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Beginner Blade + Rubber
- Thread starter Charles Culp
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I agree with UpsideDownCarl. Table tennis is closer to chess than football IMO. Heck, I've seen a player who doesn't even move while playing, just standing there and blocking every shots with precision.
Follow what others suggest take control over power for the meantime.
As per my experience the first bat I made was a 7-ply allwood blade with MAX DHS PF4 rubber both sides. Hell, I had a hard time. Then I shifted to a 10mm balsa blade with pips-out rubber on both sides. Another bad idea. The only time that I had a good feel to my game is when I replaced my long pips with Flextra at 1.9mm. It may be one of the slowest inverted rubber but it feels good, you can feel every shot. It is also the rubber that helped me develop my RPB. I'm using it for 4 months now. And even now as I'm replacing it with a faster rubber I still purchased a 1.8mm because that vibrating feel is so addictive.
For me fun is winning games or at least playing good games. Back when I forced my self to play with MAX rubbers and pips-out rubbers, I never had fun. I am giving my opponents free points due to self-inflicted errors. It was never fun losing.
Have fun!
Follow what others suggest take control over power for the meantime.
As per my experience the first bat I made was a 7-ply allwood blade with MAX DHS PF4 rubber both sides. Hell, I had a hard time. Then I shifted to a 10mm balsa blade with pips-out rubber on both sides. Another bad idea. The only time that I had a good feel to my game is when I replaced my long pips with Flextra at 1.9mm. It may be one of the slowest inverted rubber but it feels good, you can feel every shot. It is also the rubber that helped me develop my RPB. I'm using it for 4 months now. And even now as I'm replacing it with a faster rubber I still purchased a 1.8mm because that vibrating feel is so addictive.
For me fun is winning games or at least playing good games. Back when I forced my self to play with MAX rubbers and pips-out rubbers, I never had fun. I am giving my opponents free points due to self-inflicted errors. It was never fun losing.
Have fun!
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Ok, I'm going to read between the lines here from UpSideDownCarl, and now I have this cart ready to go.
Yeah, I realize kadamestriaw was just joking around, my dry sarcastic response didn't float very well over an internet forum. I've been playing TT 5 days a week, ~45min a day, for 2.5 years now. I've been through 5 paddles in that time, used up 3-4 rubbers, broke one paddle, and on the fifth one now. Anyway, I guess my point is that I "get" what it will take for me to get better. I've seen such inconsistency between each paddle that I wanted to buy something that gets me a much better response.
I do really appreciate everyone's response here, I would not have gotten something I would have been happy with, without it.
So while I am still a novice, and, well, perhaps you've seen the video of how good I am, still not "good" by any real measure. I agree about the ability of a juvenile to learn a technique. I was asking about the "your age" comment because I really didn't know. I am amazed at how my 3 yr old daughter can learn the lyrics to a song by listening to it about twice. It takes me a couple dozen. It's interesting, because when I look at professional players I wish to emulate, I have the same "specs" as Timo Boll (same age/weight/height/left handed). I've obviously started too late, and don't have that natural talent. It is an interesting perspective for any athletic persuit, I am too late for all of them now. Plus, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to do a reverse pendulum serve.
Anyway, long winded post aside, let's give this one more go:
Yeah, I realize kadamestriaw was just joking around, my dry sarcastic response didn't float very well over an internet forum. I've been playing TT 5 days a week, ~45min a day, for 2.5 years now. I've been through 5 paddles in that time, used up 3-4 rubbers, broke one paddle, and on the fifth one now. Anyway, I guess my point is that I "get" what it will take for me to get better. I've seen such inconsistency between each paddle that I wanted to buy something that gets me a much better response.
I do really appreciate everyone's response here, I would not have gotten something I would have been happy with, without it.
So while I am still a novice, and, well, perhaps you've seen the video of how good I am, still not "good" by any real measure. I agree about the ability of a juvenile to learn a technique. I was asking about the "your age" comment because I really didn't know. I am amazed at how my 3 yr old daughter can learn the lyrics to a song by listening to it about twice. It takes me a couple dozen. It's interesting, because when I look at professional players I wish to emulate, I have the same "specs" as Timo Boll (same age/weight/height/left handed). I've obviously started too late, and don't have that natural talent. It is an interesting perspective for any athletic persuit, I am too late for all of them now. Plus, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to do a reverse pendulum serve.
