Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[jammmail]

Was there any reason for his bad sportsmanship?

 

[tzifos]

During match, he complained to the referee for Sgouropoulos' serves. I don't know anything more. He was sorry about his behavior later in the interview after that game.

 

[Lula]

I have used Haifu Dolphin the last ten years. But the quality is shit so the edge of the rubber fall of. I hope you understand what i mean with my limited engish. The rubber cost almost 50 USD and this happens after a month for me. So if i want to compete i can not do it with that rubber. I do not remember that this was an issue in the past so do not know what have happened. The rubber is also out of stock and Japsko thinks that they are not doing the rubber anymore. For these reasons i tried Spinpips Blue tonight. I read about sponge hardness and thought it would be pretty hard.

The topsheet was great but the sponge was way to soft. It was very difficult to smash hard. So i can not continue playing with this. It was no fun. I think i did the correct stroke but nothing happened because i think the sponge was to mushy.

Sorry if i sound negative, i am very disapointed and frutrated. I do not want to change short pimple rubber but feel that i have to. Is it possible that i read wrong about the sponge hardness? or that all inbuilt speed glue short pimple rubbers feel like this?

What should i try? thinking about trying 802 or something like that and boost it a little. What short pimple rubbers are harder?

If i can not find another option i will start using inverted instead, but i do not think i would enjoy that as much and it would be hard in the beginning. So i will proably stop playing tabletennis. But hopefully it must be some good short pimple rubbers that i can smash well with. And i am very certain that it is not anothing wrong with my strokes, since i can smash well with the other rubber. Maybe i will need to adapt but i find it very unlikely that i will play better with it in the future.

 

[mart1nandersson]

Lula: Is it not best to ask Anton or someone at Japsko? My understanding is that they're gurus when it comes to pips. They're the official distributor of TSP/Victas so they should be able to tell you if anything in that range matches or plays similar to Dolphin.

OOAK is probably a better place to post questions about pips but it's hard to know who to listen to and believe.

An alternative could be to just buy a few different sheets from AliExpress of stuff like 802-40 since it's cheap but it's really hard to know what sponge would suit you since 802 is sold with a million different sponges (and I think that the same applies to others like Globe 889 etc).

Just my 0.02$ and don't quit TT as you will regret it eventually.

 

[NextLevel]

For forehand the guy I know who likes to hit uses Spinlord Waran. For backhand the guys I know use Nittaku Moristo. I really don't know enough to comment on quality and durability. 802 is pretty cheap and flat ball producing and annoying. But people I know preferred the others to it.

 

[Lula]

I know both Anton and Marcus somewhat good personally so i have asked them. Know that Marcus think that there are nothing as good as dolphin available.

I have also asked in that forum But i felt that i Did not get many answers.

I think i mostly wrote here because it felt so bad that it Did not work out.

I wonder why. I have Tried someones very soft victas pimple rubber ans i could smash well with that so Maybe it is not the softness? I got spinpips blue because i thought it was pretty hard and tsp know pimples. I like it hard because then i feel i got good control and that i can not cheat so much with the technique. Get so much help from soft rubbers so can basically Do the wrong stroke and still get a decent result.

I Will proably not stop playing. But there must be better rubbers out there. Can not play with short pimples where i can not kill the ball. It is like playing with inverted that can not make spin.

 

[Lula]

For forehand the guy I know who likes to hit uses Spinlord Waran. For backhand the guys I know use Nittaku Moristo. I really don't know enough to comment on quality and durability. 802 is pretty cheap and flat ball producing and annoying. But people I know preferred the others to it.

I think waran could be a good option. But i think it is very soft?

I think i prefer a harder rubber. But Maybe i can get used to a softer. But i like harder because then i need ro move well and so rhe correct stroke to get a good result. Or atleast i think it work that way.

 

[NextLevel]

I think waran could be a good option. But i think it is very soft?

I think i prefer a harder rubber. But Maybe i can get used to a softer. But i like harder because then i need ro move well and so rhe correct stroke to get a good result. Or atleast i think it work that way.

