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Choosing a blade and rubber

Table tennis / Popular

Match blade speed and rubber type to your style and level.

What coaches agree on

  • Match your blade and rubber speed to where your game is right now - start with a softer, all-round, control-friendly setup, and move up to faster, stiffer gear once your full strokes are consistent.
  • Balance the two halves of your racket against each other: pair a fast, stiff blade with a softer, more controllable rubber, or a slower, flexible blade with a harder rubber for extra pop.
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  • Many players use a different rubber on each side of the blade - a harder, spin-heavy rubber for attacking on one wing, a softer or pips rubber for control on the other - so their opponent faces two different balls.

Common mistakes

  • Buying a fast, expensive, or pro-endorsed blade before your technique is ready, often to match a stronger player, makes the ball fly off too quickly - you end up poking and pushing instead of playing full strokes, on a setup that still doesn't suit your level.