excellent defense.

Defensive strokes

Push

The push (or "slice" in Asia) is usually used for keeping the point alive and creating offensive opportunities. A push resembles a tennis slice: the racket cuts underneath the ball, imparting backspin and causing the ball to float slowly to the other side of the table. While not obvious, a push can be difficult to attack because the backspin on the ball causes it to drop toward the table upon striking the opponent's racket. In order to attack a push, a player must usually loop the ball back over the net. Often, the best option for beginners is to simply push the ball back again, resulting in pushing rallies. Against good players, it may be the worst option because the opponent will counter with a loop, putting the first player in a defensive position. Another response to pushing is flipping the ball when it is close to the net. Pushing can have advantages in some circumstances, such as when the opponent makes easy mistakes.

Chop

A chop is the defensive, backspin counterpart to the offensive loop drive.^[38] A chop is essentially a bigger, heavier push, taken well back from the table. The racket face points primarily horizontally, perhaps a little bit upward, and the direction of the stroke is straight down. The object of a defensive chop is to match the topspin of the opponent's shot with backspin. A good chop will float nearly horizontally back to the table, in some cases having so much backspin that the ball actually rises. Such a chop can be extremely difficult to return due to its enormous amount of backspin. Some defensive players can also impart no-spin or sidespin variations of the chop.

Block

The block is a simple shot, but nonetheless can be devastating against an attacking opponent. A block is executed by simply placing the racket in front of the ball right after the ball bounces; thus, the ball rebounds back toward the opponent with nearly as much energy as it came in with. This is not as easy as it sounds, because the ball's spin, speed, and location all influence the correct angle of a block. It is very possible for an opponent to execute a perfect loop, drive, or smash, only to have the blocked shot come back at him just as fast. Due to the power involved in offensive strokes, often an opponent simply cannot recover quickly enough, and will be unable to return the blocked shot. Blocks almost always produce the same spin as was received, usually topspin.

Lob

The defensive lob is possibly the most impressive shot in the sport of table tennis, since it propels the ball about fifteen feet in the air only to land on the opponent's side of the table with great amounts of spin.^[39] To execute a lob, a defensive player first backs off the table 4-6 meters; then, the stroke itself consists of simply lifting the ball to an enormous height before it falls back to the opponent's side of the table. A lob is inherently a creative shot, and can have nearly any kind of spin. Top quality players use this to their advantage in order to control the spin of the ball. For instance, though the opponent may smash the ball hard and fast, a good defensive lob could be more difficult to return due to the unpredictability and heavy amounts of the spin on the ball.^[39] Thus, though backed off the table by tens of feet and running to reach the ball, a good defensive player can still win the point using good lobs. However, at the professional level, lobbers will lose the point most of the time, so the lob is not used unless it is really necessary.^[39]

Effects of spin

Adding spin onto the ball causes major changes in table tennis gameplay. Although nearly every stroke or serve creates some kind of spin, understanding the individual types of spin allows players to defend against and use different spins effectively.^[40]

4 phases in a backspin curve

Backspin

Backspin is where the bottom half of the ball is rotating away from the player, and is imparted by striking the base of the ball with a downward movement.^[40]At the professional level, backspin is usually used defensively in order to keep the ball low.^[41] Backspin is commonly employed in service because it is harder to produce an offensive return, especially on a short serve. Due to the initial lift of the ball, there is a limit on how much speed with which one can hit the ball without missing the opponent's side of the table. However, backspin also makes it harder for the opponent to return the ball with great speed because of the required angular precision of the return. Alterations are frequently made to regulations regarding equipment in an effort to maintain a balance between defensive and offensive spin choices.^{[citation needed]} It is actually possible to smash with backspin offensively, but only on high balls that are close to the net.

