This Is An Inspiring Story and A Must Read!

Rochdale Observer - Neil bids to net sponsor in ping-pong challenge

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More games....

Turning The Tables On 'Table Tennis

Page WE41Rockstar trades in its guns and rocket launchers for Ping Pong paddles with its latest title, "Table Tennis." Yes, the folks responsible for the "Grand Theft Auto" series are showing players a lighter side with this highly addictive game for the Xbox 360. You're probably thinking, "Table tennis?" We did, but after playing it we can't seem to put it down. Bottom line: "Table Tennis" rocks.

Turning The Tables On 'Table Tennis'

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A Game Of The Mind

I agree very much with this thread.....How were your games today...?

A Thinking Person's Game

In fact, one of the reasons table tennis is so challenging and fun is that athleticism is just a part of the puzzle. Fitness helps but much more crucial is understanding what’s going on. The game is a game of spin and the person who understands how to spin the ball for a given situation and read and react to the spin that the opponent can put on the ball, is usually the person who wins. You can’t just whack the ball. You’ve got to figure out what’s happening and try to do the right thing.

Sports scientists who have studied table tennis recognize it as one of the most difficult sports to master because of the many demands on the player. To reach the highest level, an athlete must be able to move reflex quick, have the stamina to play matches all day, hit perfect strokes, be able to concentrate intensely and the most difficult part, he must be able to adjust in a nano second to the ever-changing spin, speed and direction of the ball.

It’s a combination of skills that humbles awesome athletes. They’re fast enough, strong enough, coordinated enough and aerobic enough to get to the ball and hit it hard. But only the rarest ones can develop the touch and focus needed to adjust to and lift a ball over the net that’s as heavy as a rock because your opponent set it spinning at 1,500 rpm with a vicious slice.

ping+pong+tips

Tip Of The Day!

Go get 'em pongers!


Train your strokes until they are "automatic." When you first learn a new skill, you use a lot of mental energy to formulate a clear mental picture of how the stroke looks and feels. Once this mental picture is relatively accurate, you should then practice that skill repeatedly until you no longer have to think about how to do it. This is your “automatic stage”. Your best performance will come when you operate on “automatic” and you do not analyze your skill. You just “let it happen.”

Suggestion: Discipline will get you what you want....

Pongster Mike



ping+pong+tips

Table Tennis Pre-Construction Real Estate

This is a great article on doing exactly what it says ....

The best thing you can do if you are serious about the game is create the perfect room in which to play....


SETTING UP A TABLE TENNIS ROOM
ASK THE NEWGY EXPERT
By Larry Thoman

Question:
I just moved into a new house and plan to put a table in the basement. The room is 17' wide and 22' long, so I already know from the recent posting on "space needed for a table" that it should be larger, but that was the best I could do. Anyway, I need to install lighting and the obvious choice for a novice like myself would be fluorescent lights. Any other recommendations? Track lighting?

Ping Pong Trivia

	How Ping Pong Balls are Related to the Silver Screen

Ping pong balls are made out of plastic. Right? Wrong. They are made of celluloid, a colorless flammable material composed of nitrocellulose and camphor, the same ingredients used to make photographic film. Hence, reels of movie film and ping pong balls are made of the same stuff! Celluloid is used because it provides a stronger bounce than plastic. Ping-pong balls are very stiff and springy, and they lose only a small fraction of their energy when they bounce on a hard surface. PS: In the Jan/Feb, 2005 issue of USATT Magazine there is a very interesting article about how ping pong balls are actually made.

Did You Know Their Are Ping Pong Robots?

Check this out....can you believe it?

Aerobic Conditioning "One of the least recognized advantages of using a robot is that you can use it to develop your aerobic conditioning. If you set the robot to oscillate (so you have to move your feet) and at a frequency rate that you can keep up with for at least 20 minutes, you can get true aerobic conditioning by keeping your heart rate elevated for an extended period of time. This is very difficult to do with a human partner, for instance, because you must stop at the end of each rally. Using a robot for your aerobic conditioning kills two birds with one stone: you improve your aerobic condition while at the same time you improve your table tennis specific skills."

See I wasn't kidding.....Pongomaster Mike

To The Beach!

Took a nice nap this afternoon following that thrashing earlier today.

Chck out this gamer for the beach!

Beach Ping Pong - Pocket Gamer

Beach Ping Pong
Pocket Gamer, UK - Jul 7, 2006
If you thought ping pong was a simple game that would only require left, right and fire from a videogame simulation you'd be wrong. ...

How Strong Are Those Legs?

9 games today and I must say the legs gave way to the big fella (that's my friend David and my associate Doc in the office) who was slamming the hell out of the ball today while I took up defensive positions throughout most of the games.

Got to have the legs recover just a wee bit, sit by my friendly computer and dialogue with all of my friendly pongomasters out there. Work the legs. I can tell you from many years of experience if your legs are stong so is your game!

Remember to send me your question and or comments as things warm up in the basements, garages, and outdoor pools where our favorite tables are perched.

More tips later today so say tuned! And great news for beachcombers worldwide...

