Should you ever downgrade?

Tanstin · Sep 21, 2019

Hi,

I'm a beginner penholder, and have been playing table tennis for 2 years now at my college club. Unfortunately, we're a small club and we don't have coaches (or equipment in general for that matter) which has obviously slowed my development. I'm currently US 1000, at my best, 1100-1150 and I'm currently playing with the Ma Lin YEO, with skyline 3 FH and focus 3 on my BH with RPB (planning to switch to reactor ckylin pro on my BH soon because of how lively it is compared to focus 3).

I've had issues with my form in general for some time now, from footwork to basic strokes which have gotten better over the past few months, but lately I've begun to feel like I'm stagnating, and it's becoming very difficult to adopt the appropriate form in my games.

Since coaching isn't as easy to get because I'm a college student and it's a bit expensive, I read from you guys that a slower blade is recommended to develop form, and I was looking at the Yasaka Sweden Extra. I'm interested in knowing whether I should spend money and go ahead with switching my current YEO for the YSE, and the opinions of other members here that have tried YSE. Any other paddle recommendations or thoughts about of improving my game on a budget and a school schedule is welcome.

One more thing I'm aware of and wanted to improve was incorporating my backhand in games more. I learned RPB first thing after switching to pen and I can decently rally with it, but I notice I completely ignore my backhand and only use it for serve return/flick/smash.

Lula · Sep 21, 2019

Try friends rackets perhaps to get a feeling of What you like?

Maybe you can change rubbers aswell? Less expensive.

I think Sweden extra is very bouncy. I think you should go for something more stiff and less bouncy.

I have been a part time coach kids for over ten years. Try this for developement. Since you Do not have any coach, watch how to Do all tr basic strokes from youtube then you Do alot alot of shadow training, that is playing in the air. Firstly in front of the mirror so you know you are doing correct. And then aswell just in the air when if you know you are doing the correct form.

When you play with a ball play so slow that you guys hit 8-10 Times over the net all the time with focus on the correct technique you have learned from the mirror. Many players play way to hard in training. Big mistake. So Do very very easy drills. Also start filming yourself so you can look how the strokes look. Then you can post the videos on this forum and get help.

Start thinking about playing style.

Practice alot of serve on your own.

Always have as high quality as possible.

Goodluck!

Der_Echte · Sep 21, 2019

Lula, such a place in USA sets up tables and plays matches, very little real training going on if any at all... and in many places like this, not really many if any people who can tell anyone fundamental flaws and how to address them. It is like people playing raw and reinforcing raw unlearned things. It is an advanced form of basement TT without coaching going on.

Even in Clubs, (more like rented space to set up tables and play 2 hrs 1-3 times a week) it is free match play only (or train 15 minutes and get off table) and if you lose, maybe 45 min or so wait to get back on a table.

This situation keeps a lot of people in a low level. Sure, some slow improvement, just because lower 1000 players get to play vs 1500 players... but no real learning of fundamentals, biomechanics, technique, tactics, nothing much going on except organized goof-off chaos.

New slower TT equipment, a change in the government leaders, a stoppage of global warming, a repeal of student debt... none of these things will get anyone's game in USA much better without a situation to learn basic, get someone catching the mistakes, and provide structured ways to train and improve... These kind of places are getting more and more, but are still big minority in USA for places to play.

Tanstin12 · Sep 21, 2019

@Der_Echte Yeah! thats honestly how it feels at the club sometmes. some of the senior members used to be US2000, but they graduated or went overseas. Right now, Im currently the secretary at our ping pong club and were trying to get school funding for coaches and multiball nets in addition to holding scheduled trainings. At regular times everything you said is similar to what you described, where you'd wait 20 minutes to play for 5, but i dont think im learning much.

Also @Lula, I think thats best idea. When i first discovered the sport i was completely fascinated by it. I would spend every night practicing serving on my bed and I taught myself rpb from shadowing those wang hao videos. I like the idea of recording myself so I have material to show you guys, ill probably get a tripod later, but i think even with that im still going to get destroyed by other people.

yogi_bear · Sep 21, 2019

Maybe downgrade to a thinner sponge like 2.0?

