Pimples arrrggghhh

[braithey]

Help required dealing with pimples, I am a topspin/loop player from both BH & FH.

I am struggling in dealing with pimples (long, no sponge)

Played numerous practise games last night and was guilty of putting FH & BH shots off the end of the table.

I get the concept of the pimples reversing spin but any suggestions in terms of best practise would be great guys

 

[the one and only ninja]

There are different types of long pimples some for player who block and some for choppers. But for all pimples you have to know that if you play a push with underspin, in the return there is nothing on, a dead ball. Most make the mistake to think there is topspin on it and are wondering why ball will go in the net. And you have to hear if the player is holding his bat hard or loose in his hand, this is important because if he is holding the bat hard in his hand the ball will be long and flat, and when he is holding it loose it will be higher and shorter, it dont jumps torwards you so the right timing is important.
Tactics: Most palyers make the mistake to serve with a lot of spin, dont do that just serve long with no spin or a little bit of topspin. the next ball will have nothing on it so you can do a hard endstroke ( and dont forget the placement ) . And dont forget to move your opponent dont play it for example only in his backhand, thats one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
Training: Get a partner who is for example only pushing the ball to your forehand so you get used to it.

 

[John_Pish]

i doubt you want to spend money, but one thing that helped me and my friend get more used to playing against pips was buying a pips paddle
we got a combo off paddle palace for about $100USD and we also had to buy glue and a case.
but playing against it often helps, but i think was helps even more, is playing WITH it, once you understand how the ball behaves from your own strokes, its easier to understand how its behaving from someone elses

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I like John_Pish's comment.

The nuts and bolts of it are, the more you play against it, the more it becomes second nature and you stop having to think about what spin is on the ball and the more you just can see and know what spin is on the ball.

I like to keep steady, heavy topspin agains long pips or anti spin because if you give them underspin they can do much more with the ball including attack. But there is no formula; you just play against them as much as possible and you start getting the hang of it. It helps to train against them and rally against them without it being in a game format for a while. Then, when you play in a game it is easier at a certain point.

But, John_Pish's point that having a pips racket and learning how to use it and what comes off it could really help you see it better when it is coming back at you.

 

[bzing]

The opponent I usually play with that uses pimples was really surprised lately when I was using more flicks especially backhand that involves not much brushing of the ball but more smacking/punching. So variating from heavy top spins and adding those flicks that can look like as if you were making top spin can really increase the effectivness against pimple players. Kind of like Ma Long does that.

 

[John_Pish]

The opponent I usually play with that uses pimples was really surprised lately when I was using more flicks especially backhand that involves not much brushing of the ball but more smacking/punching. So variating from heavy top spins and adding those flicks that can look like as if you were making top spin can really increase the effectivness against pimple players. Kind of like Ma Long does that.

what a fantastic, clean, effortless shot

 

[dici]

I like John_Pish's comment.

The nuts and bolts of it are, the more you play against it, the more it becomes second nature and you stop having to think about what spin is on the ball and the more you just can see and know what spin is on the ball.

I like to keep steady, heavy topspin agains long pips or anti spin because if you give them underspin they can do much more with the ball including attack. But there is no formula; you just play against them as much as possible and you start getting the hang of it. It helps to train against them and rally against them without it being in a game format for a while. Then, when you play in a game it is easier at a certain point.

But, John_Pish's point that having a pips racket and learning how to use it and what comes off it could really help you see it better when it is coming back at you.

I'm alittle bit kind of opposite, as op did mention about the opponent using the pip out without sponge, which is what we call hardbat actually, these kind of bat has a very low bounce compare to the regular rubber. If you try to vary your ball strength alittle, some times make the ball long and soft, the opponent will hit the ball into net.

But usually what we need to notice is that many of the time the pip does not only create spin, but it will make your spinned ball more spinny. I recall there was a website teaching you all about this fundamental knowledge on the pip-out rubber.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I'm alittle bit kind of opposite, as op did mention about the opponent using the pip out without sponge, which is what we call hardbat actually, these kind of bat has a very low bounce compare to the regular rubber. If you try to vary your ball strength alittle, some times make the ball long and soft, the opponent will hit the ball into net.

But usually what we need to notice is that many of the time the pip does not only create spin, but it will make your spinned ball more spinny. I recall there was a website teaching you all about this fundamental knowledge on the pip-out rubber.

Pips do not add spin to your ball. They cannot. What comes back is usually what you put on it, but in reverse. If you hit topspin and the spin does not change, it comes back underspin because the ball has changed direction but the spin has not. But it comes back with a little less because the ball has contacted a rubber with very little friction but with some friction. So there is less spin than your original spin.

But, the main statement is, the more you play against it, the more you get used to it.

...pip out without sponge, which is what we call hardbat actually...

I am struggling in dealing with pimples (long, no sponge)

And Hardbat which is short pips with no sponge is different than long pips with no sponge. Long pips with no sponge is long pips with no sponge. They are very different. And often, a player who has long pips and no sponge on one side will have smooth rubber with sponge on the other side.

Either way though, the more topspin you give them, whether hardhat, or long pips, the the more challenging it will be for them to keep it on the table and the less they will be able to do with the ball. Your topspin becomes their underpin. You can spin them off the table or they will often give you an easy shot to kill if you are spinning the ball heavy and they are keeping it on the table.

If you give long pips underspin, they can attack it because their shot will automatically be topspin.

And once again, the real information is, the more you play against that rubber, the more you get used to it and just start knowing what to do. If you are thinking about what you are supposed to do, it does not work as well as if it is just based on you knowing what to do from experience. So muscle memory takes over and you just do what you are supposed to. Just like against smooth rubber, at a certain point third ball attack is just ingrained.