Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[JeffM]

Jeff,

Knee injuries will swell and it can be tough to know the actual extent of damage right away.

If it is a tendon strain or tear, and it is not a complete 100% tear, you have hope. Your own blood carries the stuff to heal and rebuild it, but ligaments receive damned little blood. That is why it takes so long to heal such an injury, especially if you have to use the injured ligament or tendon on a daily basis as part of basic life activities.

That is why it is important to get as much blood flow to the area as you can as early as you can and as prolonged as you can. If you can do stationary bike with little to no resistance and it doesn't hurt, that is one great way to get more blood moving, but it sucks to do that several times a day. If it doesn't hurt to walk, do that.

When you are at home, a wrap that has Far Infared Heat or magnets does that too. The ones with magnets or tourmaline fibers that refract your body heat cost around $25 USD and the ones using electricity to make the the FIH cost around $100 USD. I have used such a device to help a rotator cuff tendon injury and it really sped up recovery.

Thanks Der_Echte. I am still trying to get the swelling to go away first though, by having compression and elevating it as much as I can, and resting it (i.e. not using it as much). With your suggestion, do you mean to do that when the swelling is gone right?

 

[Der_Echte]

Short answer: Yes, but don't totally leave the area set immobilized forever.

You get rid of swelling within a few days with the RICE and you get a better picture of where you stand. If it swole up to that extent, it isn't something that you can walk off within a day. Getting rid of the swelling and then testing it out is a good idea. I wouldn't totally immobilize it, it is important to use the area to an extent that doesn't further injure it. If it doesn't hurt to slowly flex the joint without any weight on it doing that a little when you can in between your elevation/swelling reduction period is better than not using it at all.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

You're probably right. I've experienced this every time I've tried to get a bit heavier of a setup and immediately switched back. I always thought it was my twig-like properties that made the heavier raquet's stroke lag behind the rest of my arm and forarm.

Shuki, I think what has been missed in this conversation is that, adding weight to the handle of a blade is not the same as having a heavier blade.

If you take an 85 gram blade and add 10 grams to the handle, the head still weighs the same. But the extra weight is in your hand which counterbalances the weight of the head. So, adding 10 grams to the handle of a head heavy 85 gram blade will actually not make it feel heavier. But going from a well balanced 85 gram blade to a head heavy 85 gram blade, the head heavy 85 gram blade WILL FEEL HEAVIER. Or going from a head heavy 80 gram blade to a head heavy 85 gram blade, the 85 gram blade will feel heavier.

All that being the case, if you played with the heavier blade and nothing else, for 2 months solid, the heavier blade would start feeling like the right weight. My blade, it is 92 grams mid-balanced, with Tenergy the total weight is 195 grams with MXP it was 201 grams. The blade I used before this one was 85 grams. For me it took 2 hours to get used to the weight. Now if I pick up a 88 gram mid-balanced blade that feels light.

Your body will adjust. You are stronger than you think even if you are not as strong as you want to be. And there is nothing wrong with adding a little strength training.

The physics of the handle heavy/head heavy issue is simple.

Hold a half gallon jug of water by your side; see what the weight feels like. Then hold the jug out with your arm fully extended and parallel to the ground: the jug will feel like it is heavier.

Here are 2 photos:

Try both and tell me which one makes it feel like your arms are heavier!

The weight distribution when you add weight to the handle should make the blade feel more whippy because the the weight of the head has been counterbalanced. And adding weight to the handle is not the same as getting a heavier blade.

Hopefully that information helps.


Sent from Deep Space by Abacus

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

On a different subject, I got to be an equipment junkie for a few hours on Friday. I have not done that in sooooo long. A friend wanted to try blades to get an idea of what he wanted to use as a new blade.

I took out a dozen of my blades that I haven't played with in years. And he proceeded to rip rubbers off and glue them onto blade after blade.

So of course I had to play around and try things. It is amazing how something you have not hit with in a long time, simply because it feels different, feelz so good to bang the ball around with.

Two of the blades that I sort of loved were the Nexy Spear and my Custom OSP blade. Interestingly, they have the same ply construction even though they feel very different.

I just loved the feeling of that springy Spruce ply under the Limba top ply even though it made the touch for short game slightly different and neither blade got as much spin as the Kim Jung Hoon or the OSP V+.

Anyway, one of the things I noticed in playing around with different equipment, these days I am more stressed and have less time, so messing around like that did not feel comfortable for me the way it used to. Well, I guess, my time for playing is too valuable to use it on experimentation these days.

But for a little while, to try a few new things was fun.


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[UpSideDownCarl]

Thanks Der_Echte. I am still trying to get the swelling to go away first though, by having compression and elevating it as much as I can, and resting it (i.e. not using it as much). With your suggestion, do you mean to do that when the swelling is gone right?

