Playing and getting use to playing with 2 different rubbers on each side?

Well I recently upgraded my set up and saw a nice deal on Evolution rubbers, I wanted to try two of the rubbers and it was a nice deal so decided hey I read some people put slower rubbers on back hand and faster on forehand. I decided to get 1.9 FX-P and EL-P. Side story- At the start I messed up my right shoulder and really wanted to play ping pong, so I played with my left and never stopped so somehow my backhand is better than forehand on my left hand side, my forehand on the other hand is not bad by any means but it needs its practice. So the moment I put EL-P on my forehand holy, the ball flew off every time and when I did get a nice forehand hit it sure felt nice with the rubber, but I certainly needed something slower and with more control. On the other hand FX-P backhand felt real nice and at home, had my control and was much faster than my old rubber and feels very good.

I tried this for 2 days but my forehand just wouldn't like the EL-P so I decided let me switch after reading that some put faster rubbers on backhand since it was dominant. It feels better, I would need to get heavily use to the EL-P since I didn't think the difference between speed and power of the 2 was going to be like this. In the long haul with practice maybe keeping forehand or backhand EL-P could benefit me? I switched it back to forehand EL-P today after what someone told me. I'm not sure how long it would take someone to get use to this sort of set up? I really want to not let the EL-P be put to the side, as I've used it for only a few days. I could get an FX-P rubber both sides and easily be happy switching those out, maybe putting the EL-P up for trade or something. What do you guys think? How long do you think it would take someone to get use to this sort of set up, and do you think it would benefit to get use to the faster EL-P over the FX-P on both sides? Thanks for any advice

Someone that played in their country at the state/country level told me since I am more dominant on the backhand to add the softer/slower side to that one (we're talking the fx-p here so it's not slow by any means) but it adds to my control, and I know my motion and can hit harder with this side. He told me to use the faster EL-P on my forehand and use it as a simple means to return the ball on the table but to get very use to it, this helps as I am returning the ball faster as before I would simply pop up the ball with the mark v to get in back on the table, so i practiced this method today, and I can see how it can work as now I can return a faster ball with my forehand but still will need more practice. I'm still debating getting FX-P on my forehand, I guess it goes back to the comfort feeling of a slower rubber on it.

qvoliszz said:

What is your question? Because I think you answered it yourself. I wold like to state out that it takes at 3-6 months to adapt to a new equipment. So I wold say use your racket as you wish and do excerscizes.

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You answered my time question but does it usually take that long? Well baisically what side I should choose the faster rubber to be forehand or backhand but I guess I need to feel for it and see what I like better. Not sure if to get the FX-P on both sides as well but I guess it's all up to me and there's no sure better way. Just practice, I just wanted to see some other people's experiences. I'm going to keep switching sides this week to see what I prefer or if I just choose the same slower rubber on both sides.

UpSideDownCarl said:

Yeah, I think there are a few issues here.

Most important NextLevel made me laugh and gave a very good solution at the same time. I say that is worth a lot. But here are the issues I can see:

1) We don't know what you were using before or how long you were using it for. I have an educated guess: Mark V. Was that it? However, we do know the new rubbers were a jump in speed and spin.

2) We don't know how long you have been playing, what your skill level is, or how you actually play (I mean playstyle but I hate that term because I have seen so many players who say they are all out attackers who really are not or who say they are two winged loopers but really are something else. So I mean "the actual way in which you play".)

Video footage would actually be helpful even if it is not necessary.

If your skill level is decent and those rubbers actually fit the way you play: YOU WILL get used to them. And either could be on FH and either could be on BH. But if you are asking the question, without more information, NextLevel has given the best solution possible: ditch the rubber you are having trouble with and use the one that works for both sides on BOTH SIDES.

If you don't know the ways in which your FH and BH are different and specialized, and the same rubber works better for both sides then it is worth using the same rubber on both sides.

If EL-P was actually better suited to your BH, when you hit with it on BH it would pop out at you that you like it better. Same thing for FH. Since that doesn't happen and it seems that your BH can handle both better but may like FX-P better and your FH can only handle FX-P, then that gives you the actual information you want in itself.

But there still may have been an intermediate step like going from Mark V to Vega Pro or Europe before jumping to something as high end as Evolution. But it sounds like you should at least manage with FX-P.


