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The "old" blades - still a valid option or not
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Acoustic remains one of the best blades and it isn't even slow by any means.
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Table tennis as a sport is evolving, so is the equipment used. This does not make older equipment useless.
But X and Y factors have changed , the new ball is one of them.
But X and Y factors have changed , the new ball is one of them.
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Spin and more spin.
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There is always a tradeoff. The new equipment for the new ball is all stuff that is faster. With faster equipment one of the tradeoffs is speed over spin. Spin helps you control the ball as a result of the arc. When the ball is faster, even if the rotation on the ball is the same, the spin will have less impact on the arc. Therefore it will be harder for you to control. But usually, when you make something faster, you also end up reducing spin.
I personally do not feel like people need equipment that makes it harder to put spin on the ball with a ball that already makes it harder to add spin.
Good mechanics can add the pace so I would still go with older blades that help you spin better. And I personally don't think the ball is so much slower that there needs to be a fuss about new equipment for the ball.
Now if they figured out how to get the kind of spin on a 40+ ball that you used to be able to get on a 38mm ball, then I would be listening. Until then, the old stuff is fine. Particularly with the blades, this is true.
And there is no new technology in any of the blades. There may be some innovations in the rubbers though. We will see. Can anyone else make a rubber that is notably better than things that came out in 2008?
I personally do not feel like people need equipment that makes it harder to put spin on the ball with a ball that already makes it harder to add spin.
Good mechanics can add the pace so I would still go with older blades that help you spin better. And I personally don't think the ball is so much slower that there needs to be a fuss about new equipment for the ball.
Now if they figured out how to get the kind of spin on a 40+ ball that you used to be able to get on a 38mm ball, then I would be listening. Until then, the old stuff is fine. Particularly with the blades, this is true.
And there is no new technology in any of the blades. There may be some innovations in the rubbers though. We will see. Can anyone else make a rubber that is notably better than things that came out in 2008?
Totally agree with Carl. The faster and harder your EQ the more Spin u have to imply to make the ball bounce on the table.
I was experimenting too. I try out the TB ALC with medium-hard rubbers. I could handle it, but it still felt uncomfortable the most time, mostly at tournament's where u face random opponents.
Currently I switched back to my old setup with ALL blade and medium rubbers. It is now a pleasure to play. Rallies go much longer but I enjoy it because I have control from receive to last point.
Sadly on the latest tournament most "intermediate" players do play TB ALC with T05. The game in than skill area has involved into mostly 3rd ball winning condition.
I was experimenting too. I try out the TB ALC with medium-hard rubbers. I could handle it, but it still felt uncomfortable the most time, mostly at tournament's where u face random opponents.
Currently I switched back to my old setup with ALL blade and medium rubbers. It is now a pleasure to play. Rallies go much longer but I enjoy it because I have control from receive to last point.
Sadly on the latest tournament most "intermediate" players do play TB ALC with T05. The game in than skill area has involved into mostly 3rd ball winning condition.
totally disagree, with new balls there is no more spin, you have to change tactic and playing style also..
there is no more massive topspin, if you try to play like that your opponents counterspin very easy if they play close to table..
I am looking at the kids today, 14-20 .. nobody tries to rotate, effective playing styles changed ..
If you look at top level, harimoto is just like other kids today, no fear of rotation (because there is much less rotation now)..
Also a lot of players hit the bole very flat/high, not from down because with new balls you do not need to that anymore on pushes/serves..
every new generation of plastic balls brought less rotation, less speed
with slow blades like stiga clipper is now hard to play, but good old viscaria (carbon) is big hit again
there is no more massive topspin, if you try to play like that your opponents counterspin very easy if they play close to table..
I am looking at the kids today, 14-20 .. nobody tries to rotate, effective playing styles changed ..
If you look at top level, harimoto is just like other kids today, no fear of rotation (because there is much less rotation now)..
