TABLE TENNIS E-Book

Jenny Heaton

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Crowood Sports Guides provide sound, practical advice that will help make you a better sportsperson whether you are learning the basic skills, discovering more advanced techniques or reviewing the fundamentals of your game. Featured in this book are: information boxes containing Top Tips and Key Points; an introduction to the rules, equipment and tournament play; colour action shots, sequence photographs of the strokes and detailed diagrams; an analysis of the skills and techniques needed by players just beginning table tennis, and by intermediate and advanced level players; helpful advice on different styles of play and tactics; practical information concerning coaching, table exercises, training and nutrition

Leseprobe

Copyright

First published in 2009 by The Crowood Press Ltd, Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book edition first published in 2012

© The Crowood Press Ltd 2009

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

ISBN 978 1 84797 438 9

Dedication

To my husband John for his help with the proof reading and support throughout the project.

Acknowledgements

The author and publishers would like to thank the following for their help in the production of this book: Jill Parker MBE and Don Parker, the players at the National Centre for their time and expertise, and the ETTA and ITTF.

The photographs that appear in the book were taken by David Wearn. Line drawings by Keith Field.

Disclaimer

Please note that the author and the publisher of this book are not responsible or liable, in any manner whatsoever, for any damage, or injury of any kind, that may result from practising, or applying, the techniques and methods and/or following the instructions described in this publication. Since the exercises and other physical activities described in this book may be too strenuous in nature for some readers to engage in safely, it is essential that a doctor is consulted before undertaking such exercises and activities.

CONTENTS

Title Page

Copyright

Preface

Part 1: Introduction to Table Tennis

1 A Brief History and the Basic Rules

2 Clothing and Equipment

3 Playing the Game

4 Coaching and Skills Awards

Part 2: Skills and Techniques

5 The Grip and Bat Angles

6 The Basic Strokes

7 The Basic Service and Receive

8 Movement Needed for Table Tennis

9 Advanced Strokes

10 Advanced Service and Receive

Part 3: Tactics

11 General Tactics

12 Different Playing Styles

Part 4: Fitness and Training

13 Providing the Energy

14 Fitness Training for Table Tennis

15 On-the-Table Training

16 Injury Prevention and Management

Part 5: How to Find Out More

17 Organization of Table Tennis

18 Useful Addresses

Glossary

Index

PART 1

INTRODUCTION TO TABLE TENNIS

CHAPTER 1

A BRIEF HISTORY AND THE BASIC RULES

Table tennis is believed to have been devised in the 1880s as an adaptation of lawn tennis that could be played on the dining room table. The first patents were registered in the 1880s and were sold with simple rules. Ping Pong was named after the sound the ball made, and Whiff-Waff after the sound of the moving racket, so it is believed.

Rubber and cork balls were used in these early versions, but in 1900 these were replaced with celluloid ones. The first books on the game were published in 1901 and the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) was officially formed in 1927, the same year that the first World Championships were held, in London.

England had many world champions in the early days of the sport, often referred to as the ‘hard bat’ era because the bat coverings did not include a sponge layer. The most notable English players of this era were Fred Perry, the world singles champion in 1929 who later went on to play lawn tennis, winning eight Grand Slam tennis titles including three at Wimbledon, and Johnny Leach, who won the world table tennis singles twice (in 1949 and 1951).

At the beginning of the 1950s, a new force from Asia began to take over from the Europeans and this was led by the ‘whirlwinds’ from Japan with their high-speed style. Despite this influence, England continued to be a force in table tennis, winning the men’s World Team Championships (the Swaythling Cup) in 1953 and the women’s world doubles title in 1951 and 1954 by the ‘Rowe Twins’ (Ros and Di).

Di Rowe also won the European team title in 1958 with Ann Haydon who, like Fred Perry, went on to play tennis and win the singles title at Wimbledon. Di Rowe also went on to win the European doubles title twice more with Mary Shannon in 1962 and 1964.

During the 1960s and 1970s the ‘modern era’ of table tennis emerged, with the development of the large array of high-tech bats used today.

Among some of the most successful English players in the modern era were Desmond Douglas, who was one of the most feared competitors of the late 1970s and 1980s; John Hilton, winner of the European Championships in 1980; and Jill Parker, who in 1976 won the European singles title and teamed up with Linda Howard to take the women’s doubles crown.

This brief look at the history of English table tennis wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Chester Barnes, who became one of the most recognizable sportsmen of the 1960s. He played with an unusual square-shaped bat and won the national men’s title at the age of fifteen. He was a flamboyant character, always entertaining to watch, but he never achieved the wins outside England that his talent promised. He was the first table tennis player to surround himself with an ‘entourage’ which included his own manager and photographer, and a number of loyal fans. After retiring from table tennis he went on to forge an extremely successful career as a racehorse trainer at the stables of the 15-times champion trainer Martin Pipe.

It wasn’t long before the Chinese began to dominate the world game, a position which they still hold today. This is hardly surprising since they have over 20 million players to choose from! The first of the many world champions to come from China that the author remembers seeing was Chang Tse Tung, who played in front of a packed crowd at the Central Hall, Birmingham, about forty years ago. Since then the Chinese have continued to dominate the world scene and have had too many world champions to mention here. The Chinese women, in particular, have won most of the world titles for which they have competed.