If you like spinny pips, then I think Degu is the spinny one. But guy I know who sells it is over 60 and he doesn't like spinny pips he likes pace.

But I don't know much about pips I can play with them maybe 200 pts below my inverted rating but you will still tell I am using mostly inverted strokes but hitting.

 

[jammmail]

So last night I lost my opening league game in 5 ends, good young player with some spiny serves but feel disappointed I lost. Feel if I had played like i did in the second or third game I think I may have won comfortably. In the few games Ive lost this season, 2 of them have been the first game of the night. (As usual in England the best players in each team usual go first, so the first game can be quite key)
So how do you guys make sure your dialed in and ready to go from the off? I even got there a little earlier yesterday to practice some serves first but still felt the game got away from me.

 

[yoass]

So how do you guys make sure your dialed in and ready to go from the off?

Startup problems are quite common indeed. Whenever I can, I try to be there 30-45 minutes before the match, do a good warmup off the table, a bit of warmup at the table and then a few minimatches (games of 5, alternating serves) with my team mates to get sharp.

 

[jammmail]

a bit of warmup at the table ...

Thanks Yoass - what kinda stuff do you do for this. I think it could be a good part of the problem not feeling loose/switched on.

 

[yoass]

Thanks Yoass - what kinda stuff do you do for this. I think it could be a good part of the problem not feeling loose/switched on.

A few game patterns, and some free play. Key is to get sharp, so: real match-level serves and receives. Patterns I always include (with a coöperating partner):

Warmup off the table:

- Rope jumps (typically without a rope)
- High knees
- Lateral and forward/backward steps/hops (ladder like)
- Loosening up back, shoulders, neck

Warmup at the table:

- FH and BH counters
- FH and BH loops/blocks
- FH and BH counterloops at and away from the table

Matchplay to get sharp (counting points):

- 1. Short serve to the FH, 2. aggressive push back (deep into the body, extreme wide FH, ...), 3. FH and BH open (slow and spinny, fast and flatter, fast and spinny, ...), 4. block or counter (if possible), 5. kill
- 1. Short serve, 2. FH or BH flick, 3. counterspin, 4. counterspin or kill (repeat)
- 1. Short serve, 2. short push, 3. whoever gets the opportunity opens
- Free matchplay

 

[jammmail]

A few game patterns, and some free play. Key is to get sharp, so: real match-level serves and receives. Patterns I always include (with a coöperating partner):

Warmup off the table:

- Rope jumps (typically without a rope)
- High knees
- Lateral and forward/backward steps/hops (ladder like)
- Loosening up back, shoulders, neck

Warmup at the table:

- FH and BH counters
- FH and BH loops/blocks
- FH and BH counterloops at and away from the table

Matchplay to get sharp (counting points):

- 1. Short serve to the FH, 2. aggressive push back (deep into the body, extreme wide FH, ...), 3. FH and BH open (slow and spinny, fast and flatter, fast and spinny, ...), 4. block or counter (if possible), 5. kill
- 1. Short serve, 2. FH or BH flick, 3. counterspin, 4. counterspin or kill (repeat)
- 1. Short serve, 2. short push, 3. whoever gets the opportunity opens
- Free matchplay

Thanks Yoass - thats really useful! The first section and last I need to work on and try out

 

[NextLevel]

Thanks Yoass - thats really useful! The first section and last I need to work on and try out

I need to play some matches before I play a match. The brain just functions differently in match mode and it is better to be in it before you play than to try to get into it on crucial points. I noticed that after I have played a match, the TTEDGE app seems to slow down. A friend told me that after match practice when he was younger, he keeps thinking his robot was broken but he later realized it was just him being mentally engaged and that was why the robot felt slow.

So you want that part of your physiology well engaged. Playing warm up game is just the best way.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

I need to play matches as well but its impossible at our tournaments. Warmup period = 30minutes but we're like often 8 or 12 on each table, it means 2 or 3 pairs on each diagonal, playing 1 point each. You'd better be with a good partner because if he misses immediately the ball, you're just watching the other players warming up !

