all about table tennis

I summarised some information about the STTA Coaching Course (ITTF-PTT Level 1 Coaching Course) and compiled it in Q&A formats. For detailed information, check out the STTA information page and Coaching Course introduction.

When does the course take place?

-It takes place twice a year and the time is announced and confirmed by STTA. The next one is  16-24th November (TBC)

Is this course in English or Mandarin?

-The course is delivered in English and the final assessment needs to be conducted in English.

How much do I need to pay for the course?

-$374.50 (payment by cheque)

Who will be delivering the course?

-It’s gonna be a qualified International Course Conductor appointed by ITTF

What’s the size of the class?

-20 to 30 students

What’s the venue?

-STTA Training Hall – 297C Lorong 6 Toa Payoh Singapore 319389

How many hours do I need to spend to get the Level 1 Certificate?

-The course length is 30 hours and you need to complete 30 hours of practical coaching to get the certificate. The course takes place in a consecutive 9 days (weekday nights and weekends).

I cannot make it to all the sessions. Can I skip one or two classes?

-All sessions are compulsory. You cannot pass the course if you miss any of the session.

I heard there is a prerequisite test. What skill level do I need to pass the test?

-You need to have the fundamental skills in table tennis (e.g. attack, drive, footwork) and you will be tested on multi-ball feeding. The test is scheduled months before the course and you need to pass it to sign up for the course. No payment needed if you do not pass the test.

What’s taught in the course?

-The course is based on the ITTF-PTT L1 coaching course Syllabus.

Is the course classroom-based or practical?

-Theories are taught in the classroom. There may be practical sessions.

Are there assessments for this course?

-There is a practical assessment a the end of the course, in which you need to put what you learned into practice.

Is it possible that I fail the coaching course?

-Yes, there is a possibility that you fail the coaching course. Not many people fail it so don’t worry about it!

Feel free to comment to add in more information!

How are Hurricane 2, Hurricane 3, NEO Hurricane 3, Hurricane 8 and Hurricane 3-50 different?

-Hurricane 2 was developed in 2000 after Wang Liqin and Yan Sen won the gold medal in Olympics men’s doubles. It creates high speed and spin whilst maintaining stable control. In addition, it generates strong near-table offensive power to make the ball fly in a low arc which frustrates opponent’s defences.

-Hurricane 3 is designed for players who mainly adopt a controlled playing style or have a relatively weak attack. The rubber can add strength and produce a long arc, which increases the ball control and exerts fast attack and loop drive close-to-table.

-NEO rubbers were designed for the era of inorganic glue. It creates a stable and high-speed arc and improves the scoring ability of the players. NEO Hurricane 3 has a high speed, low fast loop, changeful arc and stronger spin.

-Hurricane 8 is a new generation of sticky-speed rubber. Hurricane 8 is specially designed to enhance the spin and speed for 40+ Celluloid-Free T.T. balls. It keeps a good balance between flexibility and elasticity.

-Hurricane 3-50 is made of tacky rubber with elastic sponge. The sponge is receptive to ball contact while the rubber friction grips and holds the ball. Such a combination provides the player with great ball feeling with every shot and suits players who want to exert a fast, stable loop attack.

(Information above is from DHS official website)

While unboosted Hurricane 3 can be hard and not bouncy, a nicely boosted Hurricane 3 can have incredible hand feeling, low throw and great control. However, it’s too much of a hassle for many people.

Neo Hurricane 3 is a bit like boosted H3. It has good spin, control and power but you still need to boost it to maintain the performance after the boosting effect goes off.

Personally, I prefer Hurricane 8. It is friendly to beginners who want to switch from European/Japanese rubbers to Chinese rubbers as it has good elasticity and flexibility. In a way, it does not require the best strength but it trains you to use your own strength to improve the performance. It a tacky rubber with decent spin and speed. It might be less powerful than boosted Hurricane 3 but it’s good enough to use for beginner / intermediate level players. Most importantly, you don’t have to boost it throughout!

(Information above is just personal opinion. Feel free to discuss/comment)

Xu Xin, the left-handed penhold player is famous for his magical shots and amazing footwork. In this video, you can watch Xu Xin’s signature shots (forehand sidespin, lob, forehand attacks, chop block etc) in international competitions as well as in internal training.

Speaking about his unique style, Xu Xin mentioned that it was developed since he was young and perhaps it’s related to his personality: now matter what sports he is into, he likes the athletes who are artistic and creative.

