Changing rubbers to change technique.

[Brozi]

My problem is that on the backhand, especially wide backhand, i often do passive shots such as block, half-punch and chop block. This often has a negative outcome such as it doesn't go on or they hit a good shot.

So my solution is to switch from dignics 05, which allows me to do these lazy shots, to dignics 09c, which doesn't. When i tried 09c on the backhand, these 'lazy' shots often completely failed, forcing me to move more. 09c also has a lot more benefits, such as more spin on drives and loops and better counters.

Do you think that it is a valid tactic to change rubber in order to play better? Ir do you think it will mess up my technique too much?

The interesting thing is, I felt quite the opposite. I changed my FH rubber from Battle II Blue sponge to Battle III, which is way easier to play with (more power in the mid end, easier spin as well), and I feel like the fact that I know my position and stroke matters less allows me to focus solely on those aspects of the shot, and while I might not get it perfect, I feel like I'm improving a lot more than with a rubber that "forces" correct play, as I gain trust in my equipment, and gradually build the good habits (footwork and the hand movement).

 

[PaddyPolar]

The interesting thing is, I felt quite the opposite. I changed my FH rubber from Battle II Blue sponge to Battle III, which is way easier to play with (more power in the mid end, easier spin as well), and I feel like the fact that I know my position and stroke matters less allows me to focus solely on those aspects of the shot, and while I might not get it perfect, I feel like I'm improving a lot more than with a rubber that "forces" correct play, as I gain trust in my equipment, and gradually build the good habits (footwork and the hand movement).

I feel like having an easier rubber on forehand is less important that backhand. On forehand, its such as big stroke that at the lower competitive levels, it doesn't really matter what ribber you use, its the same technique(with the exeption of 09c and Hurricane).

This way you can use any rubber you prefer and just micro adjust if needed. However for backhand, rubber is a lot more important. There are easy rubbers that do anything, then advance rubbers that you have to use the right technowue everytime. For example, my coach changed from tenergy to Victas v15, amd when knocking with him, a lot of balls went into the net. This is because v15 is a more advanced rubber that you have to use the right technique everytime.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

... <sig> When I use springy tensors, I tend to be lazy, and I play like a pussy.

Playing lazily and like a pussy is not a crime ok! Pussies can still win a match.

 

[tabletennismaniac]

Based on that I have been in this rabbit hole many times - changing rubbers to improve technique, my honest opinion would be that this is a wrong path to take. You can only improve technique by working hard on it and equipment does not really matter here…

These lazy shots will naturally go away, once you progress to higher level. No matter your equipment, these lazy shots will lack quality and will always be overtaken by higher level players, so you will be forced to improve.

 

[Lazer]

Based on that I have been in this rabbit hole many times - changing rubbers to improve technique, my honest opinion would be that this is a wrong path to take. You can only improve technique by working hard on it and equipment does not really matter here…

Have to agree on this, I am constantly looking for a rubber that SUITS my technique and level. Basically what I like…
I the technique changes the rubber comes after this.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Kopp]

Technique is primary, rubber is secondary.

 

[Brozi]

I feel like having an easier rubber on forehand is less important that backhand. On forehand, its such as big stroke that at the lower competitive levels, it doesn't really matter what ribber you use, its the same technique(with the exeption of 09c and Hurricane).

This way you can use any rubber you prefer and just micro adjust if needed. However for backhand, rubber is a lot more important. There are easy rubbers that do anything, then advance rubbers that you have to use the right technowue everytime. For example, my coach changed from tenergy to Victas v15, amd when knocking with him, a lot of balls went into the net. This is because v15 is a more advanced rubber that you have to use the right technique everytime.

yeahh, thats actually a good point. Backhand might be quite different than forehand. Im changing the BH rubber to something more bouncy too, so I'll probably get back here once I test the new rubber.

 

[NetProphet]

My problem is that on the backhand, especially wide backhand, i often do passive shots such as block, half-punch and chop block. This often has a negative outcome such as it doesn't go on or they hit a good shot.

So my solution is to switch from dignics 05, which allows me to do these lazy shots, to dignics 09c, which doesn't. When i tried 09c on the backhand, these 'lazy' shots often completely failed, forcing me to move more. 09c also has a lot more benefits, such as more spin on drives and loops and better counters.

Do you think that it is a valid tactic to change rubber in order to play better? Ir do you think it will mess up my technique too much?

You're reasoning, crazy to me, and although you may arrive at some kind of solution it seems to me that you are looking at it backwards.
If you know what shots you should be playing then 1) play them and 2) find the rubber that allows you to play them best.
You're putting the cart b4 the horse a little by blaming the rubber cos it 'allows' you to play lazy shots. You don't need permission from your rubber, you need to engage your mind (not meaning to be condescending here btw, I mean split second shot selection) to attempt the correct shot at the correct time regardless of what is in your hand. Concentration and shot selection are (imo) 2 of the most difficult aspects regardless of a players technical level.
But all that aside how is the rubber choice working out?
Can you play better shots on BH with the D09c?
My hunch is that D09c is harder to play with on BH and you'll probably be better off trying the correct shots with the 05.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

A change is a new start. If you change the rubbers it can be the opportunity to change and upgrade your technique. Anyway there will be needs for adjustments.
In my own case I played with slower equipment (Tibhar MK carbon with hybrid MK on FH and K3 BH) for a year. It forced me to change my swing and use more my body with the FH . I had some bad habits with the FH with the swing going too vertical or doing weird things.

