Table tennis racket

The essential components of a table tennis bat ( regionally known as table tennis trowel ) are handle, lining and the wood of the blade. For a player is the right club selection is of great importance, because it 's own style of play can be effectively supported.

In official competitions, only one bat may be used which complies with the rules and its coverings are approved by the World Table Tennis Federation ITTF. There are a list of " approved coverings " which is constantly updated.

Handle of the racket

The bat handle may take various forms. Essentially, these are:

• Just With the straight bat handle, the player can vary the easiest during the game. Defensive players like to use slim, straight handles because the racket can then turn better in the hand ( to swap forehand and backhand side ).
• Concave
• Anatomical
• Conical Concave, anatomical or conical handles are easier to fix and thus hold less fatigue at the end of the handle. Offensive player therefore like to use this handle forms.

Unpainted handles have prevailed in competition rackets because they absorb the sweat better hand and slip into the hands of a few. But it is true: The right to handle for the player finds by trial and error. Each hand and each playing technique is individual. Many players give their racket with a file and sandpaper the finishing touches.

Surface of the racket

The racket covering has the greatest influence on the speed with which and which rotation of the table tennis ball can be played (also called spin or spin ).

One side of the table tennis racket that is used for whipping, must be provided with a coating. A page not used to hitting may be provided with any material (eg cork) or remain unassigned - but it must be today also colored bright red or black. From 1961 to 1971, the two sides of the racket had - if they were provided with a coating - the same color (if any color ) to be. After this regulation was loosened and the thugs were on both sides of any - have color - not white. As the industry is new coverings with different properties developed (fast, slow, very rough or very smooth ... ) was the possible - even if not mandatory - color identity of the pads to the problem. Many players took advantage of the rule, game room, taped by the same color coverings with part completely different properties on both sides. At surcharge (later also at the check during the game ) they turned the club so that the enemy could be difficult to assess, was beaten with what toppings. This resulted due to misjudgment of the rotation of the ball seemingly minor errors, which made ​​the game unappealing opinion of the ITTF officials. The Chinese Huang Liang was among the first who successfully used these bats rotation.

" [ Huang Liang ] made everybody look ridiculous. I mean really ridiculous -he annihilated Surbek and Johansson under 10 and had Bengtsson 15-1 one game "

Some coverings ( Antitopspin and knobs without sponge) generated upon impact of the ball on the racket a different sound, so that the receiver could see from the sound, which was done with covering the beat. To avoid the perception of the different noise, so stomped some Aufschläger (for example, Engelbert Hüging ) at this moment with your foot on the floor. This development ended the ITTF Congress during the World Table Tennis Championships in 1983 with the rule that from 1 January 1984 for all international events each player had to use different colored linings, the colors themselves were not initially prescribed. Simultaneously, the stamping of feet was prohibited ( since 1 September 1991 again allowed). To avoid poorly distinguishable color combinations such as " dark wine red / black " or " orange / red ", the rule in 1984 was changed to the effect that the colors of the linings were now have no common components (due to orange / red or dark brown / black). To all interpretation disputes to an end ( as was, for example, " orange / green " is now a forbidden color combination because of the common color component "yellow" ), the rule was revised in 1985, so that as of 1 July 1986 on international events only bright red and black were still allowed as covering colors. At national level, the DTTB this color combination is required since 1 July 1988.

In the 1950s, many players occupied the bat with only one - sometimes 2 cm thick - foam rubber. In addition to the enormous speed and spin possibilities offered these coverings, disturbed inter alia, the fact that you could not hear the blow. This actually results in a fast game at the table to coordination problems. Then these films were banned in 1959 by the ITTF. The maximum coating thickness was set to 4 mm. The players now stuck to the foam layer has a pimpled rubber - either with pimples inwards or outwards. The maximum thickness of the rubber nubs is 2 mm - usually the layer in linings with pimples but only 1.6 - 1,7 mm thick, so that the sponge pad 2.3 - 2.4 mm left remain. In technical jargon, the "mm" mostly omitted in the lining thickness, so that a " 1.5 he " means covering, the covering has 1.5 mm sponge pad.

The racket coverings can be divided into two groups: pimples or pimples inside. In both variants of the covering 10 to 30 stems per square centimeter must have.

