History of Table Tennis

The sport originated in Victorian England, where it was played among the upperclass as an after-dinner parlour game. It had several different names, including 'whiffwhaff', and it has been suggested that makeshift versions of the game were developed
by British military officers in India in around 1860s or 1870s, who brought it back with
them. A row of books stood up along the center of the table as a net, two more books
served as rackets and were used to continuously hit a golf-ball. The name "ping-pong"
was in wide use before British manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd trademarked it in
1901. The name "ping-pong" then came to describe the game played using the rather
expensive Jaques's equipment, with other manufacturers calling it table tennis. A similar
situation arose in the United States, where Jaquessold the rights to the "ping-pong"
name to Parker Brothers. Parker Brothers then enforced their trademark for the term in
the 1920s making the various associations change their names to "table tennis" instead
of the more common, but trademarked, term.

The next major innovation was by James W. Gibb, a British enthusiast of table
tennis, who discovered novelty celluloid balls on a trip to the US in 1901 and found them
to be ideal for the game. This was followed by E.C. Goode who, in 1901, invented the
modern version of the racket by fixing a sheet of pimpled, or stippled, rubber to the
wooden blade. Table tennis was growing in popularity by 1901 to the extent that
tournaments were being organized, books being written on the subject, and an unofficial
world championship was held in 1902.

In 1921, the Table Tennis Association was founded in Britain, and

the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) followed in 1926. London hosted the
first official World Championships in 1926. In 1933, the United States Table Tennis
Association, now called USA Table Tennis, was formed.

In the 1930s, Edgar Snow commented in Red Star Over China that the
Communist forces in the Chinese Civil War had a "passion for the English game of table
tennis" which he found "bizarre". On the other hand, popularity of the sport waned in

1930s Soviet Union, partly because of promotion of team and military sports, and partly
because of a theory that the game had adverse health effects.

In the 1950s, paddles that used a rubber sheet combined with an underlying
sponge layer changed the game dramatically, introducing greater spin and
speed. These were introduced to Britain by sports goods manufacturer S.W. Hancock
Ltd. The use of speed glue increased the spin and speed even further, resulting in
changes to the equipment to "slow the game down". Table tennis was introduced as an
Olympic sport at the Olympics in 1988.
How to Play

1. Find someone to play with. You probably want to begin by playing someone
who is at about your skill level or a little better, and preferably someone who isn't
aggressively competitive. This way, you can have fun learning how to play. You
can play one-on-one, or you can play with two teams of two, which is known as
doubles. And you want someone who has regulation ping pong balls, paddles,
and a table if you don't have access to any!
2. Know how to grip the paddle. There are two commonly-used styles of gripping
the paddle: the pen grip (penhold) and the shakehand grip. Regardless of how
you grip the paddle, it's important to hold it loosely to allow your wrist to move
freely. If your fist is clenched around the handle, most of your force for returns will
come from your arm, not your wrist, and you won't be as accurate.
3. Know how to grip the paddle. There are two commonly-used styles of gripping
the paddle: the pen grip (penhold) and the shakehand grip. Regardless of how
you grip the paddle, it's important to hold it loosely to allow your wrist to move
freely. If your fist is clenched around the handle, most of your force for returns will
come from your arm, not your wrist, and you won't be as accurate.
4. Serve the ball. The ball should be tossed out of your free hand vertically a
minimum of 16 cm (6 in), and then hit with the paddle so that it first hits your side
of the table once and then goes over the net and hits your opponent's side.
5. Score points. A point is awarded for each rally that is not a let, and either
opponent can score a point regardless of who served.
6. Win the game. Many people like to play to 21 or 15 (alternating server every 5
points), which is fine for recreational play. The official rules, however, state play is
to 11 points (alternating server every 2 points). In order to win, one must be

ahead by two points. If the players or teams are tied at 10-10 or 20-20, for
example, the normal order of service proceeds, but the serve alternates sides
after every points instead of after every two points.
7. Win the game. Many people like to play to 21 or 15 (alternating server every 5
points), which is fine for recreational play. The official rules, however, state play is
to 11 points (alternating server every 2 points). In order to win, one must be
ahead by two points. If the players or teams are tied at 10-10 or 20-20, for
example, the normal order of service proceeds, but the serve alternates sides
after every points instead of after every two points.

