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Whether you are a novice table tennis player or a pro at your game, sooner or later you will have to know how to choose your rubbers so that you can take full advantage of the latest technology in table tennis rubber. Here is a guide to help you choose the right rubbers for your table tennis training. Game Style First and foremost, you should identify your gaming style; different styles require different kinds of rubber for their blade. How do you play your backhands and forehands? Usually players play both these strokes in different manner, therefore you will require different kind of table tennis rubber on both the sides. For a beginner a thinner sponge (1.5mm to 1.8mm)is advisable which has a control inverted surface or an all round short pips out style . This allows for all round strokes so that beginners can identify which style suits them. The reason that learners should use thinner sponge is because it helps to regulate the speed and allows for better control. Thickness of Sponge The thickness of the sponge determines how fast the rubber will be and the amount of control it has. Thick rubbers are faster with lower control while thinner sponges have better control. Most attackers make use of 1.9mm sponge while defenders usually make use of thinner sponges. Furthermore, professionals prefer using thicker sponges since each time they play, it further re-glue’s the rubber. Thick sponges retain more glue which increases the speed-glue effect. Hardness of Sponge Just as the thickness of the sponge affects the play, so does its hardness. With a hard sponge, the ball tends to sink into the sponge which helps to reduce the dwell time considerably. Thus, less spin is produced with harder sponge while softer sponge produces more spins. In general, drivers and smashers prefer harder sponges while loopers like to use softer sponges. Topsheets The layer that sits atop the sponge or directly upon the blade is known as the topsheet. Newcomers are usually advised to use pimples-in rubber as it helps them to explore all the strokes easily. Once they have mastered a style, they can switch to their choice of topsheets. Players can choose normal, anti-slip or pimples-out style of rubber; depending on their style. One major component of topsheet rubber is its tackiness i.e. the measure of grip it exerts on the ball upon striking it. While some rubbers tend to grip the ball a lot, others let the ball slid easily across the surface. There are also a few anti-spin rubbers developed to offer no resistance at all. While tacky rubbers offer spin, it is also vulnerable to being affected by the oppositions spin. Just like tackiness, the thickness of the rubber also varies. This may not be an issue for those who buy rubbers made up of sponge and topsheet; however it is important for players who buy the topsheet and sponge separately because they have to be mindful that the total thickness does not cross 4mm. Thus, we can see that a lot of points are to be considered before buying table tennis rubber so that you are able to master your stokes and further hone your skills. Mili Bose is an expert writer. She writes on all topics related to Table Tennis Accessories. For more information about Table Tennis Rubber, take a quick look at www.americantabletennis.com
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