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Assemble The Best Table Tennis Bat / Racket to Go from Beginner to Champion!

15 November 2015  | Posted in: Table Tennis Equipment

Most table tennis players enter the sport through social streams, playing with friends or at school or down at their local club. They usually grab a hold of whatever bat they can to begin and then often try and buy something. Most of the time it is a premade bat from a sports store or a table tennis company.

A common question in forums and from beginners is what should I get as my first assembled bat / racket? This is when they take the step to assembling their own bat to start taking table tennis more seriously. Often they aren't really sure what they need or what would be best for them. Here are some practical tips and equipment suggestions for assembling your first bat!

assembling a table tennis bat

Choose Spin over Speed

Ideally a developing player should focus more on spin than on building power. A good example of a more spin oriented rubber is Yasaka Mark V. This rubber is very popular among beginning players and has a good focus on spin, allowing development of strokes. While the player can generate higher power, it will rely on well-trained mechanics and weight transfer more than on rubber ability.

Another rubber which offers superb spin is the Donic Baracuda which has high spin capabilities with a good standard of control. This rubber is good for backhand, especially for blocking and controlled spin loops.

An ideal sponge thickness for beginning players is 1.5 to 1.8mm sometimes 2mm. Try not to choose sponge which is too thick (I.e max) as it is more reactive and high arcing and can be more difficult to control without developed touch skills.

Keep a Higher Level of Control

One of the ultimate rubbers which achieves a great balance of control with speed and spin is Donic Vario. Vario has a very good balance of control which allows the player to focus on consistency and being able to work on stroke execution whilst controlling the ball. It is well-rounded, durable and has a very reasonable price. A rubber with a similar high level of control is the Xiom Vega Elite which is the higher controlled variant of the Vega series.

In terms of the blade, it is best to recommend something in the Allround to Off- range depending on the player. Keep your selections to all wood blades to develop a feel for spin and for blocking touch. High quality allround blades like the Donic Appelgren Allplay and Donic Waldner Allplay Jo Shape blades are very popular for a first bat. These are fantastically balanced all wood blades with speed capability but also superb control. Again they are also relatively well-priced for such quality. Stiga have also created some great starting blades like the Stiga Allround Classic which is a well-crafted all round blade with great control.

Why Not Go for All Out Speed?

There is a lot of finesse to learn in table tennis, a lot of touch and feel is involved and it is easier to develop those skills with a well-balanced and well-rounded setup. Going for a stiff carbon and fast rubbers can often lack feel for an undeveloped player and while a player may get used to it eventually it can harm his early development.

Rubbers like Donic Acuda S1, Xiom Omega V Pro and others have a much higher speed capability and are less suited for beginners and developing players.

Yasaka Mark V

So remember when purchasing your first rubbers and blade to assemble or when giving advice:

  • A developing player should focus on spin and learning to feel the ball over all out power.
  • There should be more control to keep the player consistent during the time of learning new strokes.
  • A paddle which is too fast could harm the player's development.

Get ahead of the game today and make the best decisions for your first equipment so you can develop into a champion!

Got any questions about beginners equipment? Just leave a comment! :)