Sent from the Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

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Yea he's right though, and the FX-P felt right on both sides, and I feel it is a great upgrade from Mark V but I could clearly be wrong, I'm still a beginner that's played a year but got serious a few months ago and had the Mark V a year. Yea I haven't played long enough and could of gone with a better upgrade but I saw them on sale at TT11 and wanted to try both. My playstyle is what I want to say All round style, but I'm leaning in more into the offensive allround. I still like to do everything though, I like to chop every so then, and I like to top spin all day. Some games I just play close to the table and cut. But even in terms of playing a year I can see my technique needs more practice, I probably haven't even flushed out a playstyle for more experienced players, I tend to top spin with placement and surprise with a chop every now and then. But yea I guess I just really wanted the EL-P to work so I didn't have to put it off to the side. I guess I could trade it or save it for later since the moment I switch FX-P to either side forehand or backhand it just feels like I know what I need to do. I think the FX-P isn't a bad upgrade though but what do I know, I didn't think it was crazy fast but that's maybe because of my ALL blade.

NextLevel said:

Ah, you are supposed to use hard sponge rubbers on both sides if you are a pro who hits the ball hard - except for Emmanuel Lebesson who uses FX-P on both sides and hits the ball just about as fast and hard as anyone out there.

You are supposed to to use the harder rubber on the forehand - well, there are pros who like the softer rubber on their forehand or on both sides - for a while, Mizutani kept T80 on his backhand and T64 on his forehand before going to T80 on both sides.

You are supposed to use tacky Chinese rubbers on the forehand - well, Wang Liqin used them on the backhand and we now have Ma Long following suit.

In general, don't waste too much time with this stuff. I could be wrong, but from your post,it seems you don't have much experience playing with equipment. I would say you get the FX-P for both sides which is where your post is clearly leaning and call it a day. If it is good enough for Lebesson, it is good enough for you.

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Yea true, if someone of that level can use it then there's no excuse. I do like FX-P for both sides but I did want this combination to work. I don't have too much experience on equipment and only been playing with a year with the same set up until now. I'll be getting an FX-P for my forehand side and I guess I can either trade the EL-P or save it for a future where I would think I need even more speed.

UpSideDownCarl said:

What blade do you use?

FX-P should be fine if both sides feel okay with it. The reason for something like Vega Pro or Europe would be, a rubber that is a little less sensitive to incoming spin. But if you can return tricky serves well enough with FX-P then it does not make that much of a difference.


Sent from the Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

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I'm using the Yasaka Sweden Extra that I got with my Mark V's. Serves still feels the same, I can return the ones I am use to and beat the same people I use to the only thing is when using the EL-P forehand the ball flies off if I do it by instinct without remembering the rubbers are different. But yea my forehand prefers at least right now the FX-P since I would need much less practice and time getting use to it. Getting FX-P on both sides sounds good, and I can always save the EL-P for later.

Scorpnox said:

I've played with all the rubbers you mentioned, I played with Mark V in my early years.
Last season I played with EL-P on the backhand but my technique improved a lot in the years between these rubbers.

El-P is a bit too hard i think for a beginner. You should focus on technique rather than equipment.

Rakza 7 Soft was my go to rubber both sides for 3 years...

A soft rubber that lets you focus on technique and generate power yourself and not relying on the speed of the rubber.
Thats what you should do in my opinion...

(Tibhar Genius Sound is good one too)

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Yea it sounds good, but I couldn't find a 1.8 Rakza 7 soft anywhere in for Sale and saw these rubbers FX-P and EL-P for sale at 30 or 28 and though, amazing and bought both to try, and getting another FX-P for my forehand side and calling it a day like some say, it's not bad but hey I don't have enough funds to try Rakza 7 as well lol , I'm sure I'll be good with this I just need time adjusting my technique with the FX-P, maybe I can try Rakza 7 Soft one day. The reason I got the FX-P is because I have good short game and good short game cuts as well as mid range power. Maybe if I find one or 2 on sale

Airoc said:

There are two opposing philosophies when it comes to soft vs hard for beginners. Some say softer rubbers make strokes easier, others say a harder rubber helps developing because you have to work harder as the rubbers are less forgiving.

Genius Sound is indeed a great rubber, but some would say it has too much catapult to allow for learning exact strokes. This is why some people do not recommend rubbers with speed glue effect for beginners and learners at all. The other extreme of course is supplying them with Friendship and the likes, hard like concrete.

The initial choice of FX-P may make you happy. It is a littler harder than Genius Sound, but softer than EL-P. And you can progress with it, meaning that if you improve, you will be able to make more of it, not change to a different rubber.

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Thanks for the good words, I do think it's a great upgrade rubber from Mark V but this is my only upgrade from Mark V, maybe Rakza 7 soft would of been a good choice too but not until i could find a 1.8 on Sale. I just need time adjusting and getting use to the FX-P and I think it gives me a lot of room for growth.

Edit: How are the Rasant rubbers? The only reason I didn't purchase those was because everyone everyone said it was very fast so I decided I wouldn't go with it. And I got the FX-P over the Rakza 7 Soft because it was on a nice sale when I checked online