Ping Pong: Steps to Success

LITTLE BURGUNDY + ION PRESENT

PING PONG: STEPS TO SUCCESS “SKILLS, DRILLS AND THRILLS”

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LEARN THE BASICS

Introduction

ION Magazine and Little Burgundy are happy to present PING PONG: STEPS TO SUCCESS. Ping pong is making a comeback so we thought it’d be a good idea to give you a little primer on how to play and how to dress so you’ll be able to look the part.

The game originated in the Victorian era where it was a popular after dinner activity. They literally cleared off their dinner tables and, instead of a net, used books to build a barrier down the middle.

Books were also used instead of paddles and players hit a golf ball back and forth. Today, ping pong is one of the most popular indoor sports in the world and is even an Olympic event (though they like to refer to it as table tennis, boo!).

All that’s required is a table, a net, a ball and some rackets (or bats). To play, simply drop the ball and hit it over the net—you’ve just successfully served. Let the rally begin! Points are scored if your opponent fails to make a good return, moves the table, fails to serve legally, hits the ball without letting it bounce first or touches the table with their free hand (though you need to chill out a little if you enforce that rule in a friendly game).

Service changes every five points and you play until someone reaches 11 or 21 points. If it’s a really close game, say 10-10 or 20-20, you keep playing until someone wins by two points (e.g.

12-10 or 22-20).

Grips [A] Penholder Grip

[B] Seemiller Grip [C] Shakehands Grip

[A] Penholder Grip - A grip that’s great for forehand shots. Popular in Asia. [B] Seemiller Grip - A grip named after Ping Pong Pro Dan Seemiller. Popular in the States. [C] Shakehands Grip - The most common grip.

Shots

A B

C

[A] Drop Shot [B] Kill Shot [C] Loop [A] Drop shot - A cheeky shot. Placing the ball near the net when the opponent is far away. [B] Kill Shot - A ball hit so fast it can’t be returned.

[C] Loop - The most important type of shot in the game! A top spin heavy shot that dips quickly towards the table.

A B

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ION MAGAZINE + LITTLE BURGUNDY PRESENT PING PONG: STEPS TO SUCCESS

C

Returns A B

C

D

[A] Block [B] Chop [C] Push [D] Flip [A] Block - Quick return off a fast shot. Achieved by placing the racket in the ball’s path. [B] Chop - Defensive return of a backspin shot.

[C] Push - Return of a backspin shot with backspin. [D] Flip - An aggressive return shot of a ball that lands short.

Spins

[A] Topspin

[B] Sidespin

[C] Backspin

Talking Pong Crosscourt Hitting the ball from one corner diagonally to another.

Cupping Holding the ball in the palm of your hand during the service toss. Illegal!

Dead A ball with no spin.

Deep A ball that lands near the end of the table.

Down the Line Hitting the ball from one corner parallel to another.

Let A serve that hits the net and lands inbounds. Serve is redone and no points are scored.

Loaded A ball with hella spin.

Rip A topspin heavy kill shot.

Smother Kill An aggressive smash done shortly after the ball bounces.

Skunk A shutout.

Short A ball that lands near the net.

Third Ball Attack The server’s first stroke after serving. Called this because it’s the third stroke of the rally.

Volley Hitting the ball without letting it bounce. Illegal!

[A] Backspin - Defensive shot. Hitting the ball so the bottom of the ball moves away from you. [B] Sidespin - Used during service. Hitting the ball so it spins like a planet. [C] Topspin - Aggressive shot. Hitting the ball so the top of the ball moves away from you.

ION MAGAZINE + LITTLE BURGUNDY PRESENT PING PONG: STEPS TO SUCCESS

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HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME As we mentioned at the beginning of our lesson, ping pong was originally an after dinner game played by friends. In the 100+ years since people first started playing a lot has changed, but it’s still meant to be played with friends. So unfold that dusty old table in your basement, suit up and start playing and having fun. The very true cliché goes, “It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how you play the game.” However, if how you play the game is ‘really well’ and you win all the time, you’ll have a lot more fun. They keep score for a reason!

