Help me with a decicion please!

Gabriel Arcuri · Dec 10, 2019

Help me with a decision please!

(I'M SORRY FOR BAD ENGLISH, IM BRAZILIAN AND LEARNED BY MYSELF)
So, I have mounted my racket with a used blade (around 5 years of use), and then changed rubbers a few times along the time I am training, and my friends keep telling my that my racket is okay and that I don't need to change my material and I should invest on personal trainings ( I have very limited financial conditions so that's why I should choose carefully what to do with that extra money I'm getting this xmas). I want to change because I feel like my rubbers are not working so well anymore and, besides my technical mistakes, the ball does fall unexpectedly, I think that my setup is too heavy and I get exausted really soon when attacking/looping repeatedly while training or playing because of my big effort to get a good quality shot in the table, and I have hurt my shoulder and wrist before(tendinitis), probably the blade weight is related. So basically, I think that my material is old and heavy and want to change to something faster and new, not expecting to improve my performance from that. I'm struggling with that decision: Buy a new racket or get more training?
Pictures of my actual racket:

My (carefully chosen) setup I intend to buy: Yinhe V-14 Pro + H3Neo (FH) + Rakza 9 (BH)

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Ps: I still can practice at least 2 times a week after february ( I will no longer be able to train 5-6x a week because I'll have night classes in my university and I really need to graduate, so TT can't be my priority at all ), it means that buying a new racket won't affect the trainings I already/will have.

lasta · Dec 10, 2019

You are not going to save much weight with the new set up. And honestly, the setup you have is not excessively heavy.

Imo your blade is fine, the rubbers definitely need changing. Maybe 2 Euro style rubbers would be lighter.

Omega 7 and H3 are both heavy. So is Rakza 9. Rakza 7 is a bit lighter.

lasta · Dec 10, 2019

Also, fatigue is unavoidable, sorry. But a little investment in stroke correction via a coach is always a good idea. If you are feeling sore arms/shoulder it probably means your are relying too much on the arms and not enough body/leg power. Work on your muscle group synergy for every shot, time the weight transfer and core rotation with your arm movements (everything together, not one after the other).

You will still tire with using the body more, but much less strain on the shoulder and arms.

Gabriel Arcuri · Dec 10, 2019

Hey, thank you for answering, I maybe should keep the blade and renew the rubbers then?
About your tip in the movements, I have been training and improved a lot on that, my mechanics are fine I think, my instructor is a chinese very very strong player and quite demanding from his athletes, but maybe if I get a faster FH rubber it'll help with the excessive effort?

lasta · Dec 10, 2019

You've been playing 5 years? Then you should be fine with a faster blade. Yours is Stiga OC CR right? A Clipper CR would be a definite speed upgrade, or Clipper Wood for some something less drastic. Many cheap alternatives in this area: Yinhe PD437, Andro Timber are the best bang for buck alternatives.

Otherwise, the V14 is supposedly a Viscaria-type right? Can't go wrong with that either.

If you switch to "faster" tensor rubbers on the forehand, it might feel too mushy and indirect. I'd say stay with H3 (contradictory, I know, sorry haha).

Gabriel Arcuri · Dec 10, 2019

No, this blade is 5 years old or more haha I bought it from my instructor, it was his blade

yogi_bear · Dec 10, 2019

Remove the sidetape and add a small rubber grip at the edge of the blade to lessen head heaviness.

Lula · Dec 10, 2019

I think the blade is fine. Must be on of the more used blades out in the world.

I agreee with above that Maybe you can try to add grip to handle ro make the weigth more even.

Maybe try a tensor rubber? Hurricane is heavy? Please correct me if Im wrong.

Or start going to the gym haha

Kuba Hajto · Dec 10, 2019

I think your blade is fine. I would just take the rubbers off, clean the blade with tooth paste and rubbing alcohol, then put some new rubbers and off to the races.

When it comes to rubber you gen pick up mid price Chinese rubber. People who used hurricane 3 and tried my Jupiter 2 didn't complain too much. (It is heavy though, but I think hurricane is also) It might worth trying. The other rubber might be a bit troublesome because I assume Xiom Omega 7 is top end rubber and it would be hard too match it in budget.

About the weight problem, you have to consider, wether you struggle with total weight or weight distribution. A handle wrap would be nice and cheap way to figure it out. If it is weight distribution problem, then lighter blade won't help, it will make things worse actually, because weight of the rubbers will affect balance more. I do like head heavy rackets, because I feel like I can generate more power with loose wrist, but I guess it is a matter of preference.

And for review of cheap rubbers you might ask iskaandar, or check his post on ooak. For me the best I've tried were mady by Yinhe.

SFF_lib · Dec 10, 2019

If budget is not a problem, get a Tibhar K1 on FH and Xiom Vega Europe on BH.

Your setup wil be lighter with minimal reduction in speed and spin and higher control.

ttarc · Dec 10, 2019

SFF_lib said:
If budget is not a problem, get a Tibhar K1 on FH and Xiom Vega Europe on BH.