Along with elevation, also alternate between ice and heat. Ice more important for reducing swelling, heat helps blood flow.

Any simple knee movements you can do from a prone position with your legs up will be useful. I will see if I can post a video.

Der_Echte is correct that you want to keep moving it. But moving it without aggravating the injury.

Another thing to know. If it does bother you for more than a week it is worth seeing an orthopedic doctor.


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[JeffM]

Along with elevation, also alternate between ice and heat. Ice more important for reducing swelling, heat helps blood flow.

Any simple knee movements you can do from a prone position with your legs up will be useful. I will see if I can post a video.

Der_Echte is correct that you want to keep moving it. But moving it without aggravating the injury.

Another thing to know. If it does bother you for more than a week it is worth seeing an orthopedic doctor.


Sent from Deep Space by Abacus

Thanks Carl. I hope it doesn't get to that. I also have some rocktape put on by my friend on the knee, I can walk without any pain now. Just that I do not want this to go to a chronic problem like my other knee which ended up having an operation for it. So I really want to just rest this and get it over and done with with 1 single recovery, i.e. not drag it out.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Thanks Carl. I hope it doesn't get to that. I also have some rocktape put on by my friend on the knee, I can walk without any pain now. Just that I do not want this to go to a chronic problem like my other knee which ended up having an operation for it. So I really want to just rest this and get it over and done with with 1 single recovery, i.e. not drag it out.

Here are the movements for while it is still a little wonky:

You can do a few 100 of those at a time. Make it really gentle. Like you don't have to straighten all the way and you don't have to bend all the way.

When your knee no longer has swelling you can do it more like the next version.

Hope this helps it get better faster.


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[Gene Tuttle]

Wrong Tournament

So I finally got an improvement in my rating at the Austin R.R. tournament... I changed blades and rubber (again) from a fast blade to a all-round blade and rubber. ( My ego thought I could handle the faster equipment but I could not.) I tried to play a full step farther back from the table than I was before and just concentrated on returning everything with quality rather than speed. I realized I would never win points that failed to hit the other side of the table and attempted to slow down... I was rated at 1261 and beat a 1810 and a 1602 player. Was pretty odd because I tried something else new as well. Before playing the opponent I purposely did not look at their rating on the bracket sheet. I tried to play each opponent as if they were all my same rating and just remain relaxed and play high percentage shots. It did not work all the time and I still choked when playing a couple of opponents when I had them down by two games and lost... but over all this strategy worked to keep me trying hard against all opponents rather than taking some for granted and putting too much pressure on my self vs the higher rated ones. Now I just have to continue to improve....
Edit:
I posted that this was the Austin RR. tournament but it was the Rose City Summer round robin. I played both tournaments in the last month and got them twisted up....

 

[Der_Echte]

So I finally got an improvement in my rating at the Austin R.R. tournament... I changed blades and rubber (again) from a fast blade to a all-round blade and rubber. ( My ego thought I could handle the faster equipment but I could not.) I tried to play a full step farther back from the table than I was before and just concentrated on returning everything with quality rather than speed. I realized I would never win points that failed to hit the other side of the table and attempted to slow down... I was rated at 1261 and beat a 1810 and a 1602 player. Was pretty odd because I tried something else new as well. Before playing the opponent I purposely did not look at their rating on the bracket sheet. I tried to play each opponent as if they were all my same rating and just remain relaxed and play high percentage shots. It did not work all the time and I still choked when playing a couple of opponents when I had them down by two games and lost... but over all this strategy worked to keep me trying hard against all opponents rather than taking some for granted and putting too much pressure on my self vs the higher rated ones. Now I just have to continue to improve....

Wow, those are some great results !!! Austin TTC will submit results soon and likely you see the ratings processed this week.

Yeah, it bites to be ahead 2-0 and still lose, but it will get better with more matches.

 

[Shuki]

Thanks Carl. The way you explained the heaviness of handle weight clicked very well. I may try to weigh down the handle of this a but and see if the distribution of weight helps.

Hit with the new blade with my coach today and initially she said that I wasn't going through the ball, that I was hesitating.

Then I asked her if the heavier blade could be slowing down my stroke, to which she said oh you got a new paddle? If it's heavier you need to shorten your stroke the way you play.

I didn't know what she meant by the way I play but I listened and the shorter stroke worked greatly. The paddle wasn't lagging behind anymore so I had my timing fixed quite a bit with the shorter stroke.

I really want to add weight to the handle and see if that more evenly distributed weight will help my Raquet speed get back up to its normal pace


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[Der_Echte]

Haha Gene, sounds like You gunna be a BONE CRUSHER in 6 weeks at WDCTT Giant Round Robin.

Watch out though, the 1800ish crowd here... many of them are true 2000 level players who will never make that rating.