Facilities and Equipment

Table -official table tennis tables are 2.74 m in length, 1.525 m wide and 0.7 m
high. Tables are made from a manufactured timber and covered in a smooth
coating to reduce friction, allowing the ball to have maximum bounce. A white line
borders the table and divides it lengthwise, marking the right hand and left hand
half of each side.

Racket also called bats or paddles, "racket" is the official ITTF term for the
instrument used to hit the ball. Table tennis rackets are made of plywood and
covered in pimpled or inverted rubber with a thin layer of sponge in between. The
combination of sponge, pimpled rubber and plywood allows the ball to travel at
maximum speed and is conducive to adding spin to the ball, although many
players today prefer inverted rubber because it is resistant to spins, allowing for
effective defensive shots. Most rackets have a long handle but the Japanese

racket has a raised handle and the Chinese racket a much shortened handle,
allowing for varying ways of gripping the racket.

Ping Pong ball international regulations require a table tennis ball to be 40 mm

in diameter and made from hollow celluloid. The required diameter was changed
from 38 mm in 2003 in an attempt to slow the ball down, causing controversy
amongst some Chinese players who are famed for their ability to spin the ball so
fast, a return is impossible. The colour of the ball used depends upon the colour
of the table but is usually the colour that stands out most effectively against the
table. The quality of ball is denoted by a number of stars: one, two or three.
Three star balls are the most expensive but are very good quality and will last a
lot longer than balls with one star.

Net the net stretches across the middle of the table and should be 15.25 cm
high.

Clothing there is no specific uniform required for table tennis, although in

official competitions teams will wear clothes representative of their countries
colours. Loose, non-reflective clothing is recommended and footwear should
allow good ankle control and quick movements, as opposed to trainers that are
specifically designed for running.

PE MISSION
In keeping with the University's mission, the Department of Health Physical
Education (HPEL) and Leadership is dedicated to and focused on the development of
the whole student: physical, mental, and intellectual. Programs within the department
are interdisciplinary by nature and combine the fields of education and social sciences.
The department is dedicated to providing a high quality education and career
preparation with the idea of excellent teaching being the central to our mission. Our
students teach in a variety of settings, including schools, sports arenas, fitness centers,
community/public health organizations, physical therapy clinics, and outdoor recreation
endeavours.

PE VISION
Department of Health Physical Education (HPEL) provides academic programs in
health, physical education, outdoor recreation and pre-physical therapy. Our vision for
the future includes adding a minor in heath/wellness promotion, continuing to grow our
outdoor adventure and leadership program with wilderness therapy and swiftwater
rescue and certificate programs in coaching, adult fitness, and physical education. We
aim to provide exemplary programs in these areas.

Skills/ Strokes
The
be made slightly to the side of the body after the top of the bounce. Make sure the paddle is
somewhat closed(or facing downwards at an angle), and remains that way throughout the
stroke. Follow-through should finish when racket is parallel with the left shoulder. Drive
Drives, a light topspin stroke that produces a low ball trajectory, are the primary offensive
strokes in table tennis. One employs drives to force errors and to set up winners. The
mastery of both the forehand and backhand drives is important because it will give your
opponent less options when using attacking strokes of his/her own. In executing this and all
other offensive strokes, the usage of the entire body in unison is important for consistency
and power. Keep in the ready position until you are ready to execute the shot and remain
relaxed but responsive(this is very important).
FOREHAND DRIVE: Keep the upper arm close, but not flush, to the torso. The forearm(form
a rough 90 degree bend with the upper arm) should be drawn back to the 3 o'clock position,
and let the waist turn naturally along with the arm(this is where relaxing is important). Shift
your weight toward the right foot at the same time. While shifting your weight back to your
left foot, swing forward with a slight upward motion, with the waist providing additional
force in the swing. Use the elbow as a pivot point; it should not move so much up and
down, but also should be allowed to move slightly forward in the follow-through. Contact
with the ball should Immediately return to the ready position. The left foot should be slightly
in front of the right for support.
BACKHAND DRIVE: From the ready position, the waist turns left with the racket pointing
towards the 9 o'clock position. When following through, contact with the ball is made in
front of the body, slightly after the top of the bounce. Let the elbow again act as the pivot
point, and snap the forearm forward in a slightly upward direction. Make sure the paddle is