4 phases in a topspin curve

Topspin

The harder-to-learn topspin stroke has a smaller influence on the first part of the ball-curve. Like the backspin stroke, however, the axis of spin remains roughly perpendicular to the trajectory of the ball thus allowing for the Magnus effect to dictate the subsequent curvature. After the apex of the curve, the ball clearly dips downwards as it approaches the opposing side, before bouncing. On the bounce, the topspin will accelerate the ball, much in the same way that a wheel which is already spinning would accelerate upon making contact with the ground. Again, the most significant change appears when the opponent attempts to return the ball (with a smooth, pimples inwards rubber). Due to the topspin, the ball jumps upwards and the opponent is forced to compensate for the topspin by adjusting the angle of his or her racket. This is commonly known as "closing the racket". The speed limitation of the topspin stroke is minor compared to the backspin stroke. This stroke is the predominant technique used in professional competition because it gives the opponent less time to respond. In table tennis topspin is regarded as an offensive technique due to increased ball speed, lower bio-mechanical efficiency and the pressure that it puts on the opponent by reducing reaction time. (It is possible to play defensive topspin-lobs from far behind the table, but only highly skilled players use this stroke with any tactical efficiency.) Topspin is the least common type of spin to be found in service at the professional level, simply because it is much easier to attack a top-spun ball that is not moving at high speed.

Sidespin

This type of spin is predominantly employed during service, wherein the contact angle of the racket can be more easily varied. Unlike the two aforementioned techniques, sidespin causes the ball to spin on an axis which is vertical, rather than horizontal. The axis of rotation is still roughly perpendicular, to the trajectory of the ball. In this circumstance, the Magnus effect will still dictate the curvature of the ball to some degree. Another difference is that unlike backspin and topspin, sidespin will have relatively very little effect on the bounce of the ball, much in the same way that a spinning top would not travel left or right if its axis of rotation were exactly vertical. This makes sidespin a useful weapon in service, because it is less easily recognized when bouncing, and the ball "loses" less spin on the bounce. Sidespin can also be employed in offensive rally strokes, often from a greater distance, as an adjunct to topspin or backspin. This stroke is sometimes referred to as a "hook". The hook can even be used in some extreme cases to circumvent the net when away from the table.

Corkspin

This type of spin is almost exclusively employed in service, but it is also used from time to time in the lob at the professional level. Unlike any of the aforementioned techniques, corkspin (sometimes referred to as "drill-spin") features a unique situation in which the axis of spin is more or less parallel to the trajectory of the ball. This means that the Magnus effect will have little to no effect on the trajectory of a cork-spun ball. Upon bouncing, the ball will dart right or left, depending on the direction of the spin, making it very difficult to return. Although in theory this type of spin produces the most obnoxious effects, it is not as strategically practical as sidespin or backspin in terms of the limitations that it imposes upon the opponent during their return. Aside from the initial direction change when bouncing, provided that it does not exceed the reach of the opponent, a cork-spun ball is easily countered with topspin or backspin. Similar to a backspin stroke, the corkspin stroke has a lower maximum velocity, simply due to the contact angle of the racket when producing the stroke. In order to impart a spin on the ball which is parallel to its trajectory, the racket must be swung more or less perpendicular to the trajectory of the ball. This greatly limits the amount of forward momentum that can be transferred to the ball by the racket. Corkspin is almost always mixed with another variety of spin, as it is less effective and harder to produce on its own.

Competition

Competitive table tennis is popular in Asia and Europe and has been gaining attention in the United States.^[42] The most important international competitions are the World Table Tennis Championships, the Table Tennis World Cup, the Olympics and the ITTF Pro Tour. Continental competitions include the European Championships, Europe Top-12, the Asian Championshipsand the Asian Games. Chinese players have won the men's World Championships 60% of the time since 1959;^[43] in the women's competition, Chinese players have won all but three of the World Championships since 1971.^[44] Other strong teams come from East Asia and European countries, including Austria, Belarus,Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden, and Taiwan.^[45]

There are also professional competitions at the clubs level. The national league of countries like China (the China Table Tennis Super League), Germany, France,Belgium and Austria are some highest level examples. There are also some important international club teams competitions such as the European Champions League and its former competition, the European Club Cup, where the top club teams from European countries compete.

Source:

Wikipedia