 

[sspark80]

So I finally got an improvement in my rating at the Austin R.R. tournament... I changed blades and rubber (again) from a fast blade to a all-round blade and rubber. ( My ego thought I could handle the faster equipment but I could not.) I tried to play a full step farther back from the table than I was before and just concentrated on returning everything with quality rather than speed. I realized I would never win points that failed to hit the other side of the table and attempted to slow down... I was rated at 1261 and beat a 1810 and a 1602 player. Was pretty odd because I tried something else new as well. Before playing the opponent I purposely did not look at their rating on the bracket sheet. I tried to play each opponent as if they were all my same rating and just remain relaxed and play high percentage shots. It did not work all the time and I still choked when playing a couple of opponents when I had them down by two games and lost... but over all this strategy worked to keep me trying hard against all opponents rather than taking some for granted and putting too much pressure on my self vs the higher rated ones. Now I just have to continue to improve....

Congratulations on a good tournament, Gene. What setup did you use for this RR tournament?

 

[Shuki]

Today an old member of our club came back after a 3-4 month hiatus. This is a penholder who plays short pips and doesn't spin the ball much at all but will find a kill shot where it seems like the kill is impossible. I got to talking to him for a while and mentioned hi his footwork is fantastic so what made him decide short pips on his paddle.

He responded saying that he never learned to brush the ball well, and it there's a very spinny ball when he's using inverted he simply can't adjust and learn to brush instead of flat hit.

I find it odd that a player can get to a high level like him(2100-2150) without ever learning to deal with spin. Especially in a game where spin is so important.


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[NextLevel]

Shuki,

There is a difference between learning to brush the ball and learning to deal with spin. You know that right?

 

[NextLevel]

In fact you can spin the ball without brushing it, Shuki. You know that right?

 

[Shuki]

So you think he can deal with spin without pips at that level?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

So you think he can deal with spin without pips at that level?

If he is 2100+ he is doing something right with the pips or the ball wouldn't go on the table. Even though the adjustment to spin is different with short pips, long pips and with smooth, if a player is not reading and adjusting to spin he will simply not even get his racket on a 2100 player's loops.


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[NextLevel]

So you think he can deal with spin without pips at that level?

That's like saying I can block with long pips at a 2000+ level. The question is always about practice - you don't play table tennis with verbal knowledge - you play it with accumulated practice. I can play with short pips at an 1800+ level. I am sure I would retain about 80-90% at least of my level with serious practice and I would probably get some easy high level wins vs. players who never practice against pips (I would practice against high level inverted topspin so that my game would be secure).

USing inverted is a trade off - you can generate massive amounts of spin but also have a spin sensitive surface. With short pips you get good spin, but not great spin and grip. The tradeoff is less spin sensitivity so you can use more open racket angles to aggressively attack the ball. But you need to read spin to play with short pips. You need to estimate the spin on the ball when you hit it. That said, your ball won't dip with pips like it does with inverted, so you are forced to take the ball early with pips as you can't take the ball late consistently or get the same energy as you get from inverted sponge. That is why your friend needs great footwork. I used to play a pips type game until I was USATT 1700 so I could have used either inverted or pips up to that point. I can still do so now, but spin is such a large part of my game now and my footwork issues are bigger than they used to be, so taking the ball late could be a problem, but I would probably work harder at blocking over the table like I used to when I was under 1800 and still sometimes do today (when I brain fart) with mixed results.

 

[Gene Tuttle]

Wdctt

Haha Gene, sounds like You gunna be a BONE CRUSHER in 6 weeks at WDCTT Giant Round Robin.

Watch out though, the 1800ish crowd here... many of them are true 2000 level players who will never make that rating.

I mis- posted above.. I was the Rose City Summer Tournament where I did better. Not the Austin Tournament. I played both and got the results turned around. I appreciate the confidence but I doubt I will be a bone crusher Most likely get smoked. I just wanted to play in an East Coast area tournament as I really liked the Washington area when I was on vacation there a couple of years ago.My new set up is a all-round racquet and rubber and I still have trouble with service returns. Many times I see the spin arriving and still cant deal with it as I get too tense and lose my touch. I lost against several people my level who had deceptive/spinney serves and then I beat the two higher ranked players who had less effective serves. I lost way too many points to returning serves into the net while trying to keep the ball low. It would have been better to just get it over the net and take my chances with getting it smashed. At least I would have a chance to return the 3rd ball attack or they could miss. Sometimes it was like an out of body experience where I absolutely knew the service I was getting just from watching the impact and angle and I still saw myself pushing the ball into the net. In retrospect it would probably have been easier to just dink it over and take my chances. At least I learned a little from it.

 

[Ilia Minkin]

My new set up is a all-round racquet and rubber and I still have trouble with service returns. Many times I see the spin arriving and still cant deal with it as I get too tense and lose my touch.

Sometimes I see the ball coming so dead at me so I clearly see it revolving in the air with the sharply visible logo. And still screw it up