This video was posted by 全经典乒乓 on Youtube.

This article is translated from a Chinese Post: 乒乓球拍地板重量该如何选？国手告诉你

Wang Liqin: I prefer heavier blades of around 95 grams

Hao Shuai: I like heavier blades of 90-93 grams. It has better hand feel. If I use lighter blades, I may miss the ball sometimes or hit the ball with the edge of the racket.

Fan Zhendong: I like blades of around 90 grams

Yan An: My blade is around 88 grams. Heavier blades are more powerful but I am not outstanding in power, thus I choose a lighter one which allows better speed in attacking. It is also quite powerful at back-court.

Qiu Yike: I prefer it a bit heavier but not too much. Around 96-98 grams. If it is too light, it won’t be powerful enough.

Xu Xin (penhold): My blade is around 86 grams. I have good strength. People with less strength can choose lighter blades. I choose the heavier one because I feel I can handle it. Heavier blades are more powerful and easier to gain points.

Chen Meng: I like lighter ones, around 86 grams. It allows me to be faster in forehand and backhand transition.

Fan Ying (Chopper): I like blades with weights of 86-88 grams. As a chopper, I need to be faster in transition.

I put players’ faces in the same sequence, for your reference.

Here are some YouTube playlists of table tennis that I found useful as a beginner:

PingSkills

My favourite English Channel is PingSkills. It is very beginner-friendly and explains table tennis techniques and rules in a simple and clear way.

全民学乒乓 横拍篇(Table Tennis for Beginners – Shake-Hands)

全民学乒乓 直拍篇(Table Tennis for Beginners – Penhold)

My favourite Mandarin Channel is yunpeng guo’s channel. Guo is the founder of pingpangwang.com and he creates various comprehensive videos for different levels of players. He explains table tennis techniques in great details and he is very spot-on when pointing out the common issues of beginners.

Here are some tutorials from table tennis world champions with English Subs:

Shake-Hands Tutorial from Ma Long

Penhold Tutorial from Wang Hao

Here is the summary of a few rules for equipment and attire commonly applied in table tennis competitions in Singapore as at the end of 2017.

1. Three-star size 40+ white balls are used

2. White attires are not allowed

3. It is the responsibility of each player to ensure that racket coverings are attached to their racket blade with adhesives that do not contain harmful volatile solvents

4. Playing clothing shall consist of a short-sleeved or sleeveless shirt and shorts or skirt or one-part sports outfits, socks and playing shoes; other garments, such as part or all of a tracksuit, shall not be worn during play except with the permission of the referee

These rules are just for your reference and some competition follow stricter rule and standards.

You may refer to the ITTF Handbook 2017 for the international standards and the complete set of rules.

Maybe you always have a passion for table tennis but have not played for two or three years.

Maybe you have not played since secondary school and want to pick it up as a hobby after start working/retirement.

Now you have signed up for your first table tennis session after a long while. What do you need to bring?

Here is a checklist based on my personal experiences:

• Your racket
• Sportswear including t-shirt, shorts and shoes
• Water bottle (they usually have water fountain at the venues)
• Towel
• White 40+ or D40+ table tennis ball (bring it if you are able to buy it. If not, other players usually have them for you to play/borrow

 

If you are new to Singapore table tennis community and want to find table tennis buddies to play with, check out some meetup groups near you to get started:

Central

Table Tennis – Intermediate to Advance @ Bishan Sports Hall

Sg Table Tennis @ Bishan Sports Hall

Table Tennis Advanced Players Challenge (Off Peak Hours) @ OCBC Arena

Ping Pong Paradise @ OCBC Arena

North East

Weekend Table-tennis @ Hougang

East

Table Tennis in the East @ Tampines Community Auditorium

East Table Tennis @ Pasir Ris Sports Complex

West

Leisure Table Tennis Club House @ Jurong East Sports Hall

SG West Table Tennis / Ping Pong @ Jurong East Sports Hall

i love TABLE TENNIS @ Clementi Sports Hall

Singapore Table Tennis Meetup@ Jurong East Sports Hall

Above is only a summary of the meetup groups by regions. Click the links above to check the exact locations, timing and prices. Again, after you joined for one or two sessions, you can ask the new ping pong friends where are the good places to play. You will get a lot of information.

(Links are checked and updated as at 27/09/2018)