In the 1980s and 1990s the European men made an impact on Chinese domination with players like Jan-Ove Waldner of Sweden regarded by many as the greatest player of all time; Jorgen Persson also of Sweden; Vladamir Samsonov from the Ukraine; Jean-Paul Gatien from France and most recently Timo Boll from Germany who were all ranked world number one at some time during this period.

The England men’s team won the silver medal at the European Championships in Paris in 1988 only narrowly losing 5–3 to the Swedish men’s team, who with the same team went on to win the World Championships in 1989 beating China 5–0 and retaining the title in 1991 and 1993.

Currently, England have a number of very promising young players such as Paul Drinkhall, Darius Knight and Gavin Evans who are making their mark in the game. In 2005 they won the Cadet (under-15) World Team Challenge and team gold at the European Youth Championships also at cadet level, and then at junior level in 2007.

A brief history such as this cannot mention all the great players from around the world but more information can be found on the ETTA and ITTF websites, the details of which are in Part 5.

The Basic Rules

The complete rules of the game are published by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and every player should familiarize themselves with them. They are available from the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) if you live in England, or from your home country association. Like all rule books they are very detailed so this chapter aims to provide a simplified summary of the rules for those new to the game.

Table tennis can be played between two players (singles) or four players (doubles). The players stand behind opposite ends of the table and the aim is to hit the ball over the net which is 6 inches (15cm) high so that it bounces on the opponent’s side of the table.

A point begins with one player serving the ball by releasing it from the hand and hitting it with the racket. The ball must bounce on the server’s side before going over the net and bouncing on the opponent’s side. If the ball hits the net and still goes over (a let serve) the ball is served again. There is no restriction as to the number of let serves, unlike in lawn tennis.

The opponent then has to return the ball over the net before it bounces again. During a rally, the ball can only bounce once on each side of the net. The ball cannot be volleyed, again unlike in lawn tennis. If the ball misses the table on an opponent’s side or doesn’t clear the net then a point is lost.

The dimensions of a table tennis table are shown in Figure 1. The edge of the table top is deemed to be in play but not the sides. The ball can also be played around the net rather than over it and often is when a player is returning the ball away from the table.

There are additional rules for doubles play which relate mainly to the service. However, the most important thing to note about doubles play is that the players in the pair take turns to hit the ball and a point is lost if the ball is hit out of turn.

When serving in doubles, the ball must be struck from the right-hand half of the court and land in the opponent’s right-hand court, that is, diagonally. If the service bounces anywhere else, on either side of the table, a fault is called and the server loses the point. Figure 1 shows how the centre line on a table divides each side into two halves.

Figure 1 Markings and dimensions of a table tennis table.

Figure 2 (see page 10) shows the service changes in a doubles match. At each change of service, the previous receiver becomes the server and the partner of the previous server becomes the receiver.

Figure 2 Service changes in doubles.

The umpire of a game may be another player or an officially qualified umpire who has undergone training and assessment in the laws of the game.

At the start of a game, the main responsibilities of the umpire are to ensure that a legal bat (with an ITTF stamp on the rubber) is being used and the net height is correct. During the game the umpire must ensure that the service technique is legal, all the rules are adhered to and that the service changes correctly. The umpire has to call the score out clearly or use scoreboards when available. The umpire may manually turn the score over on the board or sometimes electronic ones are used. The server’s score is always called out first.

KEY POINT

Summary of Basic Rules

A good service starts with the ball resting on the palm of the service hand (not the one holding the bat). The ball is thrown upwards at least 16cm (7in), and on its way down the server strikes the ball so that it touches first his side of the table (court) and then his opponent’s side of the table (court).

A good return is where the ball, having been served, is struck so that it passes over the net (or around it) and bounces on the opposite side of the table (court).

A let occurs when the ball in service, in passing over the net, touches it and is otherwise good (it goes over the net and hits the receiver’s side). The service is taken again.

Serving passes to the receiving player after two points have been played, except at 10 points all, when service is alternate.

A point is won if an opponent:

Fails to make a good service or returnHits the ball before it has bounced when it is above or moving towards the playing surfaceLets the ball bounce twice before hitting itMoves or touches the net with the free handHits the ball twice.

A game is won by the player first scoring 11 points (unless both players score 10 points, when the game is won by the first player subsequently gaining a lead of 2 points).

Order of service alternates with games, so that the player (or pair) serving first in a game will receive first in the next game of the match.

A match consists of the best of any odd number of games, such as best of 3, 5 or 7.

The free arm acts as a counter-balance to the movement forward towards the short ball.

CHAPTER 2

CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

Clothing

If you are new to the game of table tennis and playing within a leisure centre or at school then any sports clothing will suffice. However, it is important that the clothing is loose-fitting to allow freedom of movement as you engage in playing, just as for any other kind of physical activity.

As the game is played indoors it is most likely that you will sweat so it is advisable that the clothing is made of a material that absorbs perspiration and is easily washed and dried.

