Would max sponge short pimples compensate for the ABS balls?

MOG

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Hi

struggling with the ABS balls and short pimples!

can't lift the ball
finding my hits slow
margin of error feels narrower?

do short pimple guys think going to 2.0mm spectol red would help
I use 1.8mm spectol red at the moment
 
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Hi MOG, there are differing opinions. But, I don't think you should be "lifting" the ball. When there is a choice, short pimple players shgould always choose the more direct option. I used max for many years, now I'm between 1.8 and 2.0. With less sponge, your touch shots and feel will be better and there is not that much difference in speed. When you do have to loop, rely mostly on topsheet brushing than "sinking" into the sponge.
 
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I'm not sure if the Spectol Red is a different topsheet, but I used to use Spectol Speed, it has enough grip to create some arc in loops. If you want versatility, you can always go back to the spinny pips (which I understand you have quite a few sheets of).
 
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not liked any of the spinny pips i have tried, victas 102, waran, waran 2

Then you need to try more! Pick up a sheet of 802-40 (hard sponged 42 degree). If you can't lift with that, then maybe short pimples isn't for you.
 
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The EJ Empire Strikes Back. :)

Always question when you are trying to solve a problem that more likely has to do with getting used to a ball, training, and/or technique and your mind goes to the idea of changing equipment rather than training and technique. :)
 
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I am of a different opinion than the above. I think you should use Max if you want to play offensive. Thinner sponge just feels fast for you But the ball is not hard and powerful when it have reached the side of the opponent.

If you want to have effect and mostly use the pips for control thinner is better.

What i know spectol is a Classic pip with less grip. The spinny ones you Said Will proably be easier to lift backspin balls with.

I also think that if you Do not have natural tendencies for short pimple you should not force it. I Do not put pimples on any of my players to cover a weakness, only to Do a strength better. In example short pips is great if they are much better at smashing than looping.

For the technique part i think looping against backspin should be avoided. This is the weakness of the rubber. You can not Do much. Most important is to keep the ball low and vary the placement. If you want spin you must to brush the ball much much more compared to inverted.

If you feel that you Do not get opportunities to smash i think it can be of two reasons. One is that the play you Do before is to bad, so you get two difficult shots agaisnt you. Like me and amazing players like Falck that use it on backhand often Do something good before to get an easier ball to kill with the forehand. On the backhand i also think it is more about playing fast, vary tempo and placement side to side and back and forth, not smashing hard.

The second thing is that your footwork is to bad. Need better footwork with short pimples. If the ball drops below the highest point you can never play hard.

Regarding to slow i think Maybe it can be of these reasons. Your contact with the ball is to long, you reach to much for the ball or and take the ball to low so you can not play hard because you need arc to pit the ball on the table.

I also think you should try a 802 40 in max. I think spinpips was useless and many other soft pimples the same. I feel like they bottoms out. Like hitting a Nail with a sponge. Maybe this is the case for you too.
 
If the problem is only with lifting backspins, you may try to:
1. train your repositioning footwork in order to take the ball with the FH, H3N is perfect for lifting. Generally the backspinned balls are slower and the repositioning should be possible in most cases.
2. if the repositioning is not possible, then try to twiddle the bat, H3N is perfect for lifting.
 
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MOG

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Lula I try and get the ball short and high if possible for the pimple hitting, but if they just keep playing low and long to me it is hard to lift, but I guess this is always the ups and downs of short pimples!!

I am of a different opinion than the above. I think you should use Max if you want to play offensive. Thinner sponge just feels fast for you But the ball is not hard and powerful when it have reached the side of the opponent.

If you want to have effect and mostly use the pips for control thinner is better.

What i know spectol is a Classic pip with less grip. The spinny ones you Said Will proably be easier to lift backspin balls with.

I also think that if you Do not have natural tendencies for short pimple you should not force it. I Do not put pimples on any of my players to cover a weakness, only to Do a strength better. In example short pips is great if they are much better at smashing than looping.

For the technique part i think looping against backspin should be avoided. This is the weakness of the rubber. You can not Do much. Most important is to keep the ball low and vary the placement. If you want spin you must to brush the ball much much more compared to inverted.

If you feel that you Do not get opportunities to smash i think it can be of two reasons. One is that the play you Do before is to bad, so you get two difficult shots agaisnt you. Like me and amazing players like Falck that use it on backhand often Do something good before to get an easier ball to kill with the forehand. On the backhand i also think it is more about playing fast, vary tempo and placement side to side and back and forth, not smashing hard.

