Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Table Tennis - Something About Table
Table Tennis resembles the game of tennis. The game, also known as Ping Pong, is a fast paced racket and ball game usually played indoors. The game, which can be played by two or four persons, has gained popularity as a recreational as well as competitive sport.
The game, as the name imply, is played on a table having a length of nine feet (2.74 meters) and breadth of five feet (1.52 meters). A six inch high net placed breadth wise divides the table into two equal opposing halves. A white colored stripe runs length wise down the center. But this line is used only for doubles game. The surface of the table is usually made of a two inch thick particle board or ply board. The height of the table can be adjusted as per requirements.
You must have seen the ball bouncing along with each shot delivered by the player. This is due to the high resilience of the board. In olden days, a simple table with a net at the middle was standard. But with the demands of the changing times, table tennis tables have also undergone many changes. Tables with differing designs have flooded the market. Search the market and you are sure to come across one which meets all your requirements.
Manufacturers have come up with tables with different features. Some tables come in two equal parts with a lateral coupling hole on one side and a lateral bar on the other. The bar is inserted in the coupling hole which effectively locks two pieces together. Packing and shipping is made easier by employing this method. Most high end models available are collapsible and portable.
Much care needs to be given to the base on which the table stands. A rickety and unstable table is a sure no-no. Manufacturers give much importance to strengthening the base or legs of the table. Addition of reinforcing bars and beams cuts out all possibilities of instability. Wood or aluminum is usually used to manufacture the bases. Arch shaped bases lend a level of novelty and also increase stability. However, the most preferred are the wheeled tables which can be moved away as per convenience. Locking devices prevent the table from moving while a game is on.
Tables with height adjustment features help children and disabled to play the game. Wheel chair ridden players can take heart as some models have been provided with specially designed leg assembly where legs are attached about forty centimeters underneath the table making entry and exit of wheelchairs easy, as per the requirement of the game. In standard tables, such maneuver is difficult. Colors of table tops also vary. However, blue is the most accepted one. High density chipboard lends high playability to the surface of the table. Reinforcement strips along the sides of the table surface increases its durability.
Along with functionality, killer looks and portability are the most sought after features in a table tennis table. Aesthetically designed tables add to the attractiveness of the game. If you are a table tennis enthusiast and is planning to buy a table, checking up the Internet sites of various manufacturers would provide you an insight into the features and prices of models available. This will make choosing easy.
If you want to know more about Table Tennis then feel free to visit http://www.alltabletennis.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jitesh_Arora
The game, as the name imply, is played on a table having a length of nine feet (2.74 meters) and breadth of five feet (1.52 meters). A six inch high net placed breadth wise divides the table into two equal opposing halves. A white colored stripe runs length wise down the center. But this line is used only for doubles game. The surface of the table is usually made of a two inch thick particle board or ply board. The height of the table can be adjusted as per requirements.
You must have seen the ball bouncing along with each shot delivered by the player. This is due to the high resilience of the board. In olden days, a simple table with a net at the middle was standard. But with the demands of the changing times, table tennis tables have also undergone many changes. Tables with differing designs have flooded the market. Search the market and you are sure to come across one which meets all your requirements.
Manufacturers have come up with tables with different features. Some tables come in two equal parts with a lateral coupling hole on one side and a lateral bar on the other. The bar is inserted in the coupling hole which effectively locks two pieces together. Packing and shipping is made easier by employing this method. Most high end models available are collapsible and portable.
Much care needs to be given to the base on which the table stands. A rickety and unstable table is a sure no-no. Manufacturers give much importance to strengthening the base or legs of the table. Addition of reinforcing bars and beams cuts out all possibilities of instability. Wood or aluminum is usually used to manufacture the bases. Arch shaped bases lend a level of novelty and also increase stability. However, the most preferred are the wheeled tables which can be moved away as per convenience. Locking devices prevent the table from moving while a game is on.
Tables with height adjustment features help children and disabled to play the game. Wheel chair ridden players can take heart as some models have been provided with specially designed leg assembly where legs are attached about forty centimeters underneath the table making entry and exit of wheelchairs easy, as per the requirement of the game. In standard tables, such maneuver is difficult. Colors of table tops also vary. However, blue is the most accepted one. High density chipboard lends high playability to the surface of the table. Reinforcement strips along the sides of the table surface increases its durability.
Along with functionality, killer looks and portability are the most sought after features in a table tennis table. Aesthetically designed tables add to the attractiveness of the game. If you are a table tennis enthusiast and is planning to buy a table, checking up the Internet sites of various manufacturers would provide you an insight into the features and prices of models available. This will make choosing easy.
If you want to know more about Table Tennis then feel free to visit http://www.alltabletennis.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jitesh_Arora
Monday, February 2, 2009
Table Tennis Tips - More Mind Games
Like any other sport, table tennis is usually won and lost on one square foot of real estate, your brain. Sometimes all the ability in the world can't make up for a poor mental attitude or simply not concentrating hard enough. Hopefully, these tips will help improve the game that's going on between your ears.
