Interesting new experience regarding my playing style!

Anders · Oct 29, 2015

Allright.. Here's the story, and I'll try tell it as good as I can tho' it might be hard to understand hehe

I've been playing for a long time now, and have always played as an attacking minded player, loop here and loop there..
Always played the Tenergy and other Euro/jap rubbers, always had a very good serve and open up with loops after that.

Last weekend I bought a H3 NEO rubbers, as I heard it could be good for doing multiball practise as I work as a coach in my club. Then I had a few hit with it, just for fun, never thought i'd actually play with this rubber since I have a euro style! But as I was looping I noticed this rubber makes me put the ball on the table any time (and yes I know I was putting the ball on the table, not the rubber, but it was actually perfect for my technique!)

Then I've been practising with this rubber the last week, and my regular T05 for backhand.. The thing I've found out, the H3 NEO makes me work harder to get right to the ball because it's not forgiving, but as I do get to the ball in the right way now I play way better. How can I, as a coach not have noticed this regarding myself? I've been living in denial haha, thinking chinese rubbers were only for chinese players

Allright, so my conclusion:

I've been playing the right style for years, but with the wrong equipment! How's that for a joke? Sadly it's a true story.
My arm hurts like heck, my legs are killing me, but I know how to train for this, so I'll work as hard as I can and hopefully it'll pay off in a few months, years or how long it will take me

Anyhow, has this happened to anyone of you? Please share your experiences

MegaZZ · Oct 29, 2015

Anders said:
Allright.. Here's the story, and I'll try tell it as good as I can tho' it might be hard to understand hehe

I've been playing for a long time now, and have always played as an attacking minded player, loop here and loop there..
Always played the Tenergy and other Euro/jap rubbers, always had a very good serve and open up with loops after that.

Last weekend I bought a H3 NEO rubbers, as I heard it could be good for doing multiball practise as I work as a coach in my club. Then I had a few hit with it, just for fun, never thought i'd actually play with this rubber since I have a euro style! But as I was looping I noticed this rubber makes me put the ball on the table any time (and yes I know I was putting the ball on the table, not the rubber, but it was actually perfect for my technique!)

Then I've been practising with this rubber the last week, and my regular T05 for backhand.. The thing I've found out, the H3 NEO makes me work harder to get right to the ball because it's not forgiving, but as I do get to the ball in the right way now I play way better. How can I, as a coach not have noticed this regarding myself? I've been living in denial haha, thinking chinese rubbers were only for chinese players

Allright, so my conclusion:

I've been playing the right style for years, but with the wrong equipment! How's that for a joke? Sadly it's a true story.
My arm hurts like heck, my legs are killing me, but I know how to train for this, so I'll work as hard as I can and hopefully it'll pay off in a few months, years or how long it will take me

Anyhow, has this happened to anyone of you? Please share your experiences

I started with penhold as I was naturally strong on the FH wing and had decent footwork for a beginner, moving laterally at least since I played badminton before. I originally learnt traditional backhand with penhold then found out that I could attack and spin with RPB surprisingly well although I struggle to play fast blocks with with RPB (something which is still true). With penhold I also started with Jap/Euro rubbers first and then eventually realised I naturally loop better chinese style so then I thought I found my ultimate set up with penhold with Chinese rubbers FH and then something like a Tenergy on the BH.

Then I discovered shakehand...and found that pretty much everything was easier on the BH side lol. Well, thats not totally true as I can't spin the ball mid or long distance from the table although I can do that quite well with RPB. Still now I believe shakehand with a chinese rubber on the FH and a tenergy on the BH is the way to go for me. Strangely enough it was only after I changed styles that I realised that most chinese professional players who play 2 sided inverted plays like this...really strange and I thought at the beginning that I wouldn't "copy" any of the pros, now that's pretty laughable in retrospect!!

UpSideDownCarl · Oct 29, 2015

Great post Anders.

I always wonder, but stay quiet (who me, not say something) when people say it is hard to switch from Euro to Chinese rubbers or vice versa. I have gone in each direction several times. The first time I went from Catapult Sponge with Grippy-Non-Tacky Topsheet to Hard-Non-Catapult Sponge and Tacky Topsheet, it took a bit of adjustment but not that much. But since then, I can go back and forth easily.

Nice that you have found your groove with the payoff from that little bit of extra work you need to employ when using H3. Good stuff.

And I bet H3 is great for coaching with how easily you can use the lower gears.

Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

Ilia Minkin · Oct 29, 2015

I've found out, the H3 NEO makes me work harder to get right to the ball because it's not forgiving, but as I do get to the ball in the right way now I play way better.

