Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[JeffM]

You know you were my inspiration lol!

I would say @OldschoolPenholder was my inspiration lol!

 

[NextLevel]

So here is the video of the second match of the final - some points are probably missing as this is my first real attempt to use an editor to remove points and I am learning Lightworks. But at least, I have done one, maybe I will get better with time doing this. Thanks for watching. And do remember, we had barbecue to get to so don't take the match so seriously!

 

[disaster3]

Good job!
Ps. @NextLevel which one is you! Blue or Black t-shirt?

 

[Der_Echte]

disaster, look at who cannot walk too well or bend too well, NL is in Blue shirt.

U wanna compete vs NextLevel... ??? Sprinkle dat ball with confusion dust, then serve it, and then attack like Rambo.

 

[NextLevel]

Good job!
Ps. @NextLevel which one is you! Blue or Black t-shirt?

Blue.

 

[disaster3]

at the beginning was looking for Stiga Cybershape in the hand but gave up guessing

 

[NextLevel]

at the beginning was looking for Stiga Cybershape in the hand but gave up guessing

Yeah, not easy to see the blade shape sometimes though it is funny what people who are not table tennis fanatics say when they see me using it lol. I also have a pretty high grip on the handle and large hands and camera distance didn't really help.

I actually wanted to make some comments on the Cybershape Carbon. I was going to either put it on an existing Cybershape thread or open a new one or write a review. Using it for a while now, I can see why some players hate it but why it suits my game more than I realized (though I am still going to test that Mizutani lol). I think it also helps me see to some degree how good innerforce carbon blades can be and makes me wonder whether all these advanced fibers are really that much better than a well designed inner carbon blade.

For those who don't know, the Cybershape Carbon is basically the Stiga Inspira CCF with a different head shape and a colored outer ply (still Koto). Butterfly only had one innerforce carbon blade that I remember and Butterfly gives their innerforce blades Limba outer plies. I have often wondered why but didn't care too much because I am not a fan of Koto. The Tamca 5000 blades with Koto outer plies play like bricks. The Boll T5000 and the ZJK T5000 are almost discontinued.

However I really liked the Innerforce T5000. Decent to great for looping but great for smashing and blocking. I used to think it was a limba thing. But the Cybershape has changed my mind about that. I think the fact that Stiga can make a blade that competes with the top butterfly blades using an innerforce carbon koto design makes me wonder whether Butterfly just never made one because they didn't want to lose the Sales of their more expensive blades. Of course I could just be conspiracy theorizing while in the honeymoon period. Maybe the Inspira and the CC were really hard to design and Stiga just had a designer hit a formula that Butterfly couldn't get to.

Regardless, I have been really impressed with the performance of tbe first innerforce carbon Koto blade that I have used so far. There are still things I need to work on with it, but it has definitely expanded my thinking as to what is possible in blade making.

That said I know some people who think the Cybershape Carbon is only good for hitting and blocking. I think the Carbon makes this a strength for sure, but I do think its forward kick on loops is pretty good, though I can imagine that people who prefer thinner looping blades or who like outer carbon might prefer a composite. So maybe it is just me who likes the way innerforce carbon plays.

Okay. Overthinking over. Back to regular life and TT.

 

[Wrighty67]

So here is the video of the second match of the final - some points are probably missing as this is my first real attempt to use an editor to remove points and I am learning Lightworks. But at least, I have done one, maybe I will get better with time doing this. Thanks for watching. And do remember, we had barbecue to get to so don't take the match so seriously!

Nice play NL - some serious FH work in there

 

[NextLevel]

Last match from this event for this forum - on both videos, any comments are welcome. This is a more unfamiliar opponent and he did surprise me to be honest, though I had played him once before with a similar score.

 

[JeffM]

It wasn't a good session today.
Trying out the dignics 09c, but got the issue where my rubber feels like it is 'dead'.
Full details on the other thread: https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/dead-dignics-09c.31831/

Thinking if I should reglue it or would that make a difference?

 

[blahness]

I learnt something obvious but not so new. It is far more effective to just pivot and go down the line to the opponent's deep FH for a direct winner. Also its a more natural FH angle. Let them prove that they can handle this loop before going back to their BH. Same when the opponents switch down the line - it is extremely hard to go back down the line because you're already out of position plus it's a shorter table distance to land the shot. Just sidespin hook loop it wide to their FH, let them prove that they can get to it first before you do anything else fancy like a down the line counterloop.

Learnt some of this when watching Zhang Jike play. He almost always prefers to go to opponent's wide FH with sidespin, to challenge the opponent to engage in a FH loop to loop battle and for extra stability.

 

[NextLevel]

It wasn't a good session today.
Trying out the dignics 09c, but got the issue where my rubber feels like it is 'dead'.
Full details on the other thread: https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/dead-dignics-09c.31831/

Thinking if I should reglue it or would that make a difference?

If it really feels dead and it is original, then reglue it. No way Dignics 09c should feel dead. If you are hitting with another player, they should be able to see what you think if the contact is not good. And it is a bit stickier when it starts out, and the sheets will keep it so, some people like that, some prefer to let the tack wear off. Any way is fine, as long as you play well, the rubber is a good rubber.

 

[JeffM]

If it really feels dead and it is original, then reglue it. No way Dignics 09c should feel dead. If you are hitting with another player, they should be able to see what you think if the contact is not good. And it is a bit stickier when it starts out, and the sheets will keep it so, some people like that, some prefer to let the tack wear off. Any way is fine, as long as you play well, the rubber is a good rubber.

I am not really inclined to re-glue it.

