Beginner's Reference

What is this page for?

Hi! We're here to provide help for those who feel lost in selecting equipment, places to play, and understanding the sport in general.

Guides for most topics have already been discussed by other sources, we do not wish to reinvent the wheel. Use this page as a reference/guide and experiment with our suggestions.

Quick terms: 

Pre-assembled Paddles: Plug and play, no need to glue rubbers to blade

Blade: The racket shaped solid component, typically made of wood

Rubber: Glued onto the blade, can come in many different colors, sold usually as one side/sheet with sponge.

Top-sheet: The rubber part of contact.

Sponge: The underside of rubber, typically comes at 2.0mm thickness.

Equipment Maintenance

Keep it simple. Store paddle out of heat and moisture.
Things to avoid: 

• Storing in a car

• Leaving it outdoors

Things to Do:

• Clean Rubber before and after each session (water + mild soap works just fine!)

• Keep the racket away from dust

Equipment Recommendations

The equipment provides the basic tournament-legal necessities needed to play the game. As you will progress in skill, you will notice what you need. You can expect to use the equipment up to 2000 rating play.

Pre-assembled Paddle $30 (Joola Rosskopf Table Tennis Bat)

Skip the fuss with gluing and get a pre-assembled paddle. Perfect for basic and intermediate play.
(Comes with a case to protect and prolong the paddle)
https://a.co/d/0a0VSYgH

Gambler also has a good lineup of assembled bats with good quality for the price: https://gamblertt.com/product-category/assembled_bats/

Beware of the cheapest bats on AliExpress, particullary any vendor that claims 6 stars or more 😆

Table Tennis Balls

Joola Training Balls are the best quality for the dollar, and rarely break: https://www.amazon.com/JOOLA-Training-Table-Tennis-Balls/dp/B089BVTB6J the white is often out of stock, and they often go on sale on Prime day sales

For high quality tournament balls at a good price, search for WTT table tennis balls on AliExpress.com,  be sure to sort by price and select free shipping.  If you find a sale, and can use a coupon, they can be for for as low as $6 for a 6 pack

Rubbers

Inverted spinny rubber is ideal for the modern game, but also has the hardest learning curve

Yinhe Mercury II, good at every stroke, but not great at any.  Great control and margin of error. You really can't go wrong with this pick due to the price and reliability. 

Recommended for Basic to Intermediate Play

Try to buy it off AliExpress and from a reputable seller! typically around $5 a sheet on sale

The below link may be broken.
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805176249587.html

Players with a pickleball or tennis background will have an easier transition using short pips with sponge

Search for 729 Freindship 802 on AliExpress, usually can be found for $10-15 dollars

Locations for Practice/Play (Hours/Contact/Location)

The North Orlando Club has lots of tables, and many recreational and pre-intermediate players, but only open Tuesday nights.

The West Oaks Mall Club also has developing players, but finding when they play is a bit hit or miss.  Visit the club and join their WhatsApp group, and arrange for partners or play time.  West Oaks also has excellent coaches, and a table tennis ball robot to practice strokes.

Table Tennis Ratings

USATT ratings for beginners is not reliable, because most beginners do not play tournaments, and those that do are improving rapidly so their rating is often lagging their ability.

In general:

USATT 

0-500 Beginner

500-1000 recreational into pre-intermediate

1000-1500 intermediate

1500-2000 Advanced

2000-2400 Elite

2400+ Professional