Advice for the older player

Bazza · Jun 14, 2020

I address this thread to those with experience that will enable them to advise me.

I am 73 years old and lucky enough to be quite fit and active; enough to play the modern game with off blade and rubbers I am about to buy new Tenergy rubbers but the lockdown has got me thinking that I cannot assume that I will retain my current physical condition for ever. It seems to me that I have three options looking forward:-

1. Carry on playing as I do and simply fade away being thrashed by all and sundry.
2. Stop playing completely when I am unable to compete at an acceptable level for me.
3. Change my game to suit my projected declining physical condition as the years roll on.

I will certainly play as I am for as long as possible as I do love the topspin game. However, before I become frustrated with the quality of my current game I would rather find a way of competing well than the alternative options 1. or 2. above. Many of you I imagine come up against players that are very effective and hard to beat even though they do not move around much but instead stay up at the table without the need to cover great distance side to side or backwards and forwards. Instead they push, block, chop block, punch and hit etc. to great effect. I know Mima Ito does this very well but I think that her style might be asking a bit much!

I would ask what you feel would be the most effective setup for the older player. I guess the classic setup would be what I understand is called a combination bat, with pimples on the BH and reversed rubber on the FH. I was wondering which, if any, of the following setups you think would best serve my purpose in remaining competitive; quoting FH then BH rubbers as follows:-

Reversed rubber/Short Pimples
Reversed rubber/Long Pimples
Short Pimples/Long Pimples
Short Pimples/Defensive High Control Reverse Rubber (e.g.. Gambler Reflectoid)
Any other suggestions

Also what type of blade would best suit your suggested rubbers.

My slight concern with the idea of staying up to the table is the reaction speed required which, presumably will also deteriorate. However I guess the most likely reason for me to need to change my game in the future will be limitations in movement.

I apologise if the subject has a depressing element to it but increased age is something that we all hopefully will be faced with and we will be faced with options, one of which is hopefully not to give up.

Tinykin · Jun 14, 2020

Are you a VETTS member?

Bazza · Jun 14, 2020

Tinykin said:
Are you a VETTS member?

No just a regular league player.

Der_Echte · Jun 14, 2020

Bazza, one can play a 2x inverted rubber and faster blade equipment kind of offensive or all-round game well into their 90s. One shining example of that is George Brathwaite (one of the Ping Pong Diplomacy form the 70s) He must be getting close to or at 90. (He gotta be at least mid 80s) Look up his tourney stats if you can, high level forever. Well well above what most achieve.

I would advocate for you to play with the equipment you like. Goof off some, discover. Try new stuff if you are so inclined.

SofaChamp · Jun 14, 2020

My advice (although I am probably less experienced than you) would be:

If winning matter most, just keep playing with the equipment you are used. Learning to play with 'funny' rubbers takes a long time and decent players will be able to exploit your new equipment.

If fun matters, do what you want, Experimenting can be really good fun for sure and if losing to people you previously beat doesn't bother you too much whilst learning how new equipment behaves then take this as a new chapter in you TT life and enjoy it.

Which equipment you would then choose would for me primarily depend on whether you're OK with giving up your BH in favour of what the funny rubber can do.

Kolev · Jun 14, 2020

Thinking what is bothering me most while playing against senior opponents it would be the pushblocking style with a long pip on one side and inverted on the other. Most of those guys used to be attackers or real choppers and some of them adapted pretty well mostly staying close to the table and still having lots of fun.

Bazza · Jun 14, 2020

Dear Der_Echte, SofaChamp & Kolev, thank you for your input. I cannot see where it is possible to like your posts. Is it possible that I need to switch that function on somewhere?

Baal · Jun 14, 2020

Mainly have fun.

Bazza · Jun 14, 2020

I have had a knock with another players setup which had Joola Energy reversed on the FH and Grass D-Techs on the BH and Idid find it reasonably easy to adjust to. Similarly I have also been able to try a bat with short pips on the BH and that was also OK. Even managed a loop with short pips!

Takkyu_wa_inochi · Jun 15, 2020

There is a top veteran 70yo+ player competing in my local league. IIRC He told us he was an all-Japan semifinalist. He's playing a blocking game with LP, he might even be a J-pen, i can't remember. His ball trajectories were so awkward and balls so flat and plunging quickly, horrible to play, and he got many good wins against much younger players.

but like SofaChamp said, probably he's been playing a long while with this kind of equipment.