Anyway, long winded post aside, let's give this one more go:
| Product Name | Unit Price | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Stiga Allround Evolution handle typeMaster (FL) | $31.73 |
| Blade Lacquering | $0.00 |
| Free Racket Assembly | $0.00 |
| Xiom Vega Pro Thickness / Colour1.8 black | $31.73 |
| Xiom Vega Europe Thickness / Colour1.8 red | $31.73 |
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That's a great set up!
Forget about your age. We play to have fun! If this fun leads us to be pro then great, and if not, well at least we have fun!
Forget about your age. We play to have fun! If this fun leads us to be pro then great, and if not, well at least we have fun!
says
Spin and more spin.
says
Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Flextra is a decent rubber for starting out. It has good control.
One of the things that happen when a developing player uses a setup that is too fast is that it messes up their stroke because they are trying to cut down their stroke to keep the ball on the table and for players learning to develop technique what usually happens is that messes up their racket speed and their followthrough.
Those carbon blades that make all your mistakes feel good and make your shots with bad contact fly as though it was good contact also make it much harder to develop the subtle kinds of contact for more spin or more power.
In table tennis, when you want to spin the ball, you are not making direct contact. You are actually catching this tiny piece of the edge of the ball and feeling out how much to let the ball sink into the sponge while you brush past the ball. When you do that, you can brush thin so you barely touch the ball and it is mostly just the topsheet. Or you can brush in a way so the ball sinks into the sponge and the topsheet is deformed a little more; and then the rebound of the sponge and topsheet increases the spin. Then there is deep brush contact where you let the ball sink in to just short of where the ball would impact the wood and that will give a drive loop a lot of pace and power.
Often a setup that allows you to swing hard and swing fully and also allows you to feel the ball more completely will help you improve faster. Fast composite blades are more useful to someone who is at a pretty high level who has done those shots so many thousands of times that he knows what to feel for even with a blade that makes it a little harder to feel those things.
Hopefully that adds some more information to what I said earlier.
By the way, it is never too late to learn. This sport is amazing fun. I started at 44. I am 51, almost 52. I am not really great. But my technique is decent and it is nice to know that there is always so much more to learn.
Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy
One of the things that happen when a developing player uses a setup that is too fast is that it messes up their stroke because they are trying to cut down their stroke to keep the ball on the table and for players learning to develop technique what usually happens is that messes up their racket speed and their followthrough.
Those carbon blades that make all your mistakes feel good and make your shots with bad contact fly as though it was good contact also make it much harder to develop the subtle kinds of contact for more spin or more power.
In table tennis, when you want to spin the ball, you are not making direct contact. You are actually catching this tiny piece of the edge of the ball and feeling out how much to let the ball sink into the sponge while you brush past the ball. When you do that, you can brush thin so you barely touch the ball and it is mostly just the topsheet. Or you can brush in a way so the ball sinks into the sponge and the topsheet is deformed a little more; and then the rebound of the sponge and topsheet increases the spin. Then there is deep brush contact where you let the ball sink in to just short of where the ball would impact the wood and that will give a drive loop a lot of pace and power.
Often a setup that allows you to swing hard and swing fully and also allows you to feel the ball more completely will help you improve faster. Fast composite blades are more useful to someone who is at a pretty high level who has done those shots so many thousands of times that he knows what to feel for even with a blade that makes it a little harder to feel those things.
Hopefully that adds some more information to what I said earlier.
By the way, it is never too late to learn. This sport is amazing fun. I started at 44. I am 51, almost 52. I am not really great. But my technique is decent and it is nice to know that there is always so much more to learn.
Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy
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says
Spin and more spin.
says
Spin and more spin.
Well-Known Member
Super Moderator
Ok, I'm going to read between the lines here from UpSideDownCarl, and now I have this cart ready to go.
Yeah, I realize kadamestriaw was just joking around, my dry sarcastic response didn't float very well over an internet forum. I've been playing TT 5 days a week, ~45min a day, for 2.5 years now. I've been through 5 paddles in that time, used up 3-4 rubbers, broke one paddle, and on the fifth one now. Anyway, I guess my point is that I "get" what it will take for me to get better. I've seen such inconsistency between each paddle that I wanted to buy something that gets me a much better response.
I do really appreciate everyone's response here, I would not have gotten something I would have been happy with, without it.
