Do rubbers really 'break in'?

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A .01% different in rubber feeling will matter when it matters the most in matches

0.1% difference in rubber feeling 🤣 here we call this "****ing fluffy ducks"

Looked to me that Ma Long's rubbers must have been 0.2% difference in his match against PF recently , he did often look at his rubbers with astonishment.


In low level area, I would tell players, it is not the rubber, it is the technique
in high level area, we would chuck rubbers away, even if it is 1 day old, if it doesn't feel right (at most use it during training, but not for serious play)

call it what you want, but it is the reality if you want to speak about professional circuit of equipment.
I'm not that level, but when Lin Yunju was choosing his "signature blade", few years before the release of it commercially. He had few hundred different blades to choose from (over the entire period). Together with his coaching team, they start filtering and selecting the combination and spec of wood.
He was getting a harder version of T05 way before T05 Hard was out too.
All these finer details....why?

Maybe in your side of the world, any pro can pick up any rubber/blade combination and 2-5 mins and they can go to the olympics with it.
Not in the rest of the world my friend.

 

NDH

says Spin to win!

I love a good feisty debate on such important aspects of Table Tennis.

Here is my take, which is a little from column A and a little from column B.

In the 20 years of playing at a decent level, I've never noticed the rubbers (always Butterfly Bryce/Tenergy/Dignics etc) getting better after a number of hours playing with it.

I certainly don't think the vast majority of club players will really feel the difference - I'm sure they'll say they do, but my *opinion* would be that it's more of a mental thing. Likely because they've heard that's what happens (although this is actually one of the first times I've seen people talk about it).

For arguments sake, even if there is a 0.01% difference..... 99.9999% of players absolutely won't feel that, and the 0.0001% who do are in the top 10 of the world.....

Now, would I change my rubbers before a big tournament/match?

No.

The difference between used rubbers (say, 6 months old, because I can't afford to change Dignics more regularly than that) and a new sheet of rubber is massive.

It won't take me too long to get to grips with it, but I wouldn't want to go into a match and have to adapt my shot (even the smallest part) mid way through the important match.

Nearly every top player I know would be of a similar mindset, for the same reasons.

It's worth bearing in mind with Table Tennis, that the mental aspect is incredibly important, and if you believe there will be a difference, it often is enough to make that a reality.

It doesn't make one side right and the other wrong, but without doing "scientific" experiments..... It really is just opinion.

This type of discussion/mindset is rampant in so many hobbies.

As Der/Tony have brought up boots, that's a good example.

People still believe you need to "break in" walking boots (I'm talking about the trail runner type from Merrell, Hoka, Saloman etc, not the big burly leather boots).

But the reality is.... You don't - They fit like trainers (sneakers if you aren't from the UK!) and are very unlikely to cause any issues out of the box.

Would I go for a 20 mile hike in them straight away? Helllllll no.

But you definitely could, and it's just the memories of past issues holding me back!

 
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The truth is that each batch is a little different than the previous (also individual rubbers), and the player comes from a worn rubber. So in reality it is the player getting broken in not the rubber. When it comes to tacky rubbers I would imagine that the tackiness may wear off.

Cheers
L-zr
 
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says Table tennis clown
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I love a good feisty debate on such important aspects of Table Tennis.

Here is my take, which is a little from column A and a little from column B.

In the 20 years of playing at a decent level, I've never noticed the rubbers (always Butterfly Bryce/Tenergy/Dignics etc) getting better after a number of hours playing with it.

I certainly don't think the vast majority of club players will really feel the difference - I'm sure they'll say they do, but my *opinion* would be that it's more of a mental thing. Likely because they've heard that's what happens (although this is actually one of the first times I've seen people talk about it).

For arguments sake, even if there is a 0.01% difference..... 99.9999% of players absolutely won't feel that, and the 0.0001% who do are in the top 10 of the world.....

Now, would I change my rubbers before a big tournament/match?

No.

The difference between used rubbers (say, 6 months old, because I can't afford to change Dignics more regularly than that) and a new sheet of rubber is massive.