Pimples

For pimple-out rubbers you have to make a fundamental distinction between

• "Short" studs ( studs length less than about 0.9 mm)
• "Long" studs ( studs length of about 1.3 mm to about 1.8 mm. Did the studs a length of about 0.9 mm to 1.3 mm, so one speaks also of medium length or half- long pimples. )

Short pimples

In rubbers with short pimples other features will be added in the design, which can not be derived directly from the name.

• The base is made ​​of solid, hard rubber material.
• The backing layer (not the sponge) under the knobs is made ​​thick.
• The studs get a large cone at the base, so there are not cylindrical.
• As a sponge underlay a solid sponge is used.

The combination of these manufacturing characteristics ensures that the coating compared to the backside surface

• Less spin generated ( because of the lower grip of the surface )
• Against opposing spin is less sensitive (see above), that is, less spin reversal and trajectory influenced by the spin of the ball
• With hard shots produced high pace without being massively influenced by the spin of the ball ( due to clamping of the carrier layer and a lot of pressure on the sponge pad )
• The ball contact time significantly shortened.

This plaque variant is the appropriate material for the player looking through fast counter attacks with substantial waiver of topspin the first chance for decisive shot. The players of the classical Chinese TT- school [u a Chuang Tse -Tung ( TT World Champion in 1961, 1963 and 1965 ) and Li -Fu Yung - early to mid -1960s ] used this stuff, but for example, the Czech Milan Orlowski (the one with such a covering on the backhand side in 1974 became European Champion ). In Offensive play a longer trajectory than a topspin the ball gets because of the lack spins at the same speed ( by the Magnus effect ), thereby the ball - just because of the lower trajectory curvature - in many cases not to the ( purely physically possible ) maximum speed can be accelerated because he would not otherwise meet the opponent's half of the table. While players are capable of generating spin with these surfaces, the result is by no means be compared with the rotation, which can be produced with a studded internal surface.

Long pimples out

Coverings with long pimples are manufactured according to other conditions, as the short pimples:

• The lining is made ​​of soft, pliable rubber material
• The support layer (not the sponge) under the knobs is made ​​thin
• The studs obtained almost no taper on the base are almost cylindrical.
• As a sponge pad is used, a thin, soft sponge.
• Most long pimples is also available in a sponge- less version ( orthodox or ox short)

The combination of these production characteristics ensures that the nubs have the following properties:

• Variable grip (due to sliding ball contact area due to the low stability of the studs or ribbing of the pile surface )
• Relatively insensitive to opposing pin ( see above)
• By a directive of the ITTF in May 1998, which prescribes the upper limit of 1.1 the ratio knobs length / width knobs from the 1999/2000 season, bend knobs at ball contact is no longer so easy to have and thus lost to so-called interfering effect. However, there are now (October 2008) already back first attempts by various manufacturers, to achieve a buckling of the studs equivalent effect by novel rubber materials. Whether this - given the now very tight rules on the minimum grip - will succeed remains to be seen.

In particular, the variable grip that ensures predictable hard cut, makes the ball for some players from lower classes difficult to assess. Higher class attacking players on the other hand use the low offensive and pace possibilities of long pimples out for their game. The specific expression of the properties with respect to spinning and elasticity will depend not only on the shape but also greatly on the rubber composition and the method of preparation - in particular, the surface treatment (see below) - and can vary from product to product.

Basically there are two types of long pimples:

• Frictionless long pimples. In this Noppenart the surface was treated and greatly reduced the grip. The knobs heads are very smooth and can be pulled almost smoothly at Schupfball under the ball. This creates the on chopped and block ball with the frictionless long pimples by the change in direction, a theoretical average reversal ( average forwarding), although the twist is not changed, eg is made ​​to enemy overcut by the knobs undercut and vice versa, while through in the long cut defense the grip knobs necks of the usual long pimple undercut is formed. For pure block players there are also versions with smooth nodules necks topspin return completely undercutting the block. From 1 July 2008 are knobs that fall below a minimum grip, no longer allowed.
• Long pimples. This Noppenart is mostly used by defensive players. In defense away from the table of the sub -section can be varied independently from the opponent's topspin relative (as opposed to frictionless long pimples ). In blocking the plate, the ball is usually - unlike the frictionless long pimples - played back with a slight forward spin. Therefore, it was also (of Yasaka ) Long pimple rubbers for offensive counter-attacks.