“To the true player, the game is life itself” —Marty Reisman ION

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ION MAGAZINE + LITTLE BURGUNDY PRESENT PING PONG: STEPS TO SUCCESS

THINK LIKE A PRO, BE A PRO

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Discipline, practice and focus are the keys to success on the court. Below are some of the notable figures in ping pong who exemplify these qualities. So while you may not be able play like a pro, you’ll at least be able to namedrop like one.

Glenn L. Cowan and Zhuang Zedong Remember in Forrest Gump when Gump went to China to play ping pong? Well people actually did that in the Seventies. At a tournament in Japan, Glenn missed his team’s bus and was invited for a ride on the Chinese team’s bus. During the ride, Zhuang befriended Glenn and presented him with a silk-screen portrait of the Huangshan Mountains. This friendly gesture incited a media frenzy and led to Chariman Mao inviting the US team to China. ‘Ping Pong Diplomacy’ has since been credited with normalizing relations between China and the United States.

Biba Golic This Serbian-born player is not only highly skilled, she’s also one of the foremost spokespeople in the game. Oh yeah, and she’s also one of the hottest women in professional sports.

Marty Reisman He’s so awesome, he held ping pong demonstrations during halftime at Harlem Globetrotters games! He also was an avid gambler and frequently hustled people to pay the bills. One hustle involved playing people using a chess piece while the mark got to use a racket. Marty always won.

ION MAGAZINE + LITTLE BURGUNDY PRESENT PING PONG: STEPS TO SUCCESS

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THE WINNING LOOK

Sometimes just having the skills isn’t enough.

The late, great tennis player Arthur Ashe once said, “Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.” Not only does looking the part give you confidence, it can intimidate your opponent. We’ve put together some winning looks that will give you the edge you need to throw down. Listen to an expert from Little Burgundy, Anna Jurewicz, explain why these outfits will help you have the winning look on and off the court.

Outfit #1 “The high-top sneakers are great for ankle support and the rubber soles are good for balance. But what’s really cool is to have a backpack with speakers so you can carry your gym clothes but also listen to music while playing ping pong... how cool is that?!”

iPhone, lipstick, metropass and some cash inside so you are ready for anything with your girlfriends after your match.”

Deness Clutch by Marc B [$68] Ankle Boots by Lauer [$199]

Outfit #3 “Now these sneakers are perfect for that girl that plays ping pong with her body. What that means is she stays in place and needs a pair of sneakers that have good grips and more support in her shoes. Having a watch on while playing ping pong is a necessity because it is so easy to get caught up in the game that you could be late for your date.”

Tafel sunglasses by Marc By Marc Jacobs [$115] Flander Watch

by Michael Michael Kors [$270] Lackland Clutch by Little Burgundy [$60] Slip-ons by Vans[$70]

Messana sunglasses by Ray-Ban [$143] Croes watch by Adidas [$65] Mowers bag by Fydelity [$75] Stobbe high tops by Creative Recreation [$175]

Outfit #2 “Everyone plays ping pong in different ways.

These little cute booties are PERFECT for those girls that like to slide from side to side to get to that ball. Why? Because they don’t have too thick of a rubber sole so it makes it easy to SLIDE around. It’s also very cute to have a little purse around your wrist or across the shoulder to complete your look. You need to have your

[Right] Store Manager Anna Jurewicz [Above] Little Burgundy, Toronto

Shoes and accessories available at littleburgundyshoes.com

ION MAGAZINE + LITTLE BURGUNDY PRESENT PING PONG: STEPS TO SUCCESS

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ION MAGAZINE + LITTLE BURGUNDY PRESENT PING PONG: STEPS TO SUCCESS

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Custom Paddles Made by Vancouver artist Tyler Quarles. [http://www.tylerquarles.com]

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