Table Tennis Studyguide

Sean O’ Neill, is a 4 time U.S National Champion, U.S. Olympic Team Member in 1988, and the holder of over 70 National Titles.

Ping Pong refers to a recreational game while Table Tennis refers to a competitive tournament Game.

It is a sport of super spin and speed and sometimes the ball can attain a speed of more 100 miles per hour.

Table Tennis is played on a flat table usually made of highly compressed particle board.  The length of the table should be 9 feet long and 5 feet wide.

The net should be 6 feet in length with a 6-inch extension on both sides of the net.  The net is 6 inches high.

The best balls are labeled with three stars and are worth the extra money because of their better quality.

An arena for national and international play is typically 23 feet by 46 feet.

It is recommended that a beginner player has at least 6 feet on all sides of the table to attempt the correct strokes and the ceiling height should be at least 12 to 15 feet.

The blade is another name for the handle.

The type of wood used to make the blade will affect the speed of the racket.

The rules of table tennis state that the two surfaces must be of different colors and also that the only acceptable colors are black and bright red.  Absolutely both sides must be covered with a rubber surface.

The most common type of rubber used in table tennis today is the inverted pips with sponge rubber.  The two types of rubber used in our class was the 1) Inverted Pips Rubber and Pips Out Rubber

The two basic racket grips that are used in table tennis include: 1) Shakehands Grip and 2) Penhold Grip.  The shakehands grip is the most popular and the one that is most recommended.  Less than 10 percent of all world class players use the Pen Hold Grip.

Footwork is a key factor to learn in order to become a good player in Table Tennis.

In table tennis, like tennis, the forehand counter is the most powerful stroke in the sport of Table Tennis.

The USTTA stands for the United States Table Tennis Association.

Warm-up is also very important in the sport of Table Tennis, because of the range of motion by the players.

The server must serve five consecutive times before the other player is allowed to serve.

A volley is a rally of shots in which a point is scored during the game.

A singles match shall consist of the best 3 out of 5 games in a tournament.

A doubles match shall consist of the best of 3 games.

A game shall be won by the player or pair first scoring 21 points.

To correctly serve a ball you must do the following:

1)    Hold the ball in the palm of one of your hands.

2)    Toss the ball in the air at least 6 inches in the air.

3)    Hit the ball on your side of the table before going to the other side.