I switched after a year to my current faster setup. But the FH form is much better than before and I do the weird swing much less often.

So in my case I think going through that phase was very beneficial.

But it these improvements didn’t happen with magic but a lot of practice , (boring) drills and multi ball.

 

[PaddyPolar]

play them and 2) find the rubber that allows you to play them best.
You're putting the cart b4 the horse a little by blaming the rubber cos it 'allows' you to play lazy shots.

Yeah, youre right, in the end it is me who allows these lazy shots. And it is me who has to change the way i play to no longer include these shots in my game. I just hope 09c helps me perform the proper technique better.

I switched after a year to my current faster setup. But the FH form is much better than before and I do the weird swing much less often.

Yeah my coach completely changed my forehand technique around 3 months ago, from a shoulder oriented stroke to a core one. However, even do this day i still hit a few long cause of this adjustment.

 

[Grumms]

I experimented the opposite this year. I had a very perfectible forehand, never trained it, very sloppy gesture, very poor technique. I always used very bouncy and soft tensor rubbers to compensate my flaws. And it was "working", I was winning with my BH, and my forehand

Then, I decided to stop trying to compensate with my rubber and changed to the least adapted rubber for me : chinese hard and tacky rubber. It forced me to train hard, to change everything I was doing bad with my FH. And it worked. But it took dozens of hours of training.

So all in all, changing rubber made me improve, but not thanks to the rubber, but because of the tons of training. I just needed the worst rubber for me to force myself into a training routine I never had since 2000 and my last junior year.

 

[zeio]

Do you think that it is a valid tactic to change rubber in order to play better? Ir do you think it will mess up my technique too much?

Go for it. By the "coercion" of LGL, ML changed from TB ALC to 506 after WTTC 2011 to increase his spin and then T64 to H3 (prototype of 37 Soft?) after World Cup 2014 to improve his BH.

 

[Grumms]

Go for it. By the "coercion" of LGL, ML changed from TB ALC to 506 after WTTC 2011 to increase his spin and then T64 to H3 (prototype of 37 Soft?) after World Cup 2014 to improve his BH.

You talk about someone with perfect technique, perfect footwork, who can adapt at the lightning speed to any racquet. That's irrelevant compared to the issues of amateur players. The rubber will never improve the technique of anyone. It might improve the efficiency when your technique is already great. That's all.

 

[PaddyPolar]

You talk about someone with perfect technique, perfect footwork, who can adapt at the lightning speed to any racquet. That's irrelevant compared to the issues of amateur players. The rubber will never improve the technique of anyone. It might improve the efficiency when your technique is already great. That's all.

Who said i didn't have perfect footwork like Ma Long?!


Pretty much everyone.

 

[zeio]

You talk about someone with perfect technique, perfect footwork, who can adapt at the lightning speed to any racquet. That's irrelevant compared to the issues of amateur players. The rubber will never improve the technique of anyone. It might improve the efficiency when your technique is already great. That's all.

Not necessarily. See quote below.

You never know until you try. Switching equipment could promote comprehension of aspects that were ignored or might even have been overlooked.

I helped a friend with hours of multiball after switching (on his own accord because Zhang Yining was his idol) from Offensive Classic with H3 and Sriver EL (more suitable for a looping game and he was stuck) to Innerforce ZLC with Acuda S1 and Baracuda (more suitable for a blocking game) and many club members noted the improvement in level (without knowledge of equipment change), a case in point of what Wu Jingping said. I also "converted" one of his friends from penhold with RPB to shakehand and his game definitely improved after the conversion as he became harder to beat.

https://m.thepaper.cn/wifiKey_detail.jsp?contid=1910157

另外，国家体育总局副局长蔡振华也来到队里和教练组一起为“小胖”会诊，“他指出小胖具有主力的能力，定位要清楚，必须充满自信，只是目前出了一点问题。”

对于之前国乒接连输球的原因，吴敬平则认为是由于为了适应新球更换器材所致，“器材的使用上不能侥幸，希望通过器材的改变来解决遇到的困难是不现实的。”

吴敬平说，器材的选择必须适合自己的技术特点，而反面的蝴蝶套胶更适合小胖技术特点的发挥。

 

[Grumms]

Not necessarily. See quote below.

You never know until you try. Switching equipment could promote comprehension of aspects that were ignored or might even have been overlooked.

I helped a friend with hours of multiball after switching (on his own accord because Zhang Yining was his idol) from Offensive Classic with H3 and Sriver EL (more suitable for a looping game and he was stuck) to Innerforce ZLC with Acuda S1 and Baracuda (more suitable for a blocking game) and many club members noted the improvement in level (without knowledge of equipment change), a case in point of what Wu Jingping said. I also "converted" one of his friends from penhold with RPB to shakehand and his game definitely improved after the conversion as he became harder to beat.

https://m.thepaper.cn/wifiKey_detail.jsp?contid=1910157

As said, it might have improved his efficiency, not his technique. It did not improve his hand work, his elbow work, his foot work,...

Myselft, 3 months ago, if I switched back to tensor, I would have improved my efficiency, but not my technique.