Then when the match begins, we're allowed just to do 3 balls. Of course it can be hours before the warmup period and the first time you are called for a match.

I just hate this. Its the same for everybody, but i know these rules are a relative handicap for me, i am more like a Diesel, and my confidence and my level of play is much higher if i can just do 15-30 minutes of drills with a good partner.

 

[Der_Echte]

For forehand the guy I know who likes to hit uses Spinlord Waran. For backhand the guys I know use Nittaku Moristo. I really don't know enough to comment on quality and durability. 802 is pretty cheap and flat ball producing and annoying. But people I know preferred the others to it.

Triple haha.

TTD member erm, prolly the world's hugest EJ, (not even close) kept slapping on different rubbers on the all-wood OFF- class blades he kept gifting me...

The rubber the popped out as very suitable for me was the inverted version of the old school Nittaku allround rubber - Moristo.

Somehow, an allround or control oriented rubber works for my BH... and that would be strange to many players as my BH shots are way more refined/developed than my FH ones.

 

[yoass]

Triple haha. (…)
The rubber the popped out as very suitable for me was the inverted version of the old school Nittaku allround rubber - Moristo.

I suspect NL meant Moristo SP.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

So how do you guys make sure your dialed in and ready to go from the off? I even got there a little earlier yesterday to practice some serves first but still felt the game got away from me.

Full disclosure: I have not played a tournament in over 30 yrs and probably won't play in any time soon if at all.

yoass gave you good advice! I would add:

For warmup off the table, I would include some shadowing drills if you have no access to a table to warmup on:

1. Basic strokes (FH, BH, FH loop, BH loop, FH to BH, FH loop to BH loop, FH loop to FH smash, etc) - start slow, make sure form/stroke is correct, progressively speed up

2. Serve and 3rd ball attack with footwork be it pivot or step over

While shadowing, i truly believe one needs to add visualization ... try to imagine/visualize a table in front of you, and as you shadow, your opponent reacting in different ways and you counter each, etc.

After your warmups:

1. Relax by breathing

Consciously focus on the breath in and the breath out. Some like to breathe only with their nose, some like to inhale through the nose and exhale via their mouth. Whatever you find comfortable.

2. Relax by listening to music

3. Relax by meditation and focusing on nothing

4. Visualize an entire match with you making all your shots.

5. Watch videos of your previous play ... make a highlight video of your best points

6. Or watch videos of your favorite player or player you model yourself or one that inspires you.

Truly hope these helps!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Last night, I hit with a new member, a young PH kid. My knee is still achy. Have a brace on. So instead of playing games or serious practice, I was paying it forward and trying to help this kid. We chatted briefly a week or 2 before when he asked some general questions. Last time, I mentioned he was too square in his ready stance and also to use his FH more. I noticed he hasn't tried to make those 2 adjustments I suggested.

Last night, i just steadily return the ball for him so he can groove his strokes. Another member who is ~2000 PH (one of the better PH at my club... plays TPB) came over and taught him the basic FH and also how to stand with feet at 10 and 3 or 4 as if on a clock. Kid said, but this other member taught him to stand with feet parallel (9 and 3 on a clock). That member ~2100-2200 SH has already been working with this kid and was sitting and watching. He came over and said no, you should stand with your feet parallel.

I looked at the 2000 PH and gave him a puzzled look. Later when I was done hitting with the kid, I told the 2000 PH that I asked the kid to stand with left foot in front and right behind at 10 & 3/4 on a clock also. I told him I agreed with him. He said for PH we should stand this way. He said some SH stands with parallel feet. I have seen some SH members stand bladed.

IIRC sometime last year or 2 years ago, NextLevel mentioned his stance was 10&3 (or 4) on a clock.

Curious as to other SH members' stances. How do you stand?

 

[Der_Echte]

I suspect NL meant Moristo SP.

I know he was meaning the SP version.

I was just saying a coincidence I actively use the inverted version.

I do not think Nittaku has made that Moristo inverted rubber for many years.