Chinese Characters Part II

While browsing Denis' table tennis forum (as I am wont to do now and then), I noticed that Denis had posted a link to some articles from the Chinese magazine "Ping-Pong World" which had been translated by a freelance interpreter who loves table tennis.

Not being able to read or write in Chinese, I jumped at the chance to take a look at what the Chinese might have to say about the sport. The articles are quite well translated, avoiding the feel of pidgin English that you often get when reading articles taken from another language. There are also some interesting points made which I will have to think about a bit, such as the idea that you should hit the ball in mid-air when using cross-over footwork, and that when blocking you should return to the backhand side, since it is faster to go from a backhand to a forehand than the other way around. The idea of waiting a fraction longer to hit the ball, sacrificing the ability to hit the ball hard, in order to be better able to read your opponent's intentions, is also demonstrated as something top level players use.

Many of the articles are illustrated with high speed photography, making it easier to see what the authors are talking about. All in all, a good read and opportunity to glimpse a little of the Chinese attitude to table tennis.