Be prepared for anything. It may sound clichéd, but it's true. You never know what's going to happen in a table tennis match. For example, you're starting the next point, you put a nice topspin on your serve. Maybe you hit a loop back with lots of spin on the ball. The return back to you from your opponent is a little too high because of the incredible amount of topspin you put on the ball. You take a wicked smash at the ball believing the point is in the bag. Then, wham! The ball comes back at you and you're not ready for it. Just like that, a point that you should have won is now lost. Why? You weren't ready for anything.
One thing you can never do in the game of table tennis or in any game for that matter is to assume. Miracle shots happen. Opponents hit shots back at you that you never expect them to get to. So no matter how easy the win looks, always be prepared for your opponent to hit your best shot back at you.
Another thing you must adopt is a "next point" attitude. Many players spend too much time worrying about what has happened 3 points before. If you develop this attitude of always looking at the next point you will become a better player much faster. You can't dwell on the bad luck or missed shots that you've had. As the saying goes, "stuff happens". Get over it. Focus on the next shot. You can't change whatever mistake you made anyway so why dwell on it? Sure, if you know what you did wrong, remember it and correct it the next time the situation comes up. Say you had an easy kill shot but you ended up rushing it and missed the table. Remember that for the next time and remind yourself to slow down when confronted with an easy shot that should be a point winner.
One great way to keep unimportant things out of your brain is to concentrate on the fundamentals. If you're an advanced player this may sound silly but it works. Concentrate on what you're going to do from the start to the end of each point, from your serve to each return. Remember your arsenal of shots that you've trained yourself to do. Tell yourself as you're playing what shot you are going to do and then execute it. Yes, table tennis is a quick game and this requires split second decisions. But the more you do this, the better you will get at it until ultimately you will be so focused on your game that it will become instinctive.
Bottom line. Keep your mind on not only the game and not only on each point, but on each shot. Make sure the shot you take is the one you wanted to take.
This is what separates the good players from the great players.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Table Tennis
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
Be prepared for anything. It may sound clichéd, but it's true. You never know what's going to happen in a table tennis match. For example, you're starting the next point, you put a nice topspin on your serve. Maybe you hit a loop back with lots of spin on the ball. The return back to you from your opponent is a little too high because of the incredible amount of topspin you put on the ball. You take a wicked smash at the ball believing the point is in the bag. Then, wham! The ball comes back at you and you're not ready for it. Just like that, a point that you should have won is now lost. Why? You weren't ready for anything.
One thing you can never do in the game of table tennis or in any game for that matter is to assume. Miracle shots happen. Opponents hit shots back at you that you never expect them to get to. So no matter how easy the win looks, always be prepared for your opponent to hit your best shot back at you.
Another thing you must adopt is a "next point" attitude. Many players spend too much time worrying about what has happened 3 points before. If you develop this attitude of always looking at the next point you will become a better player much faster. You can't dwell on the bad luck or missed shots that you've had. As the saying goes, "stuff happens". Get over it. Focus on the next shot. You can't change whatever mistake you made anyway so why dwell on it? Sure, if you know what you did wrong, remember it and correct it the next time the situation comes up. Say you had an easy kill shot but you ended up rushing it and missed the table. Remember that for the next time and remind yourself to slow down when confronted with an easy shot that should be a point winner.
One great way to keep unimportant things out of your brain is to concentrate on the fundamentals. If you're an advanced player this may sound silly but it works. Concentrate on what you're going to do from the start to the end of each point, from your serve to each return. Remember your arsenal of shots that you've trained yourself to do. Tell yourself as you're playing what shot you are going to do and then execute it. Yes, table tennis is a quick game and this requires split second decisions. But the more you do this, the better you will get at it until ultimately you will be so focused on your game that it will become instinctive.
Bottom line. Keep your mind on not only the game and not only on each point, but on each shot. Make sure the shot you take is the one you wanted to take.
This is what separates the good players from the great players.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Table Tennis
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
Sunday, February 1, 2009
A Review Of Sportcraft Treadmills
Sportcraft treadmills are definitely low-end models. Even if you want an entry-level model this company's product might not be the way to go. You should first do a very careful review of Sportcraft treadmills; they have had a troubled history.
A certain Mr. Walter Holdstein founded Sportcraft Ltd in 1926. The company started out producing mainly indoor and outdoor games such as table tennis and tetherball. It still produces these games today. Over the last 30 years the demand for home exercise equipment has expanded rapidly but it wasn't until 2001 that Sportcraft got into the act and shipped its first motorized treadmills.
When supplying treadmills, the company line of Sportcraft has been to supply models that are cheap, cheap, cheap and to mass sell them through retailers like K-mart and Wal-mart.