closed. Follow-through should finish naturally(about 12~1 o'clock) after contact with ball.
The left foot should be slightly ahead of the right.
Note : Be sure to contact the top half of the ball when hitting topspin drives.

The Push
Pushes are the basic backspin shots, used to change the pace of an exchange or to return
certain very low and close shots such as backspin serves. A generally defensive shot, it
allows placement anywhere on the table that is difficult to attack when executed properly.
All pushes should be done with the right foot stepping in. The ball is contacted right after
the bounce with an open racket. How open the racket is depends on the intensity of
backspin on the ball. Heavier backspin requires a more open racket to return over the net.
Try to keep the ball low, varying the amount of backspin and racket angle.
FOREHAND PUSH: Bring the racket slightly up and back, while keeping the elbow at your
waist. Bend the wrist back. Swing forward with a downward motion, and when the racket
reaches the ball snap the wrist forward for extra racket speed. With an open racket, graze
the bottom half of the ball. An ideal contact point is right after the ball bounces. Never push
a ball at the top of the bounce, because the resulting return will pop the ball high enough
for the opponent to execute a smash. Try to hit the ball in front and slightly to the right of
your body. Follow through forward and slightly down, and return to the ready position.
BACKHAND PUSH: Bring the racket slightly up and back, close into your stomach while
cocking the wrist back. This time try to contact the ball directly in front of your body, and
remember to keep the elbow still while the forearm and wrist move forward and down.
Graze the bottom of the ball and follow through.
Note : Keep the push stroke gentle, as being too hasty often makes the ball go long, or too
high. Keep in mind that unlike the drive, the push is more of a finesse and 'touch' shot. As
you advance the stokes can start becoming more aggressive, with a variety of spins.

The Block
Blocking allows a player to use the opponent's force against him/her, and is done
immediately after the bounce so that maximum control and speed are retained. Adjusting
the racket angle depends on the severity of topspin on the ball; the more topspin there is,
the more you should close the racket. Being essentially a cut-down drive, there is very little
backswing and follow-through. Think of blocking as a backup shot that can be used when
there isn't enough time for a full drive or loop. Depending on how much control you have
over the block, it can be used offensively as well. Use your wrist to vary the direction of
these block-returns, and make sure footwork takes you to the most choice areas to hit in.

The Smash
The smash, or kill, is the put-away stroke of table tennis. Any ball that is high enough and
close enough to the opponent's side can be smashed, although some opportunities are
better than others. Smashing combines waist, forearm, and wrist movement to the fullest
extent. A good smash is very hard to return, but it can be done. Do not dawdle after you
have executed a smash. The ball is contacted at the top of the bounce at its highest point.
FOREHAND SMASH: Similar to the drive, the key differences include:

A longer backswing

Greater weight transfer during swing

Faster, more intense snapping of the forearm when contacting ball

Depending on ball height and position, the racket is closed more than usual to keep
the ball in the court

Longer follow-through, but don't forget to anticipate a possible return!

BACKHAND SMASH: Again, use the guidelines above and apply them to the backhand drive.
Be sure to snap the wrist more as you contact the ball and finish in a long follow-through.
Note on smashes: Don't just indiscriminately smash the ball when you find the opening;
instead, try to direct the ball to a location where it is least likely to be hit back, accidentally
or intentionally.