At competition level clothing normally consists of a short-sleeved or sleeveless shirt, shorts or skirt or one-part sports outfit (although these are rare in table tennis), socks and playing shoes. A tracksuit is not normally worn during play but may be allowed by agreement at local level or with the permission of the referee at tournament level. The main colour of the clothing, other than the sleeves and collar of a shirt, has to be clearly different from that of the ball. In the past this would only have been white as the balls were white but now balls of other colours, such as orange, are used. There are further rules about manufacturing logos and sponsorship markings which are set out in the ITTF rules.

A tracksuit for use when travelling to and from the venue or during a warm-up is also a useful part of your equipment. They are also useful for wearing during intervals between play as they will help to keep the body and particularly the limbs and muscles warm. This will help prevent injury. A tracksuit is also suitable for wearing during the pre-match knock-up but must be of a design that makes it easy to remove before the start of the match.

TOP TIP

A towel to dry your forehead and hands is a must so that sweat doesn’t go in your eyes or hamper your grip as this will affect your strokes and your ability to play well.

Footwear

Suitable footwear should always be worn and any footwear needs to have a well-defined tread to prevent slipping and avoid injury. The sole should also be non-marking, an essential requirement for use in many facilities. Lightweight footwear that offers good support, particularly around the heel and instep, is essential. Flexibility is also desirable as table tennis requires fast footwork with a lot of turning and changing of direction. Trainers are often quite rigid and for this reason they are not recommended. It is also important to replace your footwear as soon as it is past its best. Worn treads may result in slipping and injury and weakened support can cause a number of foot injuries.

There are a number of specialist stockists of table tennis equipment who sell specially developed footwear.

The choice of socks is also important. Sports socks are often thicker than normal socks so bear this in mind when you try on any footwear; better still, make sure you wear your chosen socks when buying your footwear. Seamless socks are usually more comfortable and will reduce rubbing.

USEFUL TIP

Some floors can be slippery and many experienced players keep an old piece of cloth or towel in their bag which they dampen to reduce the risk of injury by stepping on to it between rallies.

Equipment

Blades

The ‘blade’ is the bat without the rubber. It can be of any size, shape or weight provided that the surface is flat and rigid; 85 per cent of the blade must be natural wood. Thin layers of carbon fibre are one substance that has been successfully used in blades, adding to the speed, but also to the cost.

In general, blades can be categorized as follows:

Defensive Blade (slow)All-round Blade (medium and recommended for beginners)Offensive Blade (fast)Carbon Blade (very fast)Soft Wood or Harder Wood.

Faster blades tend to lose the ‘feeling’ required for touch shots such as a short push and they also make general control more difficult. Most top players tend to choose an all-round or an offensive blade, with faster rubbers to give them the extra speed whilst maintaining the feel and control required.

When starting to play, an all-round blade is the best one to buy, and then as you develop your game and style you will be in a better position to choose the right blade to suit your style of play.

Figure 3 Speed comparison of blades.

Rubbers

The blade is usually covered with rubber which must have a matt finish and be black one side and red the other. Rubbers come in an incredible number of types and at a great variety of prices. Equipment with the ITTF logo from an established company will generally be of higher quality and is a requirement for participation in any official play, both nationally and internationally.

All rubbers have a smooth side and a pimpled side and most, although not all, are designed to be used in conjunction with a layer of sponge which is bonded to the rubber during manufacture.

The same type of rubber may be supplied with different thicknesses of sponge, normally ranging from 1.0mm to 2.5mm (in to in).

Other factors such as softness or hardness of the rubber–sponge combination and frictional properties determine the spin, speed and control characteristics.

There is a vast array of rubbers available but they generally fall into four categories:

ReverseShort PimplesLong PimplesAnti-Spin.

KEY POINT

To achieve the best early progress an all-round blade with reverse rubber having a sponge thickness of around 1.5mm (in) is recommended as this will allow the basic strokes to be properly played.

Many sports shops and specialist table tennis suppliers also sell made up bats with the rubber already glued on. These are often cheaper and can be very good to start playing with, but make sure the rubber is reversed (playing side is smooth) and has a good grip so that you can impart spin on the ball otherwise you will be making it harder to develop your strokes and your game.

Reverse Pimpled Rubber

By far the most used rubbers are reverse rubbers. With reverse rubbers, the playing surface is not pimpled because the pimples face inwards and are attached to a layer of sponge. Various combinations of sponge and the playing surface are available which will affect the spin, speed and control that the rubber produces. Generally, soft sponge rubbers are slower than hard sponge rubbers, though the introduction of ‘speed glue’ (see Gluing Your Rubber to the Blade, below) can alter that.

Short Pimples

Short pimples face outward and the sponge is attached to the smooth side. The pimples are short, as the name implies, and they are usually wider than long pimples and positioned closer together. They have relatively low frictional properties because less surface area comes in contact with the ball and are therefore limited in terms of producing spin.

For this reason short pimples are often only used on one side of the bat, usually the backhand, in order to produce the desired speed and control and also to counter the spin produced by an opponent.