But do you play in real matches better with it? In matches when you face opponents about your level or above? There are some rubbers that feel great when doing regular practice or when playing weaker opponents. When it is easy to guess where the ball comes to, these rubbers allow you to make jaw dropping shots hitting through the table. But when you're stretched, that extra unforgiveness can be the difference between putting the ball on the table and sending it out in the woods.

[That's why I'm jumping off the hard tacky rubbers bandwagon after more than a year of using them]

Suga D · Oct 29, 2015

Hey Anders, that was actually the main reason why i switched from Desto to Bluefire to tenergy to Spinart to Nittaku-DHS H3 on fh....

As a youth i used to play with pf4 and BH magic carbon (both speedglued).

But my coach told me that chinese rubbers are too unforgiving and made me switch to sriver and markV.

But 22 years later i found that these tacky rubbers are exactly what i need to take my game to the next level.
My shortgame is way more controlled now and also allows me to swing harder with more confidence in offensive play...

Anders · Oct 29, 2015

Ilia Minkin said:
But do you play in real matches better with it? In matches when you face opponents about your level or above? There are some rubbers that feel great when doing regular practice or when playing weaker opponents. When it is easy to guess where the ball comes to, these rubbers allow you to make jaw dropping shots hitting through the table. But when you're stretched, that extra unforgiveness can be the difference between putting the ball on the table and sending it out in the woods.

[That's why I'm jumping off the hard tacky rubbers bandwagon after more than a year of using them]

You have a good point there, but yes, I guess I'll play better also in real matches.. Played a couple of training matches against players my level or higher yesterday and it worked fine

Thing is: I tend to get real lazy when the rubbers allows me to, that's why I like this one, it doesn't..

Suga D · Oct 29, 2015

Ilia Minkin said:
But do you play in real matches better with it? In matches when you face opponents about your level or above? There are some rubbers that feel great when doing regular practice or when playing weaker opponents. When it is easy to guess where the ball comes to, these rubbers allow you to make jaw dropping shots hitting through the table. But when you're stretched, that extra unforgiveness can be the difference between putting the ball on the table and sending it out in the woods.

[That's why I'm jumping off the hard tacky rubbers bandwagon after more than a year of using them]

Strange... I have made exactly the opposite experience. Especially in shortplay. But also in swinging. I find these tacky rubbers way easier to put the ball on the table cause they're not that springy.... But that might just be me

Suga D · Oct 29, 2015

Anders said:
Thing is: I tend to get real lazy when the rubbers allows me to, that's why I like this one, it doesn't..

This little sentence actually 'nailed' it!

Thanks, man.
I get waaaaaay to lazy (if i can)

Cornel · Oct 29, 2015

Anders said:
Thing is: I tend to get real lazy when the rubbers allows me to, that's why I like this one, it doesn't..

Man, that's exactly what I was thinking about and what we makes me think to change back to a tacky rubber on FH.

UpSideDownCarl · Oct 29, 2015

Glad I don't have the lazy problem. I play as much for exercise as for anything else so, sometimes, maybe I run around to much. Not to many guys my age who like to run all over the place like I do.

Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

Anders · Oct 29, 2015

UpSideDownCarl said:
Glad I don't have the lazy problem. I play as much for exercise as for anything else so, sometimes, maybe I run around to much. Not to many guys my age who like to run all over the place like I do.

Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

Maybe we have a different definition of the word lazy to our game Carl, but I don't mean lazy like just standing there haha

"Lazy" for Ma Long might be "working like a crazy person" for someone else.

TareqPhoto · Oct 29, 2015

Today i came back from the club after playing with my friend, and today i lost much more than before with him, but suddenly he told me: "Hey my friend[he called my name], my style or skill didn't change or improve, but you changed your style", how? He said, i was attacking a lot so i was able to win more, but after 5 or 6 games i turned to be a defensive player with few attacks, then i became so lazy and i didn't fight for many balls.

When he said that i decided to go back to my attacking style and he said i better depend on my favorite blade the DHS so i did, then i won all the games after that saying and we stopped playing as it became late, so my playing style can change because of the rubber or the blade or my mood or the opponent i play with, and laziness happens to me sometimes when i feel that i am leading in the games or won much more then my opponent, but if i get serious and still not exhaust then i become a gladiator.

Funny thing is, until now i didn't buy this Chinese rubber of H3, i still not sure if it will give me anything more or better than what i have already, or it will make my playing style easier or harder, maybe one day i may give it a try if possible, but not sure on which blade to use it with.

