Insights into blade and rubber changes..

[Wrighty67]

Don't change. This part of your post is enough to see that you are good with what you have.

Or, if you are set on changing, do it for the fun of trying new stuff and not in the hope that it will make you play better. It won't.

You’re spoiling all my fun ;-)

I may end up back where I started but the journey will have been worthwhile.

 

[NDH]

You’re spoiling all my fun ;-)

I may end up back where I started but the journey will have been worthwhile.

I feel like half of my posts are the same, boring advice…. So please excuse the repetition 😂

There seems to be some kind of unwritten rule that says you can’t possibly want to buy new stuff…. Just because you want to.

It seems that people feel the need to justify a new purchase (to themselves, or the forum), by coming up with various reasons why X equipment would be better than their current set up (and I’ve not been immune to this before, so you are not alone!)

The very real reality is that the vast vast majority of this forum would not seriously notice much difference between blades and rubbers that fall into the same general categories (OFF, ALL, DEF).

If your good enough to notice the difference, the chances are you are good enough to play well with any of the equipment.

If I use myself as an example, this has been my journey since coming back to the sport in 2015

2015-16 - Schlager Carbon with T05 and T64

The blade was the one I had from when I played as a junior, and I stuck Tenergy on there because it was the “best” rubber at the time.

The reality for me was that it was waaaay too quick for someone who had been playing tennis for 5 years and was very out of touch with TT.

So I dropped down in speed on the blade…..

2016-17 - Garaydia ZLC with T05

Yes, I dropped down in speed from a rocket ship to a smaller rocket ship.

My results improved though…. Because of the equipment? Maybe. Because of the practice? Yes.

2017-18 - Tibhar VS Unlimited with T05 Hard and T05

I dabbled with MX-P and MX-S when I first got the blade (I’m one of those weirdos who like the same brand rubber on the same brand blade).

But ultimately, 05 hard and 05 were on it the most.

Shock horror….. BEST SEASON EVER. Must be the equipment right? Can’t have anything to do with playing and training much more!?

2018-19

Harimoto ALC with T05 Hard and T05

What do you do when you have your best season ever? Why, change equipment of course!

Why? Because the Harimoto blade looked cool, and I was gradually getting slower and slower, whilst improving all the time.

Realistically, I don’t think the drop in pace was really helping. It was the practice and match play!

Anyway, the Harimoto was OK. I had a great year with it, but never loved it. I just found it a bit muted……

2019-20 - TB ALC with T05

Honestly, this change was because I wasn’t loving the Harimoto, and I was fan girling on Timo….. 😂

I’d always loved Timo, but stayed away from his blade because it was so common (I like to be as unique as possible!)

Well, the blade felt great, and I’m pretty sure I was playing my best TT ever.

But I didn’t get a chance to use it much, because COVID came along to ruin it for a few years.

2021-22 - Ovtcharov ALC with Dignics 09c and Dignics 05

Enter my current set up.

I’d probably only used the TB ALC for a few months at this point, and in between, we’d had COVID and I had back surgery in the summer of 2021.

So when I had a few matches at the end of 2021, and found my touch to be a bit…. Crap, I had my justification to buy the Ovtcharov ALC!

The reality is, I liked the design and wanted to try Dignics.

Now, in fairness, this set up is suiting me down to the ground, and considering how little I’ve played, I’m not far away from my best.

I don’t expect many people to have got this far, so if you have,
well done! 😂

The point of this story was to highlight that the vast majority of my changes were based off the fact I just wanted new equipment.

My results improved because I played and trained more, which again just shows how little the specific equipment matters if you are picking stuff from a similar category like OFF blades or rubbers.

At the end of the day, this is a hobby that is supposed to bring enjoyment.

If that enjoyment comes from buying new equipment just because you like the handle design, then I fully support that!

If it comes from improving and getting better, then forget about equipment and invest in coaching and training.