So while I am still a novice, and, well, perhaps you've seen the video of how good I am, still not "good" by any real measure. I agree about the ability of a juvenile to learn a technique. I was asking about the "your age" comment because I really didn't know. I am amazed at how my 3 yr old daughter can learn the lyrics to a song by listening to it about twice. It takes me a couple dozen. It's interesting, because when I look at professional players I wish to emulate, I have the same "specs" as Timo Boll (same age/weight/height/left handed). I've obviously started too late, and don't have that natural talent. It is an interesting perspective for any athletic persuit, I am too late for all of them now. Plus, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to do a reverse pendulum serve.
Anyway, long winded post aside, let's give this one more go:
Product Name Unit Price Qty Stiga Allround Evolution
handle typeMaster (FL)$31.73 Blade Lacquering $0.00 Free Racket Assembly $0.00 Xiom Vega Pro
Thickness / Colour1.8 black$31.73 Xiom Vega Europe
Thickness / Colour1.8 red$31.73
That's a great set up!
Forget about your age. We play to have fun! If this fun leads us to be pro then great, and if not, well at least we have fun!
I agree with genrel001 fully. That is a great setup and table tennis is about fun. I was just trying to explain some of where NextLevel might be coming from about carbon blades and age and how technical this sport can be when you really start looking at it.
But I also know, some of us on the forum are so into playing table tennis and improving. That we look at these things in a kind of OCD manner like: "everyone obviously must want to get coaching because that gets you better faster than anything else!" Well, of course not everyone thinks that way.
Anyway, I am glad you are on your way to having such a good setup. Have fun with it.
says
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says
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Ditto Rush.
Get a Galaxy 896 frm Cole and Build Urself a Der_Echte Special (Recycle Ur Fh rubber and slap on a new sheet of XP 2008 max) (remove handle and fill with glue/paperclips is optional)
You will have a bat that will last and be epic.
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I'm also learning. After deciding to get a "real" paddle, I bought the andro csv with H3-50 on FH and Akkadi taichi on BH. Seems to work very well for me after playing a couple of weeks. It's not too fast but enough speed. Looping is what it seems is good with this set up. Has more than enough control for beginners and definitely good for intermediate.
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Thanks for the help, everyone. After playing with my Xiom Vega Pro/Vega Europe for the past 9 months, it is time for new rubbers. I also want a second paddle, so I can keep one for work and one for Saturday club play.
My Xiom rubbers had damaged edges almost from day 1. They are now a mess, especially the forehand. I did not hit the table to cause the damage, and I was wondering if this is typical, if I had a bad batch, or perhaps need a different brand?
I was ready to purchase more on tt11, but they have a max purchase of 1 each! So now I am looking for other options. Perhaps Tibhar Evolution EL-S? I have really enjoyed playing in the club, and it has cleaned up my technique quite a bit. I am still in the lower half of skill at my local club, just squeaking past beginner.
My Xiom rubbers had damaged edges almost from day 1. They are now a mess, especially the forehand. I did not hit the table to cause the damage, and I was wondering if this is typical, if I had a bad batch, or perhaps need a different brand?
I was ready to purchase more on tt11, but they have a max purchase of 1 each! So now I am looking for other options. Perhaps Tibhar Evolution EL-S? I have really enjoyed playing in the club, and it has cleaned up my technique quite a bit. I am still in the lower half of skill at my local club, just squeaking past beginner.
says
Варна
Well-Known Member
Its not typical and not a matter of batch.
Most probably its a problem of bad storage.
Anyway 9 months is a good time. The usual lifespan for most tensors is between 80-120 hrs, but to make them a mess you need 200 hrs.
Most probably its a problem of bad storage.
Anyway 9 months is a good time. The usual lifespan for most tensors is between 80-120 hrs, but to make them a mess you need 200 hrs.
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Dandoy has a sale on Vega Pro right now: http://www.dandoy-sports.com/xiom-vega-pro.html
From the set I have the Vega Pro topsheet appears more fragile than eg H3 around the edges: it tends to crumble more easily. But it’s not obvious that it affects performance. (I think some say it’s normal for modern high natural rubber content topsheets?)
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It just depends on how good you want to get and how much time you want to put into it. The fact that you're posting on this board tells me you're relatively serious about your table tennis.
If you join your local club, a year from now you will be a completely different player. I promise that. Big, big different from the co-worker play to club play.
I encourage you to give it a go if you can. I get it. I work and have two girls so I can't play myself as much as I'd like but our club meets once a week and that's been a blast. Hope you can swing it.
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Absolutely. I've been playing in the club since February. I make it 2-3 Saturdays a month. I've only made it 3X in the past two months, due to other commitments, and I could tell last Saturday that my performance has slipped!
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