How heavy is your Timo Boll ALC and how do you feel?

[cuongleqq]

Hi everyone,

I am struggling choosing my first TB ALC.

Generally speaking, I am an offensive player - looping the ball most of the time. I play in mid and long distance.

There is a butterfly store close to my home and they let me choose the bat weight.

I don't know how I should choose my TB ALC. Please help me! I'd like to collect some data

My questions are
1. what is your style?
2. how heavy is your TB ALC? (without rubbers)
3. Are you satisfied with your TB ALC?
4. What are your rubbers?

Thanks!!!

 

[urbanzakapa]

1. I'm more to looping-the-ball kinda player. Not too aggressive to attack any kind of ball, but more to controlling the ball.
2. Mine is 83g or 85g if I'm not mistaken.
3. Depends on what kind of rubbers you put on it. But so far, i love the combination of the blade and rubber where it produce 'click' sound whenever I top-spin the ball.
4. Tibhar 1q(fh), hurricane 8 39deg (bh)

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[laistrogian]

I'd go with 88 to 90 gram for the blade. When you glue the rubbers, that's the weight range where it feels like it has weight but still very balanced

 

[cuongleqq]

I'd go with 88 to 90 gram for the blade. When you glue the rubbers, that's the weight range where it feels like it has weight but still very balanced

It is specific to TB ALC or are you talking about table tennis blades in general?

1. I'm more to looping-the-ball kinda player. Not too aggressive to attack any kind of ball, but more to controlling the ball.
2. Mine is 83g or 85g if I'm not mistaken.
3. Depends on what kind of rubbers you put on it. But so far, i love the combination of the blade and rubber where it produce 'click' sound whenever I top-spin the ball.
4. Tibhar 1q(fh), hurricane 8 39deg (bh)

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Do you play close or far from the table?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Hopefully this is information that will help you make a decent decision for yourself.

If you took 10 blades of the same exact make, like, say, Viscaria, and they all had different weights, the heavier ones would feel better than the lighter ones.

When wood of the same kind and size is a little heavier it will give better feeling. When it is lighter, it will feel less solid.

So, an 82 gram Viscaria will feel a little better than an 80 gram V. An 85 gram V will feel a little better than an 82 gram V and so on.

However, there is a certain weight range for a blade that may be optimal to you.

Pros train hard day in, day out. They are strong and can handle blades they weigh a little more.

There are many pros who use blades in the 90-95 gram weight range. Heavy enough to feel good and solid. Not so heavy as to compromise their racket speed and reset time.

So, for you, the question would actually be, what is the optimal weight for you where you are able to maintain good racket and reset speeds while having a blade that isn't too light either.

My blade is not a Viscaria. But my blade is 93 grams. For me, that is a great weight. The blade is heavy enough to be solid and give me some extra inertia behind my shots. And, for me, that is light enough for me to get pretty good acceleration, top speed and reset.

So, do you have enough strength to handle a blade that is 90 grams or above? Do you feel you need something lighter? Or do you have an injury like tennis elbow that makes finding a lighter blade important.

What is the weight of your current setup?


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[cuongleqq]

Hopefully this is information that will help you make a decent decision for yourself.

If you took 10 blades of the same exact make, like, say, Viscaria, and they all had different weights, the heavier ones would feel better than the lighter ones.

When wood of the same kind and size is a little heavier it will give better feeling. When it is lighter, it will feel less solid.

So, an 82 gram Viscaria will feel a little better than an 80 gram V. An 85 gram V will feel a little better than an 82 gram V and so on.

However, there is a certain weight range for a blade that may be optimal to you.

Pros train hard day in, day out. They are strong and can handle blades they weigh a little more.

There are many pros who use blades in the 90-95 gram weight range. Heavy enough to feel good and solid. Not so heavy as to compromise their racket speed and reset time.

So, for you, the question would actually be, what is the optimal weight for you where you are able to maintain good racket and reset speeds while having a blade that isn't too light either.

My blade is not a Viscaria. But my blade is 93 grams. For me, that is a great weight. The blade is heavy enough to be solid and give me some extra inertia behind my shots. And, for me, that is light enough for me to get pretty good acceleration, top speed and reset.

So, do you have enough strength to handle a blade that is 90 grams or above? Do you feel you need something lighter? Or do you have an injury like tennis elbow that makes finding a lighter blade important.

What is the weight of your current setup?


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Thanks Carl.

My current blade is about 89 gram (I am not sure how heavy the full setup is) and I think I can handle it.

So, basically, the heavier the blade is, the better feeling it gives. I think I should get heaviest TB ALC in the shop.

I am often practice with 89 gram blade, if I get one with 92 gram one, the difference is only 3 gram. Do you think it requires that much more strength that I can't handle it?

Btw, Do you know how the weight affects the speed and spin?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Thanks Carl.

My current blade is about 89 gram (I am not sure how heavy the full setup is) and I think I can handle it.

So, basically, the heavier the blade is, the better feeling it gives. I think I should get heaviest TB ALC in the shop.

I am often practice with 89 gram blade, if I get one with 92 gram one, the difference is only 3 gram. Do you think it requires that much more strength that I can't handle it?

Btw, Do you know how the weight affects the speed and spin?