In Germany Engelbert Hüging made ​​this kind of toppings popular when he was in Lübeck German champion in 1978 with a combi - bats ( pimples inside / long pips). Were used for the first time in the Bundesliga long pips in 1975 by Dr. Georg Nicklas (Saarbrücken ). In the top 100, there are only very few players (eg Chen Weixing and Joo Se Hyuk - ) playing with long pimples because the expected rotation of the ball is calculated by the two-color rule before the dash and the can attack players without problems with hard smashes reply. The success of the above player is based on an attacking game tactically employed backspin balls to the confusion of the enemy.

The idea of the pads with frictionless long pimples emerged in the late 80s and early 1990s. Similar to the speed glue, but this is limited to the sponge (treatment with hair spray, spray paint, solvents, UV light, microwave, heat ( oven, iron ) ) the corresponding one of the flooring game properties have been changed massively here by changing the rubber surface ( anti- plaque similar, but with variablerem section). Made more or less industrially you could buy this coating, namely post-processed by Toni Hold, the TSP- coverings, which developed into a true bestseller. This is exactly where the ( understandable ) arguments of the ITTF to ban these coverings. Namely, that two identical names coverings had completely different properties. The industry responded with name change to make the treatment legal. Then in 2008 a required, but virtually no prescribed minimum test grip for long pimpled rubbers, which meant that at least the official end of the frictionless long pimples.

Pimpled rubber (Classic)

Pimpled rubber, the first covering ever was. Supposedly, the Briton John Goode is 1902 bought on the way to a table tennis tournament at the grocery store the knobs edition of the pay counter, have stuck to the bat and won the tournament. Until the development of sandwich coverings, this was the only material that was played with the table tennis. Also, the Hungarian-born, later British and world champion Victor Barna played with such a covering. Then a thug was later sold under his name, so that Barna essentially synonymous with pimpled rubber or pimpled rubber bat was because it was a long time without competition. [ Also, the Barna bat wood ( a triple veneer beech ash, which was distinguished by its somewhat top-heavy weight distribution especially for the game with pimpled rubber ) is among older players still a legend ]. Pimpled rubber is similar in style pimples without sponge (only textile fibers for stabilization).

The pimpled rubber dominated until the invention of the Backside coverings in Japan in 1952, the table tennis scene. Because of the lack of possibilities for variation, the twist was limited and easily calculable, were studded rubber used internationally from then only as an estate covering. The last successful player with this type of flooring was Eberhard Scholer with the Vice World Champion title in 1969, which began a pimpled rubber on the backhand side and a pimple- inside - coating on the forehand side. Nevertheless, there are still in the lower and middle classes still successful so-called " boards player " whose success is based on the rarity of their material. The international approval for official tournaments for the Barna - covering - the best-selling pimpled rubber - ended - after a transitional period - June 30, 1998, because the manufacturer Dunlop sports withdrew from the table tennis shop and requested any new ITTF covering approval.

Even today, found mainly in the U.S. and Germany called " boards Tournaments " (English: Hardbat ) instead, in which only bat with pimples rubber are allowed.

Literature on pimples

• Rahul Nelson: Always these knobs, magazine DTS, 1986/7 p.21
• Siegfried Möller: Long pimples, magazine DTS, 1993/3 pp. 22-25 and opinions of table tennis experts: 1993/ 3 p 26-28

Pimples inside ( backside )

Show the knobs of the lining inside with a smooth surface outside, the most used table tennis surfaces arise at all. By choosing a suitable mixture of natural rubber and synthetic rubber can be extremely fast, less grippy (natural rubber) or slow, extremely grippy rubbers ( synthetic rubber ) produce. This rubber can be the ball by far the most rotation status ( topspin, sidespin, backspin ). The thicker the sponge -backed ( max. 2.5 mm), the faster the maximum ball speed; The adhesive may vary, the higher the maximum speed of the ball, wherein the thickness information generating surface, by immersion of the ball and at the same surface of rotation as more and more thin.