I was very particular in my gluing. I made sure the glue is well dried before sticking.
The whole gluing process did take an hour. It took ~30 min for first layer of glue to dry, then i applied 2nd layer on and then waited. The glue on my bat had waited 1 hr because of waiting for the 2 layers of glue on the rubber to dry. I then used my finger to touch the glue on the outer region of the rubber, and i could tell that it is not 'wet' anymore, then I commenced the process of putting both together.
I even used a roller after a few times in all directions firmly to ensure no bubbles etc.
My other friend also mentioned that as I left the transparent film on when gluing, the film is so hard that it is impossible for me to have 'stretched' the rubber while gluing.

So I am pretty confident with my gluing.

I messaged the seller, and he said that he has sold this rubber to many users and none have this issue. He thinks it is due to the tackiness and that it would be faster when it is less tacky.

I don't really want to make too many changes as the comp is in less than 17 days and I still need to get used to the rubber..

 

[NextLevel]

I am not really inclined to re-glue it.

I was very particular in my gluing. I made sure the glue is well dried before sticking.
I even used a roller after a few times in all directions firmly to ensure no bubbles etc.
My other friend also mentioned that as I left the transparent film on when gluing, the film is so hard that it is impossible for me to have 'stretched' the rubber while gluing.

So I am pretty confident with my gluing.

I messaged the seller, and he said that he has sold this rubber to many users and none have this issue. He thinks it is due to the tackiness and that it would be faster when it is less tacky.

I don't really want to make too many changes as the comp is in less than 17 days and I still need to get used to the rubber..

Don't over think it then, just play.

 

[JeffM]

Don't over think it then, just play.

Yes I think that is what I will do.

The fact that it felt better after I hit some balls really hard into the barrier was very strange. My friend suggested it to try 'break it in', but I don't believe dignics require breaking in.. maybe it was removing some tackiness..
I don't know, but yeah, there isn't enough time to muck around with it, just need to adapt and play better.

 

[NextLevel]

I learnt something obvious but not so new. It is far more effective to just pivot and go down the line to the opponent's deep FH for a direct winner. Also its a more natural FH angle. Let them prove that they can handle this loop before going back to their BH. Same when the opponents switch down the line - it is extremely hard to go back down the line because you're already out of position plus it's a shorter table distance to land the shot. Just sidespin hook loop it wide to their FH, let them prove that they can get to it first before you do anything else fancy like a down the line counterloop.

Learnt some of this when watching Zhang Jike play. He almost always prefers to go to opponent's wide FH with sidespin, to challenge the opponent to engage in a FH loop to loop battle and for extra stability.

It is a strategy yes, but far more effective is a bit much. The most effective shot is to hit the middle. The others are riskier but the key is to figure out how to thwart opponent predictions as a good blocker will bring back any of those shots with some reliability except the one to the middle.

 

[NextLevel]

Yes I think that is what I will do.

The fact that it felt better after I hit some balls really hard into the barrier was very strange. My friend suggested it to try 'break it in', but I don't believe dignics require breaking in.. maybe it was removing some tackiness..
I don't know, but yeah, there isn't enough time to muck around with it, just need to adapt and play better.

Tacky rubber definitely requires breaking in, because tack slows the ball the down. You at least need to play with it to get used to it and sometimes to reduce the tack (or at least get the feeling it gives you out of your head). If you use any tacky rubber long enough, the tack reduces a little, and this makes the rubber slightly faster.

The Dignics sponge is pretty hard as well, but since you are a Hurricane user, that is unlikely to be it.

 

[SleepyMaster]

I had a two months off the TT.
During this two months, I was doing some wrestling, boxing, strength training, and some running.

Did a few TT trainings already, and it felt pretty good, I expected that, technically it should be much worse.

The problem, that I stopped enjoying TT as much as it was first year and a half of training, I did a lot of hours, maybe that is the main reason, maybe some other things, don’t know really. I even trying out new coach, new training hall, that young guy in top 5 of the country, and have played in Bundesliga for ttc Altena. But it turns out lot worst then I expected, the guy is just talking how cool he is, for two hours straight, while we were doing drives, then we played 3 or 5 games and that’s it. After that i decided that it’s just time to take some off the game.

Will see how it goes further 🤔

 

[blahness]

It is a strategy yes, but far more effective is a bit much. The most effective shot is to hit the middle. The others are riskier but the key is to figure out how to thwart opponent predictions as a good blocker will bring back any of those shots with some reliability except the one to the middle.

I guess I was training with a penholder, they have no middle weakness to speak of... it's the wide FH that gets them all the time. Against shakehanders yes the middle area is a juicy target.

 

[JJ Ng]

I had a two months off the TT.
During this two months, I was doing some wrestling, boxing, strength training, and some running.

Did a few TT trainings already, and it felt pretty good, I expected that, technically it should be much worse.

The problem, that I stopped enjoying TT as much as it was first year and a half of training, I did a lot of hours, maybe that is the main reason, maybe some other things, don’t know really. I even trying out new coach, new training hall, that young guy in top 5 of the country, and have played in Bundesliga for ttc Altena. But it turns out lot worst then I expected, the guy is just talking how cool he is, for two hours straight, while we were doing drives, than we played 3 or 5 sets and that’s it. After that i decided that it’s just time to take some off the game.

Will see how it goes further 🤔

Sometimes it is a good thing to take a break from the sport. Sometimes you just need to rethink the sport from a different angle and come to a different understanding. I took multiple breaks from ping pong. I don't think those breaks necessarily hurt me in the long run.