Part of the actual formula has to do with racket speed on contact. So, at a certain point, if the weight of the racket starts causing your stroke to be slower, there are diminishing returns. That does depend on how physically fit and strong the individual is.

But heavier will make the blade faster as long as it is not so heavy that it starts slowing down the speed of your stroke. The spin is subject to the same factors and the added factor of how you contact the ball.

So, if the blade is too heavy for you it could make your shots slower with less spin. If it is legitimately a good weight for you, it will give you optimal spin and speed.

For me, when I changed from an 85 gram blade to my 93 gram blade there was a period of about 20 min where I thought, "wow, that is kind of heavy." But it felt good. And I got used to it fairly quickly. Now, when I try a blade that is around 85 grams it feels soooo light.

In the end, weight really has to do with personal choice. But the heavier blades do have better ball feel.


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[Baal]

88 to 92 gram. Total setup around 190 g. Nice for me. I play very standard offensive table tennis.

 

[cuongleqq]

Part of the actual formula has to do with racket speed on contact. So, at a certain point, if the weight of the racket starts causing your stroke to be slower, there are diminishing returns. That does depend on how physically fit and strong the individual is.

But heavier will make the blade faster as long as it is not so heavy that it starts slowing down the speed of your stroke. The spin is subject to the same factors and the added factor of how you contact the ball.

So, if the blade is too heavy for you it could make your shots slower with less spin. If it is legitimately a good weight for you, it will give you optimal spin and speed.

For me, when I changed from an 85 gram blade to my 93 gram blade there was a period of about 20 min where I thought, "wow, that is kind of heavy." But it felt good. And I got used to it fairly quickly. Now, when I try a blade that is around 85 grams it feels soooo light.

In the end, weight really has to do with personal choice. But the heavier blades do have better ball feel.


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Thanks for great information

88 to 92 gram. Total setup around 190 g. Nice for me. I play very standard offensive table tennis.

Thanks, I will try 90 gram

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

88 to 92 gram. Total setup around 190 g. Nice for me. I play very standard offensive table tennis.

That is a weight range that is realistic. For someone of normal fitness who plays and trains at least a few days a week, that is a good weight range. Heavier than that is often not optimal for most people who train less than 4-6 days a week.


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[cuongleqq]

That is a weight range that is realistic. For someone of normal fitness who plays and trains at least a few days a week, that is a good weight range. Heavier than that is often not optimal for most people who train less than 4-6 days a week.


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Will 90 gram and 91 gram make much difference in term of
1. the feeling when using the blade
2. the strength needed to use the blade
(if they do, could you please help describing how much difference they make? )

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Not too much difference. Either of those weights should be good for most people who are healthy.

At this point though, I think you are over thinking things. A TB ALC in the weight range Baal listed will be good. The two weights you listed are both within the weight range Baal listed.

Don't overthink this. It is simply a blade: it is simply a piece of equipment. If it is between 88-92 grams, it will be good. If it was 87 grams, it would still be good. If it is 93 grams it will likely still be okay. 95 grams or 83 grams may not be what you want. But between 88-92 grams should be good.


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[Shuki]

I'm one of the only players in my club with a blade 90g+ the best in my club play super light blades. .

#1 player = 82gram photino
#2 player = 76gram photino
#3player = equipment junkie hardcore but never over 80gram.

 

[Baal]

The current and former US team players an my city mostly play with blades more than 90. In any case, no super light blades. Same with the Chinese coaches who play shakehand.

 

[shinhyun]

Mine is 80g, combined with light rubber like t05fx (1.9) and rakza7soft (2.2), my setup is pretty light that is what I like because I'm not strong enough to play with something heavier for more than 1-2 hours xD.
However I got all the power I need, near or mid distance from the table.
I think the most important thing is your feeling when you hold the blade, if it is too heavy you might dislike your blade because your technique is compromised, at least if you don't train your body to bear a heavy blade..
That is what I think.

 

[Baal]

Up to a point it is just getting used to a bit more weight. I suspect people wno think they need lighter setups can actually be better off if they go heavier and stick with it for a few weeks, assuming no wrist or elbow problems.

 

[Shuki]

Up to a point it is just getting used to a bit more weight. I suspect people wno think they need lighter setups can actually be better off if they go heavier and stick with it for a few weeks, assuming no wrist or elbow problems.

Disagree, close to the table place, with reactions and going through the ball quickly= lighter benefits.

Power/loopers/ counterattack monsters= heavy.

my experience and beliefs.


my light weight long pip on one side paddle, I can loop ANYTHING with the inverted tenergy because I can go through the ball so quickly. my placement and spin potential feel off the charts. but everything manages to come back. lack of power from the light weight.

 

[kadamestriaw]

I dont use boll alc sorry

 

[shinhyun]

Heavier : more power, yes.
But it is like gym, you never start with heavy weight but with something adapted to your capacity.
It is like table tennis too, you never start with fast carbon blade but with allround all wood.
You have to make compromises : not too light not too heavy. So take the blade you are cumfortable with and stay with it some times then if you feel you need more power then take something faster or heavier if you like the blade.
By the way, if you want more power you can also build up muscle

 

[urbanzakapa]

It is specific to TB ALC or are you talking about table tennis blades in general?




Do you play close or far from the table?

Close to the table. But just until recently, I tried to get used to play far from table.

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