Backside bats are the most versatile. They are with a thick sponge pad ( about 1.7 mm) to the spin attack and block, with thin ( 1,0 - 1,5 mm) sponge thickness but also to undercut defense. Modern table tennis offensive play in today's fast-paced, topspinbetonten expression was made possible by the invention of the sandwich dusted with backside surface.

Have offensive covering a much thicker and faster sponge and a highly elastic rubber surface ( for maximum spin and pace ), as opposed to defensive coverings, which usually have thin, tempoabsorbierende sponges, combined with a soft, usually sticky surface ( for maximum backspin ).

Anti-Spin rubbers

These deposits have an inelastic, slightly grippy rubber surface with very short, wide knobs ( inside) and a soft, strong tempoabsorbierenden sponge. Rein in construction they are among the reversed rubber coverings - but differ most technically so strong that a separate category is justified. You are strongly spin - and tempo- absorbent and are very useful for repelling topspin and other offensive shots - either by block or apparent backspin defense hit ( but create with this material just little cut).

The idea of ​​the Anti-Spin - coating is a proprietary design of the Austrian tinkerer and Altinternationalen Toni Hold, who also scored the first success with this type of flooring, but these were taken from him, since this coating was not produced industrially. This was then made ​​up of Joola with the help of Toni Hold 1969. He was followed by copies of other manufacturer, but which never reached the effect of the original, but it is also not distinguished by splendor, sound or design of cut surfaces. The Englishman John Hilton was with this type of flooring in 1980 in Bern European champions.

After initially further dissemination among defensive specialists this lining type is now more and more of the long pimples (some with smooth nodules heads ) displaced because these provide more opportunities especially through the variable section of the ball, to provide the attacker with problems and errors to tempt. Even with the frictionless long pimples Toni Hold was a leader in design and design as well as use in the senior championships.

Since the ban of frictionless long pimples (2008), several companies have developed a new type of anti - coverings, which in technical jargon in various forums as Glanti (smooth anti ), respectively. These have extremely little to no grip, long pimples inside and shine primarily by their sometimes excellent cutting forwarding ( " reversal" ) with passive play ( delaying block). Also, most of these new Antis are faster, and therefore more difficult to control than classical Antis or smooth long pimples.

Combi Racket ( Backside / or Anti long pips)

Combi Racket combine the different Bela garden, namely non-slip nubs inside and long pimple or pimples out rubbers. In the defensive version (long pips ) is achieved by spinning the racquet that the counterparty must use a portion of his attention to assess the rotation of the ball and take appropriate shocks. By two-color rule this variant but has become so benign that it is simply " shot down " in higher classes, while the offensive variant ( pimples ) use mainly Asian players.

Gluing

When gluing (or players in circles simply " gluing ") of the rubber surface of the racket is stuck until shortly before the game on the wood bat. This special adhesives are used, the covering grip, elastic and thus make topspinfreudiger. The base is still almost glued " wet" on the wood. The solvent in the adhesive (wash benzine, trichlorethylene, ethyl acetate, benzene and other aromatic hydrocarbons) then diffuse through the sponge and penetrate into the dimples cover layer. The rubber coating swells up and becomes more elastic. Due to the greater mobility of the top layer (rubber covering) in the swollen foam rubber pad it comes with a tangential contact with the ball ( topspin ) to a material tension, which gives the ball after a longer ball contact phase a greater speed and particularly more rotation. This directly points have already become possible at the opening stop spinning. Therefore, this method is of the most aggressive attack players used even in the lower classes and of young people. However, suffers next to the ball safety, especially the durability of the coating. To prolong the life of the wood bat and the duration of the Frischklebeffektes this is usually glazed.

With the release of the solvent in the halls and locker rooms health problem may be connected. The ITTF has pasting into enclosed spaces banned because of the health risk with effect from September 2006. The long-standing practice of many players " gluing " is no longer authorized by the ITTF rules since September 1, 2008. Is permitted, however the Sogn. " Tuning" the manufacturer of table tennis surfaces, but volatile organic solvents ( VOC = Volatile Organic Compound) may be detectable when using the racket only to a clearly defined cap with an ITTF - RAE - meter. Such coverings that have a manufacturer " built-in" speed glue effect are called tensor coverings and are commercially available: (a ) Butterfly Tenergy, (b ) Formula DONIC, (c) Joola tensor and (d) Andro Hexer.

