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Indoor table tennis is a very popular, interesting and precise sport. There are four crucial elements you need to be aware of in order to become successful in this sport. Those elements are: Footwork, hand to eye coordination, technique and the right equipment! So not only skills are needed but the right equipment as well. I will focus on this last element in this article.
Nowadays there is not a problem to get all these table tennis accessories. With this big amount of sporting stores both offline and online it is just a matter of making a decision and choosing the equipment you can afford and that you like the best. So you need to get table, rocket, balls, net and shoes.
But are there any official table tennis regulations so I can know whether stuff I am buying is right or not?
The answer is yes, there is an organization called The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and they are responsible in setting the standards for this sport. I reviewed these laws and will give you a brief summary to help you choose the right indoor table tennis equipment.
Table-The upper surface of the table – called playing surface – should be rectangular, dark color and mat, 2.74m x 1.525m x76 cm. It should also have white side line and white end line, both 2cm wide. And the last very important thing, make sure that when you drop a standard ball on the playing surface from a height of 30 cm it should bounce of 23 cm up!
Net- should be 15.25cm (6 inches) high and it can stick out 15.25cm beyond the table on each side. It also comes with suspension and the supporting posts and clamps.
Ball-should be spherical, with a diameter of 40mm and weigh 2.7g. Can be orange or white and should be made of celluloid or other plastics material.
Rocket -ITTF generally let players to choose the rocket they want, especially when it comes to rocket surface. They state only: The racket may be of any size, shape or weight but the blade shall be flat and rigid. There are some more regulations about the rubber and rocket itself, but you don’t have to worry about it for now. Just remember, that the thickness and the material used for rubber and sponge determines the speed and spin of the table tennis ball. So make sure you play around with the rocket and the ball before you buy it!
Shoes- in order to move quick enough, you need a pair of shoes that both can slide and have good grip.