UpSideDownCarl · Jun 15, 2020

Bazza said:
Dear Der_Echte, SofaChamp & Kolev, thank you for your input. I cannot see where it is possible to like your posts. Is it possible that I need to switch that function on somewhere?

The like button should appear after you have 5 posts. If you don't already see it, it should appear after your next post.

I agree that the questions you are asking are very personal and the answers should depend on what will cause you to enjoy playing the most.

It is very hard to judge what equipment is going to be good for someone you have not seen play. It is that much harder to determine what equipment will be good for someone five years from now. The most important thing to remember is why you play.

I know I have fun looping and spinning the hell out of the ball. I don't care so much about winning. But playing and playing well and taking the shots I should whether I make them or not, that is what I enjoy.

So, the question for you will be, will you enjoy playing with smooth on both sides. Or, at some point, will you start being frustrated with things you no longer can do with smooth rubbers. I am 55 so I have not gotten to a point where I would rather not play smooth on both sides.

But about 4 years ago, I played with a guy who was 94 and he had smooth on both sides......sooooooo.....

Hopefully that thought is helpful.

yoass · Jun 15, 2020

I'm late to the party (sorry).

I'm a bit younger, but still, old enough to have to cope with declining physicality as well as incidental and chronical injury. That being said, I find that both tactical and technical skills can still be deepened — although the confines change over time.

One of the things that, to me, seem important is to let go of the mindset in which winning is central to enjoyment. The challenge is to play your best and enjoy it, regardless of outcome.

As play style and material goes, I don't find much merit in sweeping changes. Anecdotally, none of the players that sought refuge in going towards anti or pips had a long-term advantage (overall) in win rates. Yes, ugly and easy wins against those inexperienced in playing them, but also wipeout losses against those able to exploit the limitations of anti and pips. I would say, less fun in both. Perhaps those caring about winning only feel differently, but I just don't get that.

I did see players change from all-out offensive to a more allround play. Coördination, power and fluidity of the FH topspin especially go down for many, leading to a style in which consistency is key and blocks and counterattacks are more prominent. Many coaches are like that, actually, in my experience.

Bazza · Jun 15, 2020

Thank you for your input and wise words Takkyu_wan_Inoc, UpSideDownCarl and yoass.

I have to say that the prospect of playing with long pips does seem a bit like messing people about rather than having a fair fun contest and I am not really into the former.

Tinykin · Jun 15, 2020

https://www.vetts.org.uk/

Bazza said:
No just a regular league player.

The VETTS are very active in England with regular tournaments all over the country. Plus they usual attend the international tournaments as a group thus making it easier for firstimers.
I strongly recommend that you sign up.
website;https://www.vetts.org.uk/
Also on facebook; https://www.facebook.com/groups/478744775547461

As to your original post, don't worry about results generally. If you want to judge yourself, confine that judgement to your contempories.
As to equipment, at VETTS tourneys, the best players when they were young are generally still the best in their age groups. Their style of play are still the same as when they were junior champions, or whatever, 50-60 years ago. They may have updated their rubbers to more modern stuff but their blades are usually of the same type. That is, if they used a fast blade then, they continue with the same today. So basically, stick to what you know. Also remember that these guys have seen it all in their time, so they use their experience to easily dispatch those who think that they can get free good results by switching to LP or anti rubbers.

Butterfly Rozena and Tibhar rubbers are very popular. And Bribar TT are always at the events with their very helpful and knowledge about equipment for us older players.

Oh, one more thing. The most important part of TT performance and life generally is to look after your health. Especially, keep your weight down. There are several big players in the up to 60's groups. There are very few in the over 70's and none in the over 80s and 90's. Take from that what you may.

And for some encouragement see: https://www.facebook.com/ITTFWorld/videos/1278620448834622/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ITTFWorld/videos/1278620448834622/" target="_blank">[video]https://www.facebook.com/ITTFWorld/v...8620448834622/[/video]

Shrink · Jun 15, 2020

Train a lot

Advice for the older player

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