Wood club

The wood club composed of several layers that are glued together. It can also be used in plastic layers, but the wood club must have at least 85% of wood. Hardwoods such as walnut, mahogany, beech make the game faster and are therefore suitable for attacking players, soft woods such as willow, birch or poplar, however, are preferred by defensive players.

Modern, high-quality Blades are usually clever combinations of hard and soft woods. So you used eg veneer cores from the light and soft Obeche (or balsa ), one or more barrier veneers of hard or harder woods ( walnut, wenge ) and then again a softer outer veneer ( Limba, Koto or re Obeche ) and achieved so Blades, allow a very high tempo, without the tech-savvy players on his " ball feel " ( so imprecise that term may be) will be without.

Particularly advantageous for the long-term freedom from distortion and uniform playing characteristics of the bat wood is the use of thin layers of so-called Fineline veneers - this is a block from many thin (0.5 mm - 1 mm) layers Obeche or Koto veneers glued together and then cross cut to the adhesive joint back into slices. The " veneer " is actually louder so fine veneer strips. The material is by gluing a little heavier than the starting material, the playing characteristics - particularly in terms of ball control - but by the very uniform properties of these " veneers " very good. Very popular are Fineline veneers also on the handle, because pleasing visual effects can be achieved by the use of different colored glues ( the wood bat has shown, for example, such a fine line handle).

In addition to the selection of the "correct " timber and the quality and type of gluing plays a key role. In the construction of a new model between 20 and 50 veneer types are often manufactured, tested and discarded until the bat wood type finally meet the expectations of its developer.

One of the important criteria in the development of wood bat is the magnification of the optimal target area, the sweet spot or sweet spot. This refers to the area of ​​the clubface, where the ball can be optimally accelerated and also controlled. Predictable is the focus of this optimum hitting area not far. Experienced material developers indicate that the center of this zone somewhere between bat gravity ( photo: green dot in the image table tennis racket wood) and geometric leaf center ( without the grip ) is ( Photo: red dot in the image table tennis racket wood). Investigations to determine the size and position of the optimum hitting area under biomechanical aspects were carried out in the years 1970 and 1971 by Martin Sklorz, the then Federal Lehrwart of DTTB, at the TU Braunschweig. However, the subsequently developed bat with " truncated " top could not prevail on the market and disappeared already after a short time from the offers table tennis dealer.

The size of this optimal target area can be by embedding carbon fiber, Kevlar, glass fiber or compressed paper ( Pertinax similar) improved in the adhesive joint. The ball contact time is - at least for the first three materials - reduced dramatically, which then often comes at the expense of good control and spin. Since a few years, metal foils are embedded in the veneers for this purpose - this is actually non-compliant, but so far been tolerated by the ITTF.

Crucial for the playability of the club wood is its vibrational behavior. Accelerate high-frequency vibrating wood of the ball faster than low-frequency oscillating. The oscillation frequency of the racket wood depends on the veneer material, the sheet size ( the smaller the high-frequency ) and the width of the sheet web ( this is the small - almost triangular - part of the clubface that is not yet covered by the grip of the court). A large pier leading to a higher frequency and thus more speed.

After the improvement of the table tennis racket wood preceded over the veneers over the years only in very small steps, we began several years ago to work on improving the club grips. Although there were in the past have always been attempts such as the blade axis pivoted handles, adjustable weight inserts - these constructions were not ultimately accepted by the TT players. Newer methods such as excavating and then foaming the handles, stiffening with carbon tubular rods or vibration damping rubber inserts seem to be promising and accepted by the players approaches.

Official approval of the covering

From 1 January 1982, only those Rubbers could be used in international tournaments, which were approved by the World Table Tennis ITTF. The approved coverings were included in a list: manufacturer, color of the flooring, color of the sponge, the type of coating ( pimples inwards or outwards, long pips, ...). Twice a year, on April 1 and October 1, appears an updated list.

