About last night...
Started off hitting with P., my regular training partner. Lately I've been mostly blocking for him and he's been working his FH looping. He is about my skill level and we hit for 45 mins.
Older Chinese gentleman modern PH jumped on next. I hit with him for 30 mins. I've never seen him before, but P. knew him. This gentleman is easily 3 or more levels above me. I think I surprised him though with my steady blocking. When training, I generally don't try to kill the ball for the point... looking to be steady and return the shot. Think he appreciated that and with my steady blocking, he slowly amped up his FH loops. Wicked topspin with kick, with a little sidespin. He blocked for me and I FH looped. Working with the hinoki and tenergy, i know i should meet the ball sooner and shorten my stroke. Worked that a few mins, but my muscle memory is based on Chinese rubbers and the longer windup stroke. Got a few mins of those in. My loops may have surprised him with the sidespin kick on the longer strokes. For a modern PH, he had a good TPB "push-block"/"punch". I mixed in SH BH and RPB strokes and my TPB punch with him. Sat down for a break and P. hit with him. They hit for 30 mins.
My turn with the older gentleman again. This time he played SH chop and my looping wasn't consistent. I still don't have the controlled spinny opening loop. As 42andbackpains and a mutual friend/brother describes my looping, it's an AON (all or none)/DOD (do or die loop). I was conscious of my sucky inconsistent looping vs chopping and didn't want to waste his time picking up balls. I resorted to the long windup AON/DOD looping and was more consistent however, the looping coming at my partner was full-speed side/topspin. It was challenging for him to chop it back. With P, he sometimes ended up lobbing after 2 chops,, and I was thinking if he lobbed I would be OK smashing - zero mental baggage as I'm a flat-hitter, but if he kept chopping, i better make my loops and worth his time hitting with me.
Good sessions for him, P and me.
Hit with "Mommy" for 15 mins and afterwards she had to leave.
A Russian gentleman was sitting patiently throughout for his turn. It ended up I hit with him. Another player who was clearly 3 or more levels above me. I never hit with him before. He saw that I was able to steadily FH and BH block his FH loops. He, like the Chinese partner earlier, slowly amped up his loops. He has a kick on his loops too and a lot more sidespin. I then FH looped and I just let it loose, doing the 'no conscious thinking' and just flow as I looped. Natural expression of my FH loop due to muscle memory is the longer stroke. We then hit BH-BH... i surprised him when I started hitting SH BH steadily. He asked about the SH and I explained I was trying to learn the RPB so I hit SH from time to time. I then hit some RPB. Called it a night after 30 mins with him.
Am slowly getting used to the hinoki and tenergy on blocking. Some blocks are still flying off the table, but many blocks are returned with a low trajectory, barely clearing the net. Perhaps I'm adjusting too much for the tensor rubbers and closing my blade. On pushing, which I sometimes train with P. the balls are still being returned high. I don't have the 'touch' yet for short pushes with the tenergy. Also getting used to the 'pock' noise and vibration of the incoming hits. This was one of the biggest adjustments I had to make after my old favorite blade, "Excalibur" (DHS "08" - 7 ply) died and I started playing with other blades. Between the blade and the switch from Chinese rubbers/sponges, the sound and vibration was unsettling at times.
Sadly, I didn't video the sessions. Would have been nice to share with DTT CCers on my progress in my 'comeback' after 30+ yrs break. Had fun and greatly appreciate being able to hit with 2 partners above my skill level.
As always, thank you for reading my novel. May all the net and edge balls go your way!
Happy Friday!