I’m NDH, and thanks for coming to my TED Talk 😃

 

[Wrighty67]

I feel like half of my posts are the same, boring advice…. So please excuse the repetition 😂

There seems to be some kind of unwritten rule that says you can’t possibly want to buy new stuff…. Just because you want to.

It seems that people feel the need to justify a new purchase (to themselves, or the forum), by coming up with various reasons why X equipment would be better than their current set up (and I’ve not been immune to this before, so you are not alone!)

The very real reality is that the vast vast majority of this forum would not seriously notice much difference between blades and rubbers that fall into the same general categories (OFF, ALL, DEF).

If your good enough to notice the difference, the chances are you are good enough to play well with any of the equipment.

If I use myself as an example, this has been my journey since coming back to the sport in 2015

2015-16 - Schlager Carbon with T05 and T64

The blade was the one I had from when I played as a junior, and I stuck Tenergy on there because it was the “best” rubber at the time.

The reality for me was that it was waaaay too quick for someone who had been playing tennis for 5 years and was very out of touch with TT.

So I dropped down in speed on the blade…..

2016-17 - Garaydia ZLC with T05

Yes, I dropped down in speed from a rocket ship to a smaller rocket ship.

My results improved though…. Because of the equipment? Maybe. Because of the practice? Yes.

2017-18 - Tibhar VS Unlimited with T05 Hard and T05

I dabbled with MX-P and MX-S when I first got the blade (I’m one of those weirdos who like the same brand rubber on the same brand blade).

But ultimately, 05 hard and 05 were on it the most.

Shock horror….. BEST SEASON EVER. Must be the equipment right? Can’t have anything to do with playing and training much more!?

2018-19

Harimoto ALC with T05 Hard and T05

What do you do when you have your best season ever? Why, change equipment of course!

Why? Because the Harimoto blade looked cool, and I was gradually getting slower and slower, whilst improving all the time.

Realistically, I don’t think the drop in pace was really helping. It was the practice and match play!

Anyway, the Harimoto was OK. I had a great year with it, but never loved it. I just found it a bit muted……

2019-20 - TB ALC with T05

Honestly, this change was because I wasn’t loving the Harimoto, and I was fan girling on Timo….. 😂

I’d always loved Timo, but stayed away from his blade because it was so common (I like to be as unique as possible!)

Well, the blade felt great, and I’m pretty sure I was playing my best TT ever.

But I didn’t get a chance to use it much, because COVID came along to ruin it for a few years.

2021-22 - Ovtcharov ALC with Dignics 09c and Dignics 05

Enter my current set up.

I’d probably only used the TB ALC for a few months at this point, and in between, we’d had COVID and I had back surgery in the summer of 2021.

So when I had a few matches at the end of 2021, and found my touch to be a bit…. Crap, I had my justification to buy the Ovtcharov ALC!

The reality is, I liked the design and wanted to try Dignics.

Now, in fairness, this set up is suiting me down to the ground, and considering how little I’ve played, I’m not far away from my best.

I don’t expect many people to have got this far, so if you have,
well done! 😂

The point of this story was to highlight that the vast majority of my changes were based off the fact I just wanted new equipment.

My results improved because I played and trained more, which again just shows how little the specific equipment matters if you are picking stuff from a similar category like OFF blades or rubbers.

At the end of the day, this is a hobby that is supposed to bring enjoyment.

If that enjoyment comes from buying new equipment just because you like the handle design, then I fully support that!

If it comes from improving and getting better, then forget about equipment and invest in coaching and training.

I’m NDH, and thanks for coming to my TED Talk 😃

I love it

And yes, that’s me too - I’m a guitarist and if I told you how many different guitars and string sets I’ve tried you’d be horrified. Did they make me play better - no, but I learned a lot about tone along the way and it motivated the 3-4h practice a day that did help me to improve!

so, I’m an unashamed EJ in many fields and I love getting and trying and analysing new stuff. As long as it doesn’t stuff up my basic game then it’s all good.

Nonetheless it’s fun asking others to share their views and to share in the journey.