UpSideDownCarl · Oct 29, 2015

Anders said:
Maybe we have a different definition of the word lazy to our game Carl, but I don't mean lazy like just standing there haha

"Lazy" for Ma Long might be "working like a crazy person" for someone else.

Yeah, no, I just meant I work as hard as I can. But you are at a different level than me anyway.

But, since I am in pretty decent shape and do a lot of cross training for TT endurance, one time Michael Landers was doing a two point, backspin, multiball drill with me and somewhere in the middle he said: "do you feel your legs burning yet?" The first time I didn't. 5 min later, I definitely did and he said: "good, we we are going to finish these next two buckets!" When we were done, I went for my inhaler (I have asthma). And he said; "that's the first time I have seen you go for your inhaler. Good! That means maybe I got you to work hard enough this time!" Hahahahaha. I love it.

But, I knew you actually meant that sometimes you take shortcuts on shot selection and take easier shots without using full force with a Euro rubber because the rubber facilitates that possibility.

I was just having fun and blabbing.

Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

Anders · Oct 30, 2015

UpSideDownCarl said:
Yeah, no, I just meant I work as hard as I can. But you are at a different level than me anyway.

But, since I am in pretty decent shape and do a lot of cross training for TT endurance, one time Michael Landers was doing a two point, backspin, multiball drill with me and somewhere in the middle he said: "do you feel your legs burning yet?" The first time I didn't. 5 min later, I definitely did and he said: "good, we we are going to finish these next two buckets!" When we were done, I went for my inhaler (I have asthma). And he said; "that's the first time I have seen you go for your inhaler. Good! That means maybe I got you to work hard enough this time!" Hahahahaha. I love it.

But, I knew you actually meant that sometimes you take shortcuts on shot selection and take easier shots without using full force with a Euro rubber because the rubber facilitates that possibility.

I was just having fun and blabbing.

Sent from the Oracle of Delphi by the Pythia

Got your point Carl, just thought it would be nice for the other people reading this thread to understand a bit more what we're talking about, since they may not be as familiar with us as we are ourselves (if that makes any sense haha)

Btw didn't know you have asthma! Had it myself when I was younger, but been off the meds for some 5-6 years now, really a cruel thing..

SquareBall · Oct 30, 2015

Great topic!
I've been playing table tennis in the past but just one year in a local team, and last 1 month I can see I'm hitting much more forehand loops, and have got some feeling for the ball. The rubbers I started with still work but when brushing lightly the ball without digging into the sponge, it won't grab the ball. So I wanted try some tacky rubber.

And here comes my question, do you think I should go for a typical H3, the new Rising Dragon or something else?
Im 19 training 7-8 h/week+some crosstraining the weekend. My loop is a lot about brushing, you will not hear the sponge bottom out.

Anders · Oct 30, 2015

SquareBall said:
Great topic!
I've been playing table tennis in the past but just one year in a local team, and last 1 month I can see I'm hitting much more forehand loops, and have got some feeling for the ball. The rubbers I started with still work but when brushing lightly the ball without digging into the sponge, it won't grab the ball. So I wanted try some tacky rubber.

And here comes my question, do you think I should go for a typical H3, the new Rising Dragon or something else?
Im 19 training 7-8 h/week+some crosstraining the weekend. My loop is a lot about brushing, you will not hear the sponge bottom out.

Well.. The H3 is really cheap, compared to other pro rubbers, so why not? Go for it, and if it doesn't work out you haven't lost it all in one bet

passifid · Oct 30, 2015

Have you Considered h3 50 if you want tack and soft sponge

SquareBall · Oct 30, 2015

Dear Anders,
I am not afraid of loosing it all in one bet, are you sure that in case I try H3 and don't like this means that I won't like any other tacky rubber(except the astronomic price ones

) for sure ?

passifid,
I will also check that rubber, but rather than reading some reviews I can't do much, so I depend on your recommendations.

Ilia Minkin · Oct 30, 2015

Anders said:
You have a good point there, but yes, I guess I'll play better also in real matches.. Played a couple of training matches against players my level or higher yesterday and it worked fine

Thing is: I tend to get real lazy when the rubbers allows me to, that's why I like this one, it doesn't..

Come on, how can you be lazy if you face someone who stretches you to the limit and punishes for low quality shots?

chrisleon · Oct 30, 2015

Also if you are looking for something with tackiness and speed you should try hurricane 8 mid sponge, it's pretty good rubber.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Interesting new experience regarding my playing style!

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