By the year 2000, there were the German Table Tennis Association DTTB a formal approval process for table tennis racket. This was but abolished; since the admission list of the ITTF is binding. Here the allowed materials are listed accurately. The DTTB only explained unclear provisions. For example, one may not use a dark sponge under a red translucent covering. On the surface of a clearly visible ITTF icon and ITTF trademark must be applied at the edge of the clubface. The national German gaming operations may each covering which was valid at the start of a season, are used throughout the season, even if it is no longer included in the new list, which may appear during the season.

The racket in table tennis rules

The Rule Book, refer to Section 4 of the table tennis racket. For this, the following provisions taken (as DTTB 1 January 2009).

Historical

In 1900 they began to string the racket with wood parchment, fur or leather, cork or later they used sandpaper or played with a blank wooden bat. In 1902, on the rubber pad. According to a legend bought the Englishman E. C. Goode in a pharmacy headache pills. When you pay money coins falling on a rubber mat lying on the counter, and ran it high. Goode purchased this rubber mat glued them on his racquet and played so successfully in the sequence. Against the truth of this legend has it that the London sporting goods manufacturer Frank Bryan in 1901 a patent for a " racket which is covered with a thin piece of rubber gum, " applied ( Patent No. 25276 ). A similar patent filed William Laird little later, on 21 January 1902.

With advent of the sponge in the 1950s, intensive discussions on the admissibility of this material emerged worldwide. As a result, many national organizations banned this covering. In 1957 the DTTB these prohibitions:

"When covering only pimpled rubber can be used, with a total surface height of not more than 2 mm. The pimpled rubber must be glued directly onto the wood of the bat. In addition, the knobs must be directed outward and may not be more than 50 nor less than 10 items on the cc. "

Miscellaneous

• The hand holding the bat is to racket hand and can also be used below the wrist for strikes. This means that the ball can be played back with this hand, for example because the player misses the ball with the bat. It is based on paragraph 5.7 of the table tennis rules Part A: A player strikes the ball if he touches it in play with the hand-held bat or with the racket hand below the wrist.
• Regardless of the type and hardness of a shock, as well as from the surface of the racket, the ball around a millisecond contact with the bat.
• The size, shape and weight of the racket are not regulated. Theoretically, one may play with a racket that is as big as a tennis racket. This was the first published rules from 1924 different: the bat diameter must not exceed the net height of 17 ½ inches. The racket handle can be chosen arbitrarily long. So-called hollow bat, the bat are with hide or parchment covering, were prohibited.
• The color specifications of the coverings must be strictly adhered to. Already a handwritten autograph makes a pad inadmissible.
• At a certain level of damage ( eg, edge hits ) a rubber has been admitted to the competition.
• At the World Championships 1951, the Austrians defeated Waldemar Fritsch several players in the world class by he applied instead of the usual rubber foam rubber nubs, causing the check was inaudible.
• Karl Heinz Schreiner used as one of the first in Germany a sandwich bat, with which he won the championship in 1957 in Saarbrücken.

Each table tennis racket is unique

Each table tennis racket is unique. The results from the myriad ways that are possible through the variation of different wooden racket with racket coverings (with different sponge thicknesses). But a number of other factors play a role. The coating adhesive to be used, how often a pad was already stuck, whether and how the speed glue method is applied, the age of blades and rubbers, if the wood is painted or not, humidity, temperature and many more influence the behavior of a table tennis racket. Moreover - despite all standardization efforts of manufacturers - each timber already unique. If the veneers rather from the grain, so the club is a little harder and faster. Also arise in generating the veneers slight variations in the thickness of veneer that will make itself felt in the play behavior often.

This means that - may have two clubs with the same wood and same toppings completely different game properties - at least after some time in the game use. The conversion of a racket change prepares the most players therefore bigger problems. In tennis or squash the holding of one or more replacement bats is relatively straightforward, table tennis is a racket change during a competition (for example, due to bat breakage ), however, is usually a huge disadvantage for the player.

The wood of the bat is a living product and is changing significantly over time, in many cases for the better. Even cheap but old " department store racket " that will lead to good prices with collectors. Is also due to long wait but from an absolute cheap racket, whose leaf has more cardboard than veneer quality, no racing -grade timber can be obtained. The fact that many competition and top players play relatively old timbers is based rather on the extreme familiarity with the material and the great sensitivity of the players.