Should I take the plunge?

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I have been playing table tennis on/off for past 7 years and have allways forced my myself to play agressive since it's what I have been trained

But I have allways felt that I wanna be a defensive player I have slightly converted to a more blocking style but even that still feels slightly forced

I have tried a couple defensive players bats in my club who use short/long pimples to play defensively and it feels so natural and really enjoyable

But it feel like I would have wasted all the years that I have been trained to play the way I have been told

When I started out me and 4 friends were all around same level could allways compete and I hit a wall couple years ago where I realised this isn't the style I wanna play and they have massively exceeded me now since I don't have the "attacking/agressive" nature to my play style

Sorry in advance for the formatting

Any advice would be appreciated
 
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It's your hobby, not a job, I presume - so you should be doing what you are enjoying. Give it a shot.

Also, your concern about wasted training is somewhat misplaced (see 'sunk cost' fallacy :rolleyes: ) - I highly suspect you'll need attacking shots in your arsenal anyway, even as a defensive player.
 
says The sticky bit is stuck.
says The sticky bit is stuck.
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II have tried a couple defensive players bats in my club who use short/long pimples to play defensively and it feels so natural and really enjoyable

Variety is the spice of life. If you're a defender, defend!

But it feel like I would have wasted all the years that I have been trained to play the way I have been told

That, to me, sounds pretty much like a version of the Cost Sunk Fallacy. That fallacy is an important reason, even at the macro level, why we keep doing things that we should by then understand will not pan out just because we've already put so much effort and resources into them.

Anyway, you won't lose the feeling, sense of timing and feel of the ball when changing style. Or equipment. Your cognitive system and your muscle memory are way smarter than that. Go for it and see where that leads; nothing's cast in stone here.
 
says Aging is a killer
Experimenting with a defensive game will better your whole TT-skills package. I know one player who changed to a defenders game for a year. He had great fun in that time. However, he's now back to a aggressive game but mixed with better blocking and the occasional chop.
On the other side, I know a defender who played offensive for a while before returning to chopping. Again his whole skills package is much improved.
 
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Brs

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Brs

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What's the worst thing that could happen if you try playing defensive for a while?
 
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Learn to twiddle!
Twiddling will keep you BH looping skills from getting stale.
Twiddling will surprise your opponent and let them know they can't play a safe ball to your BH LP or anti.
There is nothing like surprising the opponent with a BH loop after twiddling that come back fast with top spin rather than slow with back spin. It adds extra thing for the opponent to think about.
I learned to twiddle watching TV. I would twiddle the paddle until I was doing it without thinking. I have seem people that do it out of a nervous habit.
Offense or defense is all in the mind. Not the equipment.
 
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Experimenting with a defensive game will better your whole TT-skills package. I know one player who changed to a defenders game for a year. He had great fun in that time. However, he's now back to a aggressive game but mixed with better blocking and the occasional chop.
On the other side, I know a defender who played offensive for a while before returning to chopping. Again his whole skills package is much improved.

Good post. Go for the plunge you may surprise yourself!!
 
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Wow, so many great arguments for switching to defensive style. I wasn't even looking to switch my play style, but after reading all your posts, I want to switch now. ;)

As everybody mentioned, definitely try the defensive style (as you feel it's your style and you said you've hit a wall). Maybe you'll become a great modern defensive player with your offensive background...
 
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