It won't take me too long to get to grips with it, but I wouldn't want to go into a match and have to adapt my shot (even the smallest part) mid way through the important match.

Nearly every top player I know would be of a similar mindset, for the same reasons.

It's worth bearing in mind with Table Tennis, that the mental aspect is incredibly important, and if you believe there will be a difference, it often is enough to make that a reality.

It doesn't make one side right and the other wrong, but without doing "scientific" experiments..... It really is just opinion.

This type of discussion/mindset is rampant in so many hobbies.

As Der/Tony have brought up boots, that's a good example.

People still believe you need to "break in" walking boots (I'm talking about the trail runner type from Merrell, Hoka, Saloman etc, not the big burly leather boots).

But the reality is.... You don't - They fit like trainers (sneakers if you aren't from the UK!) and are very unlikely to cause any issues out of the box.

Would I go for a 20 mile hike in them straight away? Helllllll no.

But you definitely could, and it's just the memories of past issues holding me back!

there is nothing worse than having fixed outdated ideas. You already cracked the myths of the TT rubbers and the walking shoes, actually another item was mentioned today, breaking in cars. How bloody ignorant and old-fashioned thinking is this ?????
Modern cars and (in my case) Motorbike engines are made to so close tolerances that indeed NO ,l they do not need to be broken or run in anymore either.

 
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Hahahaha QUADRUPLE HAHAHAHAH NDH... you brought up the CARS Engines aspects... and I think you sided with those who believe the break in is over-rated with modern car engines. What a GAS.

It is little known on the forum that I was utilized in the military for three decades as a maintenance supervisor... given the personal and professional experience I have, I would wholeheartedly agree that the "break in" procedures where you must "baby" the engine are highly over-rated.

Anyone remember the very expensive Volvo I bought in Jan 2019 from the factory where I drove that sucka all over Sweden and Denmark (and made an epic thread to vist Copenhagen TT Club and meet new friends), then put it on a boat in sub-zero freezing temps for a month... then drove it all over the mountains of California straight away... and the car acted like it was only gunna burp that was so light to it... and it went 15,000 km before oil change...

If the "proper" and practical procedure to "break in" the car engine were true, I would NEVER have chosen to get factory delivery and drive other than 30 kpm in city for only a few days... what nonsense it is to "baby" and car engine for break in... the modern engines can take a LOT more punishment than those of 30-40 yrs ago. As long as you are not trying to race that joker F1 style, you will be fine.
 

NDH

says Spin to win!
Hahahaha QUADRUPLE HAHAHAHAH NDH... you brought up the CARS Engines aspects... and I think you sided with those who believe the break in is over-rated with modern car engines. What a GAS.

It is little known on the forum that I was utilized in the military for three decades as a maintenance supervisor... given the personal and professional experience I have, I would wholeheartedly agree that the "break in" procedures where you must "baby" the engine are highly over-rated.

Anyone remember the very expensive Volvo I bought in Jan 2019 from the factory where I drove that sucka all over Sweden and Denmark (and made an epic thread to vist Copenhagen TT Club and meet new friends), then put it on a boat in sub-zero freezing temps for a month... then drove it all over the mountains of California straight away... and the car acted like it was only gunna burp that was so light to it... and it went 15,000 km before oil change...

If the "proper" and practical procedure to "break in" the car engine were true, I would NEVER have chosen to get factory delivery and drive other than 30 kpm in city for only a few days... what nonsense it is to "baby" and car engine for break in... the modern engines can take a LOT more punishment than those of 30-40 yrs ago. As long as you are not trying to race that joker F1 style, you will be fine.

I didn't bring up the cars aspect!

But....

1. I think the fact that so many people still believe the guidance of old, is a good point in this current discussion.

2. I must have missed your thread, it sounds epic - I had a V90 from 2017 to 2021 and it was a beauty.

3. Another example is to do with new carpets....... Carpet fitters and other people will advise not to vacuum them for 24 hours after they've been laid.

It's complete BS..... Yet so many people still believe it.

I'm not saying the walking shoe, car engine or carpet examples are a direct representation to the TT rubber discussion.