NextLevel · Sep 22, 2019

Go to a slower blade and set up. It is always worth it. You can always go back.

yogi_bear · Sep 22, 2019

If downgrading a blade, probably a flexy blade will greatly help like azalea offensive

Tanstin · Sep 22, 2019

I just bought a yasaka sweden classic, and some cheap reactor rubbers off aliexpress (Reactor Corbor Pro, Ckylin Pro and Tornado V5) because of how dirt cheap they are. Will probably put tornado v5 on the FH and Corbor Pro on the BH and hopefully see where things go

UpSideDownCarl · Sep 22, 2019

Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive is a really hard blade. Bouncy too.

Something softer and not quite as fast. A Primorac Off- might make sense.

For RPB I think you also want a sort of soft rubber. I think Wang Hao actually used Sriver.

blue_codex · Sep 22, 2019

I second the idea to go for softer rubbers. Softer rubbers will allow for more exploration through feeling the ball/contact more. Whereas hard rubbers really punish sub-optimal form and makes the ball feel dead sometimes without knowing why.

I also suggest a modern soft rubber rather than the more classical Mendo, Sriver, MarkV generation. I found them really slippery when coming back into the game with the 40+ ball.

Here's a range of rubbers you could take a look at - Xiom Vega Pro, Yasaka Rakza 7 soft, Joola Rhyzm.

Tanstin12 · Sep 22, 2019

UpSideDownCarl said:
Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive is a really hard blade. Bouncy too.

Something softer and not quite as fast. A Primorac Off- might make sense.

For RPB I think you also want a sort of soft rubber. I think Wang Hao actually used Sriver.

Haha, unfortunately i'm trying to stay below $20 per rubber. I still dont get how some of my friends are buying stupidly strong blades with dignics and tenergy and yet they're only US1100

Do you think corbor pro or ckylin pro will do the trick instead? Ive always used skyline 3 and focus 3 as a setup but I'm looking for all sorts of affordable rubbers.

Der_Echte · Sep 22, 2019

TST, for your rubbers, have Cole from Colestt.com build you a custom sponge 999 rubber, very all-round rubber. Well under $20 each.

Anyone reading the forum for years knows that every year or so, I play a slower blade like Lissom or whatever I go to for a few months to build more rally play and connecting shots before moving back to main guns. I always improve when I do that.

The Pong Professor · Sep 22, 2019

IMO too many recreational players use too fast blades and thus advocate a 'permanent' downgrade. I certainly wouldn't be able to use a fast European/Japanese rubber in the FH along with a fast composite blade without a massive decrease in consistency. I am pretty old-fashioned and believe that points at the recreational level are won through consistency (not losing points) rather than direct winners. At advanced and pro levels, this balances shifts towards more power (still with high consistency).

Baal · Sep 22, 2019

Everybody goes through those periods of frustration where your level plateaus. Just keep playing. Try to be disciplined in your practice, which means working on the stuff you're bad at. Equipment changes should be kept to a minimum. I'm not saying dont ever make a change but it's pretty rare that it makes much difference in your level.

Video yourself. It will tell you a lot.

UpSideDownCarl · Sep 23, 2019

Tanstin12 said:
Haha, unfortunately i'm trying to stay below $20 per rubber. I still dont get how some of my friends are buying stupidly strong blades with dignics and tenergy and yet they're only US1100

Do you think corbor pro or ckylin pro will do the trick instead? Ive always used skyline 3 and focus 3 as a setup but I'm looking for all sorts of affordable rubbers.

Dawei 2008XP would probably be good for the RPB. It is an $8.00 rubber but it is pretty good. Dawei Inspirit would probably work as well. Those are softer Chinese rubbers.

tsubasa · Sep 23, 2019

I think you dont have to change your equipment. Yasaka ma lin extra is just great and it was my first penhold blade. Its not speedy at all...

Just try to play against different people and try to play in different surroundings.

Change the timing and spin/speed ratio of your strokes and try to see whats different and why.
If its possible do some multiball.

Record some of youe training and matches and watch your self.

Should you ever downgrade?

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