Materials

The construction of a table tennis racket may look quite simple - there is a wooden (or composite)
blade, and two rubbers pasted on both side. Simple right?

No!

The science behind how the materials react to speed and spin is quite complex.

While beginners to intermediates, may not be able to observe much difference between the materials.
But as you progress through the game, you would start understanding how the minute changes can
make a huge difference in your game.

1) Rubber

A paddle consists of two rubbers - red and black, pasted on either side of the blade. The rubber can
be either inverted pimples (most popular) or pip style (short or long).

The most common type of rubbers is the inverted pimple. These rubbers have a smooth top surface.
The pip-style rubbers have pimples on the top surface which either be short or long. The pip
rubbers are mostly used in the backhand, but some of the players also use them on both sides.
Rubbers can be characterized based on:
 Top sheet (tacky, non-tacky) or pip (long or short)
 Sponge thickness
 Sponge density or hardness
The top sheet of the rubber decides how much spin you can put on the ball. The tacky top sheet can
produce heavy spin but this also makes the rubber susceptible to opponent's spin (challenging to
return). Non-tacky rubbers can put relatively less amount of spin on the ball, but they're less
susceptible to the opponent's spin.

Defensive players tend to use long pips and anti-spin (which reverses your opponent's spin) rubbers
for better control. While the short pips are great for blocking but require higher skill for accurate ball
control.

Sponge thickness and hardness decides how fast the ball would bounce back. Higher
thickness/density means the ball would return faster. Offensive players generally use 2.00mm thick
sponge with a hardness rating of 50.

For beginner and intermediate players, it's better to stick to sponge thickness of up to 1.7
mm and hardness of up to 40.
2) Blade

The blade is the part of the paddle on which the rubbers are pasted. All wood blades are constructed
with multiple layers of wood plies glued together. While in the composite blades, additional layers of
carbon or its derivative are added.

Generally, the softer the blades (wood), offer better control while harder blades (carbon layer) offer
more speed.

Impact on the racker performance based on the number of layers:

 Higher number of plies makes the blade is stiffer, which is ideal for offensive shots.
 Less number of plies makes the blade more flexible, which ideal for defensive shots (block, chops
etc).
Beginners to intermediate players should stick to wooden blades, although more advanced players
often prefer this type as well. Wooden blades offer good feel and feedback of the ball.
Composite blades are stiffer and thus reducing the dwell time with the ball (or the time that the ball
stays on the blade). These blades are generally difficult to control but offer massive speed upgrade.
Most of the offensive players play with composite blades.
3) Handle

The way you hold your racket determines whether you need the short or long handle.

In Penhold grip, the thumb and index finger are on the front side of the racket, and the rest fingers
are on the other side (refer to the image above). For penhold grip, short handles are suitable.

In Shakehand grip, you grip the handle as if you are shaking someone's hand. For shakehand grip,
long handles are suitable.

The penhold is generally considered an eastern style, while the shakehand is usually considered
a western style.
Further, the shape of the handle can be flat, rounded, or flared. Flared handles are the most
common because they make it easier for players to keep a comfortable and tight grip without sending
their racket flying across the room!

To Wrap it Up

Just remember a racket is as good as the player using it. Practice, Practice and Practice - That's
the ultimate mantra for improving your game. A racket does play an important role in your game but I
would suggest not to get swayed away with trying too many options.
Pick a decent ping pong paddle, practice hard and enjoy the beautiful sport.