The second thing is that your footwork is to bad. Need better footwork with short pimples. If the ball drops below the highest point you can never play hard.

Regarding to slow i think Maybe it can be of these reasons. Your contact with the ball is to long, you reach to much for the ball or and take the ball to low so you can not play hard because you need arc to pit the ball on the table.

I also think you should try a 802 40 in max. I think spinpips was useless and many other soft pimples the same. I feel like they bottoms out. Like hitting a Nail with a sponge. Maybe this is the case for you too.
 
Langel that is a great theory but I find it hard to twidlle, ok on odd serve receive though.

I am going to try not to EJ for a while yet Carl!

I will buy some ABS balls and try to adjust!!

Oh, regarding service receive, watching your videos I think that almost all of the serves could be received with the FH or at least with a BH push. Maybe I'm missing something, but I didn't see a service requiring BH lifting. Of coarse it may happen and its good to have the answer.
Anyway, try to solve the problem with what you are used to.
If not possible, ask again, there is always XO7A on the horizon.
 
says Spin and more spin.
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I am of a different opinion than the above. I think you should use Max if you want to play offensive. Thinner sponge just feels fast for you But the ball is not hard and powerful when it have reached the side of the opponent.

If you want to have effect and mostly use the pips for control thinner is better.

What i know spectol is a Classic pip with less grip. The spinny ones you Said Will proably be easier to lift backspin balls with.

I also think that if you Do not have natural tendencies for short pimple you should not force it. I Do not put pimples on any of my players to cover a weakness, only to Do a strength better. In example short pips is great if they are much better at smashing than looping.

For the technique part i think looping against backspin should be avoided. This is the weakness of the rubber. You can not Do much. Most important is to keep the ball low and vary the placement. If you want spin you must to brush the ball much much more compared to inverted.

If you feel that you Do not get opportunities to smash i think it can be of two reasons. One is that the play you Do before is to bad, so you get two difficult shots agaisnt you. Like me and amazing players like Falck that use it on backhand often Do something good before to get an easier ball to kill with the forehand. On the backhand i also think it is more about playing fast, vary tempo and placement side to side and back and forth, not smashing hard.

The second thing is that your footwork is to bad. Need better footwork with short pimples. If the ball drops below the highest point you can never play hard.

Regarding to slow i think Maybe it can be of these reasons. Your contact with the ball is to long, you reach to much for the ball or and take the ball to low so you can not play hard because you need arc to pit the ball on the table.

I also think you should try a 802 40 in max. I think spinpips was useless and many other soft pimples the same. I feel like they bottoms out. Like hitting a Nail with a sponge. Maybe this is the case for you too.

I think this post has great information. I am going to highlight two paragraphs:

"I also think that if you Do not have natural tendencies for short pimple you should not force it. I Do not put pimples on any of my players to cover a weakness, only to Do a strength better. In example short pips is great if they are much better at smashing than looping."

"For the technique part i think looping against backspin should be avoided. This is the weakness of the rubber. You can not Do much. Most important is to keep the ball low and vary the placement. If you want spin you must to brush the ball much much more compared to inverted."

End to end, Lula's post is excellent. But it does seem that these paragraphs, among others, are important for MOG.

Thanks Lula.
 
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Lula I try and get the ball short and high if possible for the pimple hitting, but if they just keep playing low and long to me it is hard to lift, but I guess this is always the ups and downs of short pimples!!

If it is backspin you should only try to open up with topspin, keep the ball low and vary the placement. If it is against topspin, you do not really need to hit hard, smash all the time. People with inverted can not loop hard all the time. And in my opinion looping hard all the time is not good, that is to easy for the opponent because he knows what is coming. When you feel you can not loop hard you can vary the pace, hardness and placement side to side and back and forth. And even just play it back, if you miss less than the opponent you will win.
 
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MOG

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I find that looping hard and hitting with the short pimples is very hard to do, to win points with a strong enough shot, everything has to be almost perfect. When this goes well it is very effective. But I am have to change my game to do this.

Now I have been hit by the whammy of the poly balls that I am finding it very difficult to attack.

I think Carl what you are saying is almost where I am at, back to reversed both sides!!

All the footwork and serve return advices will still help me improve.
Everyone says my bh is my most consistent and best shot, especially my top spin. Maybe it is time to go back.
Maybe this also gives me an extra incentive to lose a stone in weight!!
 
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Even with sp, you still need to do topspins with a more open racket and this is your bread and butter stroke in the backhand. Actually, if you have mastered your angle and contact (by hitting through the sponge more), topspin will not be a problem.
 
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