Pongomaster signing off....

Two More Tips For The Day

Train your strokes until they are "automatic." When you first learn a new skill, you use a lot of mental energy to formulate a clear mental picture of how the stroke looks and feels. Once this mental picture is relatively accurate, you should then practice that skill repeatedly until you no longer have to think about how to do it. This is your “automatic stage”. Your best performance will come when you operate on “automatic” and you do not analyze your skill. You just “let it happen.”

Use only your own racket. It’s important to get your own racket and then to use it exclusively. Every racket has its own “feel” and playing characteristics, and you will benefit greatly by using only one racket so you’re not always trying to adapt to a different one. Also, take good care of your racket; treat it with respect. Keep it in a case when you’re not using it. If you’re using inverted sponge rubber (smooth surface), you should wash it with soap and water or a special racket cleaner after every use.

These Boys Need Be Our Inspiration!

U.S. OPEN TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ping-Pong balls fly by

National event has international flare

DIANA NI

dni@charlotteobserver.com

CHRISTOPHER A. RECORD - crecord@charlotteobserver.com

Alex Yao, 10, serves while playing doubles with his brother Wednesday at the Charlotte Convention Center.

More photos

• VIDEO: 2006 U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships

More than 500 international athletes are smashing Ping-Pong balls at each other at the Charlotte Convention Center, where the 2006 U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships are being held Wednesday to Saturday.

The tournament draws table tennis enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds who travel from as far as Yugoslavia and Venezuela to Korea and China to compete for prize money and ratings in 59 events.

The Next Two Tips As Promised!

6 Games Today so far! What about you?

The discipline of repetition is essential to the game of ping pong. One of the cardinal rules that is often overlooked is simply play every day.

Here are a couple of additional tips for your viewing pleasure. I plan to collect all the tips and tricks together and will let everyone know how to get hold of this information in one bundle but for now enjoy the grapes and apply what you can!


Use your whole body when you stroke your forehand. Make sure that you rotate your hips and shoulders backwards during the backswing and then forward into the ball as you stroke your forehand. This motion is coordinated with a transfer of your body weight from the back foot to the front foot. The harder you hit your forehand, the more forceful your weight transfer must be. A common forehand mistake is to use only your arm to hit the ball, which severely limits your power and consistency.

Maintain a good ready position. A good ready position is balanced and prepares your body to move instantly in any direction. Use it when preparing to return serves and between strokes. The basic sequence of a rally is as follows: (A) put yourself in a good ready position, (B) move to the ball with your feet, staying balanced, (C) stroke the ball, (D) return to ready position, and (E) repeat B, C, and D until the rally ends.

Wishing you the best in playing today's game,

Pongomaster Mike

Ping Ping Worldwide...The Fever is Everywhere

Ping-pong coach dedicates victory to adopted home - Saipan Tribune

Ping-pong coach dedicates victory to adopted home Saipan Tribune,?Micronesia?- 3 hours ago The vice chairman of the Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino said although the nine-man ping-pong team is mostly made up of nonresidents, all of them to a person ...

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Brain Chemistry and The Art of Pong

Have you ever taken the time to sense into your brain minutes before your match?

The Art of Pong is that meditative collection of oneself which preceeds the first serve. Again I emphasize the "inner" game beyond any technical prowess.

Enjoy the Video......On the Lighter Side!

The "Inner" Position and Two Tips To Better Table Tennis

How Many Games Did You Play Today?

Today was a good group of games! The number of games I play each day builds stamina and sharpens the reflexes. I encourage all of you to be consistent and disciplined in your approach to the game. Your game and its intensity will be a reflection of how you play in the game of life.

You may notice how important the emotional component becomes as you reflect on the "inner" position.

Feel free to comment on the following question? I will enjoy hearing from you.

What comments and or insights might you have on this "inner" position or aspect of the game?

And now fast forward to a few technical points.......

1. Know what spin is on the ball. The key to acquiring this important skill is to carefully watch the opponent’s racket when it makes contact with the ball. If the opponent’s racket is moving from low to high, the spin is topspin; from high to low, backspin; from his/her left to right, right sidespin; and from right to left, left sidespin

.2. Compensate for the spin with your racket angle. If topspin, angle your leading racket face down and contact the ball above its center; if backspin, angle the leading racket face up and contact the ball below its center; if right sidespin, angle the leading racket face to the right and contact the ball to the left of its mid-line; if left sidespin, angle the leading racket face to the left and contact the ball to the right of its mid-line. While holding the racket at the suggested angle, stroke gently forward. Only after you have developed a “feel” for the spin should you stroke the ball with more force.

play ping pong - ping pong tips - ping pong instruction - ping pong rules

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Mongolian Ping Pong? Are you kidding?

Mongolian Ping Pong - Chicago Tribune

Mongolian Ping Pong Chicago Tribune,?United States?- Jun 29, 2006 "Mongolian Ping Pong," a tender, visually stunning comedy-drama set on the steppes of Inner Mongolia, has a story that, in synopsis, sounds almost absurd. ...

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