But there is definitely something to "old advise" being passed on and on and on until it becomes outdated and wrong.

 
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2. I must have missed your thread, it sounds epic - I had a V90 from 2017 to 2021 and it was a beauty.

I traded in that car I got from factory delivery in 2020 and got a V90 cross country T6... perhaps the best touring auto ever produced, just rolls steady and smooth forever with safety and stability with controlled power.
 
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I think we’re going off a tangent a little on the discussion lol, it’s a good discussion though.

But the important thing is, and the fact is that, a “break-in” period exists. Doesn’t matter if it’s TT rubbers, or shoes, or car engines, the break-in is to level out the performance, not necessarily to achieve a peak or a low, just level. Shoes right out of the factory could be a bit stiff, because no folds in the material exists where your feet bends when walking or running, you wear them and walk around for a while and those folds are made and it’ll fit your walking motion better than when brand new. Same goes for car engines, you don’t need to baby it, but don’t go straight to red lining the engine right after taking delivery of a new car . The YouTube channel Engineering explained did a video some time ago on engine break in, it explained why and how for the modern cars it is still a thing, but the break-in methods are not what it used to be anymore.

Anyways, the important thing is, for a lot of products, an simplified performance vs. time graph will look jagged at the start, then it smooths out to a mostly a level line with a little bit downward trajectory, then at the end it dips down dramatically. The performance is just a general term, it could be a combination of lots of parameters depending on the item. What you want is that level line period, and the longer that line stays level the better, that’s why we do maintenance. Where as the break-in period is that jagged line at the start.
 

NDH

says Spin to win!
NDH
how much of TT do you play a week?
lasting 6 month is kindof rare at my side of the world.

Unless I'm getting paid to play.... I'll be damned if I'm forking out £160 any more regularly than that! 😂

Obviously the last few years have been a bit odd, but my usual cycle would be:

Change in August/September, just before the new seasons starts.

Then again in January/February before the tournaments start (end of season tournaments for UK local league are usually between Feb and May.

But then after the season has finished, I'll play once a week at most, through to the August/September again when the season is getting ready.

During the season I'm playing 2 or 3 matches per week (no training.... no time for that!)

It works for me, and I'm not going to pay any more to change the rubbers more regularly.

I also find the Butterfly rubbers aren't matched when it comes to keeping their performance for as long as they do - If it was a different rubber, I'd probably have to change three or four times in the same space!

 
says Table tennis clown
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Unless I'm getting paid to play.... I'll be damned if I'm forking out £160 any more regularly than that! 😂

Obviously the last few years have been a bit odd, but my usual cycle would be:

Change in August/September, just before the new seasons starts.

Then again in January/February before the tournaments start (end of season tournaments for UK local league are usually between Feb and May.

But then after the season has finished, I'll play once a week at most, through to the August/September again when the season is getting ready.

During the season I'm playing 2 or 3 matches per week (no training.... no time for that!)

It works for me, and I'm not going to pay any more to change the rubbers more regularly.

I also find the Butterfly rubbers aren't matched when it comes to keeping their performance for as long as they do - If it was a different rubber, I'd probably have to change three or four times in the same space!

.....................and when you change the 6 months old rubbers to the new ones, how does it feel ? 😂

 
says Table tennis clown
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Well-Known Member
Apr 2020
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Unless I'm getting paid to play.... I'll be damned if I'm forking out £160 any more regularly than that! 😂

Obviously the last few years have been a bit odd, but my usual cycle would be:

Change in August/September, just before the new seasons starts.

Then again in January/February before the tournaments start (end of season tournaments for UK local league are usually between Feb and May.

But then after the season has finished, I'll play once a week at most, through to the August/September again when the season is getting ready.

During the season I'm playing 2 or 3 matches per week (no training.... no time for that!)

It works for me, and I'm not going to pay any more to change the rubbers more regularly.

I also find the Butterfly rubbers aren't matched when it comes to keeping their performance for as long as they do - If it was a different rubber, I'd probably have to change three or four times in the same space!

.....................and when you change the 6 months old rubbers to the new ones, how does it feel ? 😂

 
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