Also a lot of players hit the bole very flat/high, not from down because with new balls you do not need to that anymore on pushes/serves..
every new generation of plastic balls brought less rotation, less speed
with slow blades like stiga clipper is now hard to play, but good old viscaria (carbon) is big hit again
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Even an old-school rubber like Nittaku Morristo (not the short pips, but the 15 yr old inverted normal rubber) I can instantly have a great BH with it... and that rubber is simply a medium speed, medium spin, high control rubber. By big BH shots could land a lot with it and be fierce.
I played an old school 7 ply blade a year and got most of my recent improvement using it - Persson Power Play. Got a half level with Stiga Intensity and softer dynamic rubbers.
Some newer stuff too can be great. I grew a level using Kim Jung Hoon and linear rubbers.
I am now using Nexy Batos and expect to grow enough level to enter, then later sustain California 2000 level.
At my level, spin is still a very effective weapon, I use it whenever I can. Even at USATT 2200 level, you do not see counterloop rallies all that much, you don't see a lot of at the table off the bounce counters either... you see a lot of that with a very short active block stroke though, but even 40mm celluloid ball had a lot of that going on at that level. Maybe you see someone go a half step back, wait, and try to rip through a loop, but it usually a poorer quality loop in terms of depth and placement.
Up to elite amateur level, any style can succeed. 99% of us are not elite amateur level, so what is the big deal?
Are we all Ma Long video game hero wanna-be peoples?
I played an old school 7 ply blade a year and got most of my recent improvement using it - Persson Power Play. Got a half level with Stiga Intensity and softer dynamic rubbers.
Some newer stuff too can be great. I grew a level using Kim Jung Hoon and linear rubbers.
I am now using Nexy Batos and expect to grow enough level to enter, then later sustain California 2000 level.
At my level, spin is still a very effective weapon, I use it whenever I can. Even at USATT 2200 level, you do not see counterloop rallies all that much, you don't see a lot of at the table off the bounce counters either... you see a lot of that with a very short active block stroke though, but even 40mm celluloid ball had a lot of that going on at that level. Maybe you see someone go a half step back, wait, and try to rip through a loop, but it usually a poorer quality loop in terms of depth and placement.
Up to elite amateur level, any style can succeed. 99% of us are not elite amateur level, so what is the big deal?
Are we all Ma Long video game hero wanna-be peoples?
deal is if you want to keep your lever or level up you have to change and improve
and that is on any level and in any sport/work issue..
and that is on any level and in any sport/work issue..
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Pros aren't oblivious to whatever spin there is on the ball, they're just a lot better than you and I at dealing with it. That includes the mental recognition of the spin, the physical positioning required to enable a stoke which can effectively deal with the spin, and the actual stroke itself.
To rationalise what pros like Heming mean when they say 'it feels better' or 'it gives me better control', part of why many pros don't use exceedingly fast equipment is because it helps to remove the need to account for the lack of control in your equipment. That way, the only variable they need to deal with is what the opponent has done. It's not just control, but being able to use an effective stroke (usually a full stroke with a decent amount of power/placement/etc.) while retaining a healthy margin of "safety". Obviously their idea of safety will be different to most people.
Generally, the fastest blades that pros tend to use are in the range of Viscaria, TB ALC, JM ZLC, ZJK SZLC, etc. These aren't particularly fast blades. But what they do allow them to do is hit the ball as hard as they need to in order to be competitive in the modern game, while allowing them to not exceed their own boundaries to the fullest extent possible, ie. control as much as they can.
To rationalise what pros like Heming mean when they say 'it feels better' or 'it gives me better control', part of why many pros don't use exceedingly fast equipment is because it helps to remove the need to account for the lack of control in your equipment. That way, the only variable they need to deal with is what the opponent has done. It's not just control, but being able to use an effective stroke (usually a full stroke with a decent amount of power/placement/etc.) while retaining a healthy margin of "safety". Obviously their idea of safety will be different to most people.
