Table tennis equipment and grips
The table is 2.74 m long, 1.525 m wide and 76 cm high. The net is 15.25 cm high.
The ball is small and light: 40 mm wide and 2.7 g. It is white or orange.
Your bat (also called a racket or paddle) is a wooden blade covered in rubber. Different rubbers give you more speed, more spin or more control.
There are two common ways to hold it. In the shakehand grip, you hold the bat like you're shaking hands with it. In the penhold grip, you hold it like a pen. Shakehand is the most popular around the world. Penhold is popular in parts of East Asia.
Get ready by standing a little back from the table. Bend your knees, keep your weight on the front of your feet, and hold the bat in front of you. This lets you move quickly in any direction.
Sources: ITTF — Laws of Table Tennis
Quick quiz
1. How big is the ball?
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40 mm. The ball is 40 mm across and weighs 2.7 g.
2. Which grip is held like a pen?
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Penhold. In the penhold grip you hold the bat like a pen. Shakehand holds it like a handshake.
3. How high is the net?
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15.25 cm. The net is 15.25 cm high. The table surface is 76 cm from the floor.
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