Speed Gluing and Table Tennis

If you don't play table tennis, you've probably never heard of speed gluing. Even most casual players will give you a blank stare if you ask them. The basic idea of speed gluing is the procedure of using new glue to attach the rubber to the blade, or paddle. This new layer, or layers, of glue increases ball control and arguably ball speed, for the next few hours until the added elasticity wears off. It works because the glue vapors cause the rubber expand, giving it more tension, thus more speed and control. Think of speed gluing as turning your blade into a miniature trampoline.

Speed gluing gives a number of advantages to players. It increases ball spin by up to 1/3, depending on how the ball was hit. Because of this increased spin, the ball can be hit harder and still drop where it should. This means that the ball moves faster and lands quicker than when hit with a standard paddle. When you first start using a re-glued blade, it will have a lot more speed and only a little extra spin. After about 30 minutes, this will balance out and remain steady for a few hours. After that, speed will decrease but spin will still be elevated.

Following along the same lines, hitting the ball harder means it moves faster. A faster ball is harder to hit than a slower one, giving the speed gluing player another advantage. This is especially true if there is a larger difference in strength between players. A smaller or weaker player using this technique can bridge a strength gap that might otherwise be his or her downfall. Estimates figure ball speed increasing by around 15%. While this may not sound like a big difference to some, consider that top players can hit the ball at over 100 mph.

All this extra speed can mean one of two things. It can mean improved control or a degradation of control, depending on how you use it. As a general rule in table tennis, the harder you hit the ball, the less control you have over it. This means that while you may be smashing the ball at nearly 115 miles per hour, it may not be going where you want it to because your technique isn't as good. If you slow the ball down a little, and use better technique, your control will improve. Thus, you can hit the ball lighter and improve your control while still retaining ball speed.

There are some disadvantages to speed gluing, however. All the gluing and un-gluing will wear rubbers out quicker. Estimates show that rubbers can wear out four times faster when speed gluing. To avoid over-stretching rubbers, it is best to remove them after the day's play is over. This means you'll have to re-glue before every game. During tournaments, you may not be able to remove and re-glue your blade every time, leaving you with the choice of playing with a bat without the extra kick or having a speed glued back up paddle.

Another problem to consider is the potential for decreased control. Yes, I know I said earlier that speed gluing will give you increased control. It's true, but for spin strokes only. If you want to play the ball flat or float the ball, you'll still get the speed but not as much control. Another disadvantage to all that speed is that a lot of it will be reflected back at you. If you're hitting the ball harder and faster, your opponent is returning it faster as well. The very tool you were trying to use could be turned against you. The final and most insidious problem with speed gluing is over-reliance. Some players tend to rely too much on this practice and not work to improve their own technique. As these players rise through the ranks, they'll run across better players that are also speed gluing. With an even field, the advantage now lies with the better-skilled opponent.

If you decide that speed gluing is for you, there are some important things to keep in mind. You'll want to purchase a good wood sealer for your blade or you'll tear up the surface each time you re-glue. Even if you speed glue once a day, you'll only need to seal the blade every couple of years. It's an easy, inexpensive way to save your bat a lot of needless damage. After you've sealed your blade, you'll need to put a few layers of glue on the back of your rubber and allow each layer to dry. This is the same theory as using a primer before painting a surface: it allows the glue to stick better to the surfaces.

Put a thin, even layer of glue on the rubber and the blade and let them sit for a little while until they are tacky but no longer wet. Place the rubber on the blade and use a roller to ensure complete contact and to remove any bubbles that might occur. Place the newly surfaced blade between some wax paper or plastic sheets and clamp them for around an hour to ensure a solid attachment. Don't smash all the glue out during this phase, just clamp them firm enough to make sure the rubber stays affixed to the blade.

Once you've done all this, the bat is ready for play! Don't forget at the end of the day to remove the rubbers or you risk over-stressing them and negating all your efforts. When you speed glue enough times, you'll discover that the weight of all that additional glue will begin to weigh down your bat. You can use a number of methods to remove the layers of old glue, most of which are messy and take a long time; or you can simply discard the bat and get a new one. Consider that if you play frequently enough, the rubbers will probably wear out before glue build-up becomes an issue. Some players find that they need to re-glue every 4-5 hours while less active players might find one speed glue will last all day.

Is speed gluing for you? If you are a recreational player, it probably isn't worth the time or trouble. If you are a competitive player, speed gluing is almost a necessity. Almost all of the high-level players already use this technique and you should too, if you want to be competitive.