To this end, all Sportcraft treadmills are made overseas in places like China and Taiwan. Despite all of its units being rather appealing when you first cast your eye over them, the materials used in construction are cheap and the build quality has always been in question.
Trying to mass produce low-end models very cheaply isn't easy. This is something that Sportcraft has found out to its cost with its range of cheap treadmills.
In 2005, there was a recall for the Sportcraft Tredex 6.0, the Tx440 and the Tx550. The units would accelerate without warning causing users to fall and sustain injuries. The company received at least 110 reports of unexpected acceleration. As if the recalls of 2005 weren't bad enough, there was a further recall in 2006.
Selling cheap treadmills that malfunction and cause injury doesn't bode well for the company's future in niche of the fitness industry.
Is there anything good to say about Sportcraft Treadmills?
It isn't all bad. They are very cheap but do offer potential customers many features. You get incline, a strong motor power for its class and a high maximum speed. The Sportcraft TX 7.0 treadmill comes with a 2.75 HP motor, 19" x 55" deck, 10% incline. The design of the company's units look sleek and users also get things like a step counter and 6 preset workout programs with the Sportcraft 7 treadmill.
But don't be beguiled by these features. The recalls of 2005 and 2006 should always be in the back of one's mind.
Is everything okay now?
Unfortunately Sportcraft treadmills are known to have the worst electronics design in the industry. This is what Treadmill Doctor had to say: 'As we stated two years ago, their electronics design was the worst we had ever seen on a treadmill...'
As if to underline the poor build quality of its product, the poor warranty consists of 10 years for the frame, 1 year for the motor, 1 year for all parts, and 90 days for labor service. Any manufacturer who wants to give consumers confidence in its equipment will offer a warranty of at least 3 years on parts and lifetime on frame.
So what rating would I give Sportcraft Treadmills? After reading the above review I think you already know that I don't rate them at all. I'll leave you with this comment from Treadmill Doctor: 'We expect them to continue mass-marketing game tables and the like but we believe they should stay away from making treadmills.'
Follow the links for the Sportcraft Treadmill plus treadmill reviews on major brands like the Landice Treadmill
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Cassidy
A certain Mr. Walter Holdstein founded Sportcraft Ltd in 1926. The company started out producing mainly indoor and outdoor games such as table tennis and tetherball. It still produces these games today. Over the last 30 years the demand for home exercise equipment has expanded rapidly but it wasn't until 2001 that Sportcraft got into the act and shipped its first motorized treadmills.
When supplying treadmills, the company line of Sportcraft has been to supply models that are cheap, cheap, cheap and to mass sell them through retailers like K-mart and Wal-mart.
To this end, all Sportcraft treadmills are made overseas in places like China and Taiwan. Despite all of its units being rather appealing when you first cast your eye over them, the materials used in construction are cheap and the build quality has always been in question.
Trying to mass produce low-end models very cheaply isn't easy. This is something that Sportcraft has found out to its cost with its range of cheap treadmills.
In 2005, there was a recall for the Sportcraft Tredex 6.0, the Tx440 and the Tx550. The units would accelerate without warning causing users to fall and sustain injuries. The company received at least 110 reports of unexpected acceleration. As if the recalls of 2005 weren't bad enough, there was a further recall in 2006.
Selling cheap treadmills that malfunction and cause injury doesn't bode well for the company's future in niche of the fitness industry.
Is there anything good to say about Sportcraft Treadmills?
It isn't all bad. They are very cheap but do offer potential customers many features. You get incline, a strong motor power for its class and a high maximum speed. The Sportcraft TX 7.0 treadmill comes with a 2.75 HP motor, 19" x 55" deck, 10% incline. The design of the company's units look sleek and users also get things like a step counter and 6 preset workout programs with the Sportcraft 7 treadmill.
But don't be beguiled by these features. The recalls of 2005 and 2006 should always be in the back of one's mind.
Is everything okay now?
Unfortunately Sportcraft treadmills are known to have the worst electronics design in the industry. This is what Treadmill Doctor had to say: 'As we stated two years ago, their electronics design was the worst we had ever seen on a treadmill...'
As if to underline the poor build quality of its product, the poor warranty consists of 10 years for the frame, 1 year for the motor, 1 year for all parts, and 90 days for labor service. Any manufacturer who wants to give consumers confidence in its equipment will offer a warranty of at least 3 years on parts and lifetime on frame.
So what rating would I give Sportcraft Treadmills? After reading the above review I think you already know that I don't rate them at all. I'll leave you with this comment from Treadmill Doctor: 'We expect them to continue mass-marketing game tables and the like but we believe they should stay away from making treadmills.'
Follow the links for the Sportcraft Treadmill plus treadmill reviews on major brands like the Landice Treadmill
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Cassidy
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