I found xu xin on youtube before he rose to through the ranks and I identified with him much earlier on. (Before XX, I was following michael maze.) I did not develop (rather, focus on) proper technique until after i decided to switch to RPB, as I found my self struggling with blind spots and flicking with shakehand. In hindsight, if I had focused on proper form earlier on, I would probably have stayed as a shakehand player and continued to emulate MM and, like all the guys I play, been an euro style player...but I'm glad I switched.
While I have a lot of respect for the euro/jap style play. There is something liberating to me about the chinese style, (chasing back hand balls with your forehand, wide arm swings). Not to mention, I can't afford expensive rubbers
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I turned to TT after a knee injury playing basketball, that was a blessing in disguise. I play TT to stay strong, agile and fit, while burning through my pent up energy. The chinese style of playing cheaper on the wallet, is definitely harder to master (RPB that is), and requiring me to be in peak physical shape. Very few people can play/move like XX, but I know I can. Watching the pros play inspired me to lose weight, focus on leg days at the gym (I never worked out my legs playing basketball, I considered basketball to be my leg workout, as I was able to dunk a basketball in my peak). I don't want to be a better TT player in general, I just want to be able to play TT a certain way (kinda like XX).