Back on TTD!

[agold]

Hi everyone! It's been a while (for a number of reasons), but I'm back on the forum now! I have been away for a month so I missed the US Open, but I am going back to training now. I am using Nexy Spartacus with Tibhar evolution FX-P on my fh and Nexy Elpis on my bh. I really like the setup and have been developing my game with it a lot. The Spartacus is great for mid distance power and with the elpis, although it doesn't have a lot of speed, I can play quick at the table and, when I am farther back, the combination of the blade and the BH rubber allows for spin, speed, and control with the right stroke for the setup. The evolution is the first euro rubber I used and after adapting my forehand to fit with it my game has improved and can continue to improve.


At my 1610 rating (which is a little low because I haven't played in a tournament for a few months (my coach says it is more like 1750) I can open up on both sides and can finish the point with my forehand. I have trouble with switching from FH to BH in the middle of a rally, and so I become quick to go into defense and move back. Although I am good at fishing and counterlooping from both sides I can't pressure the opponent (with power and location) from that far back. So my mid-distance style doesn't fit with finishing points. I am going to a few table tennis camps in the next few months where I will work on switching from FH to BH and playing with power from far back. I hope the coaches there can help me understand my game better so I can figure out how to win points. I'll bring a video camera so I can post training sessions here, and maybe you all can help me get better.


I have been trying for over a year now to create a table tennis team at my school. I succesfully helped start a student run club, and we then got 70 boys and girls interested in being on a team. If everything works out it will be a winter 2017 sport.


I'm writing all of this because I am going to be posting more on here again and I want you all to know a little bit about my goals so you know what I need help with and what I can help with.


I am glad to be back on here!


- agold

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Good to hear from you Abenator! Der_Echte was wondering where you've been. I sort of thought it was finals and vacation. But good to hear from you.

I think you should see what the FX-P feels like on the BH side to. Just turn your racket around to test it for five minutes or so. You may be able to turn your BH into a bigger weapon that way.


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[agold]

Good to hear from you Abenator! Der_Echte was wondering where you've been. I sort of thought it was finals and vacation. But good to hear from you.

I think you should see what the FX-P feels like on the BH side to. Just turn your racket around to test it for five minutes or so. You may be able to turn your BH into a bigger weapon that way.


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It's good to be on here again! You're right, I had finals and then vacation. I'll definitely take your suggestion with the evo on the bh. I know it's a good suggestion especially since TTD has you as an equipment expert now you definitely are one. I'll come back after I try it and tell you what I think.

 

[Giangt]

Good to have you back agold! Looking forward to see your improvements on vid. Keep us posted.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I know it's a good suggestion especially since TTD has you as an equipment expert now you definitely are one.

Hahaha. That means, I am patient and ask questions, and hopefully, it gets people to figure out what they want for themselves. Perhaps it also means that I can formulate ideas in writing decently as well. And I know what I like to play with.

And perhaps most importantly, I know how to give the goon squad the slip.

Even if I couldn't wrestle Spartacus from Abe!

 

[Der_Echte]

Classic pics some members missed out on.

I use Elpis on BH and am happy with it. I think my BH is BETTER than when Carl last saw it.

I think with Abe, it is a matter of getting more muscles to work together with better timing. He has enough leverage to lay down the smack. It doesn't hurt to work on touch and placement as those are more important than raw power.

Abe is a great example of what I would like to see get done in TT in USA. Kids on the rise wear sharp looking uniforms and act professionally doing so, they lead others to want to know what the deal about TT is.

We need another 25,000 Abe clones in USA and we do not have that kind of money to invest in that just yet, but Abe is a great start and he did it hiz own self without much help from us.

I suspect the older gents in Westchester are gunna dust off some cuss words during and after their next encounter with Abe in the monthly tourney then shake his hand as they know he is gunna pass them up in ranking and level.

I am on west coast (L.A.) ready to start umpiring TT for Special Olympics World Games. Havin' a blast here and that is why you all didn't see me post a ton lately.

 

[Der_Echte]

If the entire forum doesn't LIKE Abe's post and make Abe the most liked member in 2015, Carl will personally lead the TT goon squads to make all manner of trouble.

However, Abe's post easily has the most likes of July and that is a good start and a sign of TTD's members really missing him being around.

 

[Dan]

Hey agold great to have you back! Good work getting more players involved in the sport, 70 players real good stuff!

Looking forward to your future videos and play. Keep it up

By the way, Carl that picture is hilarious!

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Hey agold great to have you back! Good work getting more players involved in the sport, 70 players real good stuff!

Looking forward to your future videos and play. Keep it up

By the way, Carl that picture is hilarious!

Hahahaha. The kid was too strong for me. LOL.

We had fun when we did that.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I use Elpis on BH and am happy with it. I think my BH is BETTER than when Carl last saw it.

@Der_Echte: FYI, I agree with you about the timing, touch, placement and not needing a fast rubber for BH. Heck. I could use Elpis on both sides and be fine. I know I can supply the power. And you, you've got the size and raw force of an angry Grizzly Bear that you can put behind your backhand when you want to.

And I know that Abe was using Tenergy on a Viscaria on his BH before he was using Elpis on that Spartacus. And he was using H3 on his FH back the. So back the. His BH rubber was faster and spinnier and it was also faster and spinnier than his FH rubber. These days the blade is a small amount slower. The FH rubber is a ROCKET that includes warp speed mode, and the backhand is just about TURTLE speed. Okay, I know it is not turtle speed but next to the rocket launcher he has on FH and the Tenergy he used to have on BH it is not so fast.