Your setup wil be lighter with minimal reduction in speed and spin and higher control.

The Vega Europe will be imo too soft if one is used to such hard rubbers as the O7T (42.5° ESN vs 55° ESN for the O7T. Would be interesting to know if the H3N or the O7T of this setup feels harder...). Maybe a Vega Pro or Vega Asia (both 47.5° ESN) would be a better option for the backhand. Still enough power and spin but less demanding than the O7T.
FH: I would keep the H3N and maybe reduce the sponge hardness or slightly boost it.
Blade: Definitely keep. Getting fully used to a new blade takes longer than switching rubbers.

Baal · Dec 10, 2019

Gabriel Arcuri said:
Hey, thank you for answering, I maybe should keep the blade and renew the rubbers then?
About your tip in the movements, I have been training and improved a lot on that, my mechanics are fine I think, my instructor is a chinese very very strong player and quite demanding from his athletes, but maybe if I get a faster FH rubber it'll help with the excessive effort?

Yes. New rubber only. A new sheet of the type of same rubber will be faster actually. Dont worry about weught.

Gabriel Arcuri · Dec 10, 2019

So just to help me to get this straight:
BLADE: Is ok.
RUBBERS: Definetly need changing (?)
Recommendations: Add a handle grip to balance the weight, don't expend too much on a new racket and just get new rubbers?

Brs · Dec 10, 2019

+1 on replacing rubbers only. And get new of the same rubbers. You are going to be training much less so adapting to different rubbers will be harder than if you train 5 or 6 times a week.

Try adding weight to the handle, either a grip tape or sone lead tape. Or even just glue a coin to the bottom where you never touch it. Changing the balance a little has a big effect on how heavy it feels. Plus adding weight anywhere makes the setup more powerful and faster, all else equal.

NextLevel · Dec 10, 2019

Do whatever you want. But IMO, you don't need to change anything. Join TTEDGE.com and learn the fundamentals of advanced technique. I have seen 2200 players use rubber they haven't changed in 3 years to hit quality topspin.

Wister · Dec 10, 2019

How old are your rubbers ? They look very tired, do they still grip ? If you play 2-3 times a week, it could be nice to change them at least once a year

UpSideDownCarl · Dec 10, 2019

Can you show footage of you hitting a few FH loops and a few BH loops?

I don't think you need to change the blade. NextLevel may have a point. You don't need to change the rubbers but you can if you want. It just isn't needed.

Definitely do not clean the blade with toothpaste and alcohol. There is no reason to make the blade look newer. That has nothing to do with how it plays.

If money is tight like you said, watching footage of yourself and seeing if you can improve your mechanics will help. Seeing footage of yourself can really be useful....eye opening. If you are straining your shoulder and you feel like you are getting tired, it is much more likely that that has to do with mechanics than with the weight of the blade. But rubbers that weigh less and are more alive might be worth getting. H3 is one of the heaviest rubbers out.

Also, NextLevel's advice about TTEdge is worth looking into. Often there is more to learn than we realize. And if you are not in the habit of watching footage of yourself, it is worth taking the time to start there.

Gabriel Arcuri · Dec 10, 2019

UpSideDownCarl said:
Can you show footage of you hitting a few FH loops and a few BH loops?

I don't think you need to change the blade. NextLevel may have a point. You don't need to change the rubbers but you can if you want. It just isn't needed.

Definitely do not clean the blade with toothpaste and alcohol. There is no reason to make the blade look newer. That has nothing to do with how it plays.

If money is tight like you said, watching footage of yourself and seeing if you can improve your mechanics will help. Seeing footage of yourself can really be useful....eye opening. If you are straining your shoulder and you feel like you are getting tired, it is much more likely that that has to do with mechanics than with the weight of the blade. But rubbers that weigh less and are more alive might be worth getting. H3 is one of the heaviest rubbers out.

Also, NextLevel's advice about TTEdge is worth looking into. Often there is more to learn than we realize. And if you are not in the habit of watching footage of yourself, it is worth taking the time to start there.

There are few videos in my fixed status on instagram "at"gabrielcpam, I don't know if im allowed to share but since you asked there it is. Go for the lastest ones, specially against the chopper

Gabriel Arcuri · Dec 10, 2019

Wister said:
How old are your rubbers ? They look very tired, do they still grip ? If you play 2-3 times a week, it could be nice to change them at least once a year

They are 4 months old but i play/practice 6x a week

ttarc · Dec 10, 2019

Gabriel Arcuri said:
So just to help me to get this straight:
BLADE: Is ok.
RUBBERS: Definetly need changing (?)
Recommendations: Add a handle grip to balance the weight, don't expend too much on a new racket and just get new rubbers?

Yes. Keep the blade and experiment with some additional weight could help.
If your backhand is (much) stronger than your forehand than you could stay imo with the O7T otherwise I would definitely try a softer rubber on that side to reduce the effort needed (and the strain on the wrist, elbow etc.).

Help me with a decicion please!

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