Generally, the fastest blades that pros tend to use are in the range of Viscaria, TB ALC, JM ZLC, ZJK SZLC, etc. These aren't particularly fast blades. But what they do allow them to do is hit the ball as hard as they need to in order to be competitive in the modern game, while allowing them to not exceed their own boundaries to the fullest extent possible, ie. control as much as they can.
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There will always be the conservative crowd and the progressive.
Historicly speaking the old are usually conservative.
Historicly speaking the old are usually conservative.
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Can you give some details about what exactly the innovation in TT equipment is and how it is useful or essential to modern play with the 40+ ball?
Any chance you have footage of you playing that could highlight some of the details you are referring to like speed of equipment and how you are able to utilize it?
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New ball is slower than old one , even if you say otherwise.
To generate speed you need a faster blade and rubber compared to before.
New balls give players using fast attack game without much spin advantage. Harimoto and Truls Möregårdh are two good examples, im sure you can find footage of them.
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TBH my vintage Stiga Hans Asler OC plays more solid than Stiga Eternity NCT. I can loop from mid distance with no issue.
Other old blades I have include a 10-year-old Darker Speed 90 and old-tag Butterfly Primorac. They all play better than newer blades.
In general, older blades give you a much better feel with no issue of power. At least it is true for amateurs.
The feel
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The "old" blades - still a valid option or not
Our current club champion uses a Alser Allround, with Sriver.
And he’s a fast and aggressive offender.
My blade and rubbers (inner layer alc, koto outers, Rozena) would be considered middle of the roadish by many here, but is still a notch or 3, 4 above that. The current goto combinations a la Viscaria with H3/T05, again a notch of 4, 5 above that.
I like big rallies an I cannot lie, but I like actually landing the ball on the other half consistently and with pressure more. I don’t think ultrafast equipment (and pretty much everything is that, these days; ever speedier has been a constant) is needed. Or helps much, until you near the global top 1000 or so.
Our current club champion uses a Alser Allround, with Sriver.
And he’s a fast and aggressive offender.
My blade and rubbers (inner layer alc, koto outers, Rozena) would be considered middle of the roadish by many here, but is still a notch or 3, 4 above that. The current goto combinations a la Viscaria with H3/T05, again a notch of 4, 5 above that.
I like big rallies an I cannot lie, but I like actually landing the ball on the other half consistently and with pressure more. I don’t think ultrafast equipment (and pretty much everything is that, these days; ever speedier has been a constant) is needed. Or helps much, until you near the global top 1000 or so.
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To generate speed you need a faster swing. And honestly 2 points:
1. Modern rubbers are not faster, speed glued Mark V is much faster than T64 and its been around for 30 years.
2. Modern blades are not faster. Spend enough time testing/reading up on composition on Stervinou/Guoqiuhui and you will realize just about every brand makes the same types of blades and those "types" have been more or less unchanged for decades. Age doesn't make any difference, materials and thickness dows.
I have 6 7-ply blades from the 60-80's era with "frequencies" ranging from 1400-1700 and median stiffer than the popular ALCs and ZLCs. All have much higher density and deliver faster balls on smashing when even composite blades start plateauing.
BTW, SFF_lib's speed 90 is a 9-10mm monster, faster than even Schlager carbon. And yes, that's been around a long time too.
1. Modern rubbers are not faster, speed glued Mark V is much faster than T64 and its been around for 30 years.
2. Modern blades are not faster. Spend enough time testing/reading up on composition on Stervinou/Guoqiuhui and you will realize just about every brand makes the same types of blades and those "types" have been more or less unchanged for decades. Age doesn't make any difference, materials and thickness dows.
I have 6 7-ply blades from the 60-80's era with "frequencies" ranging from 1400-1700 and median stiffer than the popular ALCs and ZLCs. All have much higher density and deliver faster balls on smashing when even composite blades start plateauing.
BTW, SFF_lib's speed 90 is a 9-10mm monster, faster than even Schlager carbon. And yes, that's been around a long time too.
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Probably because I am biased. My point is that old blades give you great feel due to age and better handcrafting in the old days. Speed is never an issue even using an ALL blade as long as you know how to swing properly.
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