So I just figured, since he already has FX-P (with rocket launchers installed) on his blade, he might as well flip the racket around and see how it works for his BH. 'Cause that is one heck of a BH rubber and if he is feeling his BH is not as powerful, then a little bit of jet fuel to add to the muscle he already has, might be okay. [emoji2]

If he tries it and it doesn't work then he flips the racket back and he still has the Elpis on it.


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[agold]

@Der_Echte: FYI, I agree with you about the timing, touch, placement and not needing a fast rubber for BH. Heck. I could use Elpis on both sides and be fine. I know I can supply the power. And you, you've got the size and raw force of an angry Grizzly Bear that you can put behind your backhand when you want to.

And I know that Abe was using Tenergy on a Viscaria on his BH before he was using Elpis on that Spartacus. And he was using H3 on his FH back the. So back the. His BH rubber was faster and spinnier and it was also faster and spinnier than his FH rubber. These days the blade is a small amount slower. The FH rubber is a ROCKET that includes warp speed mode, and the backhand is just about TURTLE speed. Okay, I know it is not turtle speed but next to the rocket launcher he has on FH and the Tenergy he used to have on BH it is not so fast.

So I just figured, since he already has FX-P (with rocket launchers installed) on his blade, he might as well flip the racket around and see how it works for his BH. 'Cause that is one heck of a BH rubber and if he is feeling his BH is not as powerful, then a little bit of jet fuel to add to the muscle he already has, might be okay. [emoji2]

If he tries it and it doesn't work then he flips the racket back and he still has the Elpis on it.


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I'm definitely gonna give it a try. The thing was, when I used Viscaria and T80 on my BH, I basically only blocked. I didn't have a backhand loop at all, not against underspin or topspin. Not even a small wrist loop. I had a block and a punch block. Now I have developed my backhand and I can loop well with it, maybe partly thanks to the slower elpis (allowing me to develop the stroke). Maybe going back to something faster now like what I have on the FH would be a good idea now. If I play tomorrow I will try it out (although it's gonna be my first session in a month so I'll definitely be rusty).

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I'm definitely gonna give it a try. The thing was, when I used Viscaria and T80 on my BH, I basically only blocked. I didn't have a backhand loop at all, not against underspin or topspin. Not even a small wrist loop. I had a block and a punch block. Now I have developed my backhand and I can loop well with it, maybe partly thanks to the slower elpis (allowing me to develop the stroke). Maybe going back to something faster now like what I have on the FH would be a good idea now. If I play tomorrow I will try it out (although it's gonna be my first session in a month so I'll definitely be rusty).

Wait till you are warm or have played a few sessions. First session isn't the best for trying faster equipment.

And if that is the case, perhaps the Elpis is actually the right thing for your backhand. But you have nothing to lose if, after a couple of days of playing you turn your racket around to feel the FX-P for BH. If it works for you, you have learned something. If it doesn't you have still learned something. [emoji2]


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[42andbackpains]

Agold, it was nice meeting you at NYISC a couple of months ago. Hope you keep improving and get to 2000 soon.

 

[agold]

Agold, it was nice meeting you at NYISC a couple of months ago. Hope you keep improving and get to 2000 soon.

Wow, it was nice to meet you as well, and nice to see that you've joined TTD! It was fun hitting with you... and thanks a lot for the waters!

 

[42andbackpains]

Wow, it was nice to meet you as well, and nice to see that you've joined TTD! It was fun hitting with you... and thanks a lot for the waters!

Yeah, i lurk alot on TTD. I will post more in the future. Hope to play you soon.

 

[NextLevel]

Yeah, i lurk alot on TTD. I will post more in the future. Hope to play you soon.

With MyTT down again, I expect more posters and lurkers to make the transition.

 

[Baal]

With MyTT down again, I expect more posters and lurkers to make the transition.

I don't know why it is down. People have sent me texts from other forums asking. Last time it was down to make some systems changes to make it harder for spammers to infest the place.

 

[NextLevel]

I don't know why it is down. People have sent me texts from other forums asking. Last time it was down to make some systems changes to make it harder for spammers to infest the place.

Well, with no prior notifications and no clear prime movers behind the site, it's getting harder for me to trust the site as much as it is my main home.

 

[Der_Echte]

I think Abe oughta keep giving FX-P a shot for a while on FH. I think that rubber really matches up well with the blade and gives a good strong top end gear when you make a full swing for sponge loops and also directly struck balls.

Elpis is a much more balanced rubber with control. It is straight middle in most stuff but with a little more spin than most. You wont get super duper rebound simply by holding your bat firm, but when you time your acceleration, you can really generate both fast bat speed for pace on solid struck balls and swift acceleration for spin.

Carl credits me with strength of angry Bear, but I think that is only how I look and act when grumpy. I make a lot of bat speed in a VERY short stroke. it is all about transferring energy. You create the impetus of kinetic energy with a small step or bend forward or leg push off / waist rotate (quick and short) and transfer it to the LOWER arm and use lower arm snap once the energy gets there and quickly add to it and use a tiny wrist on solid struck balls and more slap wrist angle (the main pivot angle where you can bend wrist 90 degrees, you use that kind of wrist to REALLY add kick to the ball and also suddenly change the departure avenue from body shot to by-ya down BH corner in a real sudden.

Abe, you use what you got a mind as you listen to you TT friends and coach, you have a good bullcrap filter and will do OK at the end of the day.

I also think FX-P is a great BH rubber if you can afford two expensive rubbers for both FH and BH. I can make Elpis do what I want on BH (just like I did with XP 2008) Being able to feel what you are doing is important as you get better in general and you will really value the ability to change hand pressure at impact to block soft, medium and fast, as well as on all the other shots - it is a valuable skill higher level.