Slow, Spinny and control oriented inverted rubbers

[Nakira]

Hi all,
Yet another rubber recommandation ask from you guys!
For my setup and playing style:
I'm a beginner (started last September).... and I suck at table tennis, but that was expectable.

I don't play to win matches yet (worthless), but I play to stay fit as much as possible, and... because actually I'm very interested by the effects physic of the ball.
I generally start with short pushes, and I try to loop when the ball returns long. I try to place the ball on the table, and I try to have a proper footwork, relatively to my level. I don't do blocks yet, or at least not on purpose.

For my setup:
blade: 2nd hand Nittaku Violin, 5 ply wood. Bought from an EJ. I totally love this one, I will never change. It's like an extension of my hand.
- Forehand : following a previous advice from you guys, it's a Xiom vega intro 1.8. It allows me to perform very nice shots, spinny or not... when the shot hits the table.... I feel like the tensor may be slightly too much for me.
- Backhand : originally a Xiom intro 1.8, but it's even worse than the forehand to keep the ball on the table. At least it could pass the net. I got the opportunity to put a Nittaku Magic Carbon 1.0. For this one, it's much more complicated to pass the net... But I can 'feel' it... And I see I adapt and progress, and the progression points are easily seen and felt, contrary to the tensored one. In addition, my short pushes with the magic carbon are totally deadly -relatively to my level- and I really enjoy it. Still, I guess it's an old ass rubber, and maybe there are better alternative - and easier to find when I will have to replace it-.

Nota Bene :
- No price limit, as long as the 'touch' is there.
- I know the most part is to improve my skill, and when I have the time I pay a personal coach - unfortunately I don't have time these months.

Thank you!

 

[jk1980]

a lot of assumptions here, but let's go:

i have seen beginners play balls that are long (dont bounce twice on your side of the table) with an upward lobbing movement and just make it actually hit the table by trying to use the right amount of "upwards" force when hitting. This is the wrong way, because it of course will be dependend on the catapult effect of your rubber but also not a very sustainable way to land your strokes. If there is no backspin on the ball the stroke should always go forward mostly and upwards only slightly. With the correct bat angle it will work out and increase the chance of not overhitting. It is really important to get coaching NOW to get the real basic strokes in and dont get used to doing it wrong. I know i was doing it the wrong way the 6 month at least and it is basically wasted time.

If you dont have the time to go for a personal coached training, then just record yourself doing the strokes from the side when playing with a team mate. We will be able to estimate if it is really the rubber that is the issue or the stroke's basics that are failing.

 

[Jan_]

Usually when people want slow and very spinny, hurricane 3 is one of the first choices. But in this case if you want good feel, you could try the hurricane 8-80.

 

[banbekas]

Since you are a beginner, Vega Europe will help you a lot. No reason to get H3 unless you love working out.

 

[Tyce]

Since you are a beginner, Vega Europe will help you a lot. No reason to get H3 unless you love working out.

Vega Intro should be more controlled than Europe, not?

 

[Nakira]

a lot of assumptions here, but let's go:

i have seen beginners play balls that are long (dont bounce twice on your side of the table) with an upward lobbing movement and just make it actually hit the table by trying to use the right amount of "upwards" force when hitting. This is the wrong way, because it of course will be dependend on the catapult effect of your rubber but also not a very sustainable way to land your strokes. If there is no backspin on the ball the stroke should always go forward mostly and upwards only slightly. With the correct bat angle it will work out and increase the chance of not overhitting. It is really important to get coaching NOW to get the real basic strokes in and dont get used to doing it wrong. I know i was doing it the wrong way the 6 month at least and it is basically wasted time.

If you dont have the time to go for a personal coached training, then just record yourself doing the strokes from the side when playing with a team mate. We will be able to estimate if it is really the rubber that is the issue or the stroke's basics that are failing.

Well, I know my racket angle is wrong way too many times. But in general, I try to hit not too high, close as much as possible to the net. Otherwise I get some ugly smashes from my opponents.
In addition, I serve mainly with backspin, so I usually get my serve back with backspin.

The coach I was seeing advised the 'slow looping under the table' training for me. And indeed, my success rate to keep the ball on the table increases when I take my time, instead of no-brain hurrying and hitting the ball too high, with too much power.

I'm too shy for the video, especially beeing so bad 😁

Usually when people want slow and very spinny, hurricane 3 is one of the first choices. But in this case if you want good feel, you could try the hurricane 8-80.

I have some H3 neo at home, the kid switched to ESN rubbers. 39° forehand, and 37° backhand is fine?

Vega Intro should be more controlled than Europe, not?

Probably. Xiom Vega rubber type is ok, but it's complicated to find thinner sponges than 1.8

 

[Pe-ter]

I'm on the very same page as you @Nakira.
Started in Sept '24, bought a Yasaka Sweden Extra and Rakza 7 on both sides. Did not like the R7 that much, so went for a BTY Hadraw 5 (all wood blade) with Fastarc G1/C1 combination. Joined a league and lost everything I could (but I had 2 match points once 😁), other than that, I can win a set at the very best. After not getting used to the FA's as they have a higher arc (and I overshoot the table quite often), I again switched to Rakza 7 soft (lovely rubbers and it suited me way better), even when it lacked speed at hid distance. Then I got a chance to buy a second hand Primorac (EU version) and I put a set of DFVP2 on it and it became my main set (but only like two weeks ago).
But.....well, being an EJ and a d*ck is not easy though, so ordering stuff from Ali did happen.
Sanwei T5000 with fresh Mercuy 2 on it, cost wise 8,12€ for the whole setup! It's tacky, relatively slow and with good spin and ridiculous amount of control.
You can always go for a Xiom Vega Europe (I'll probably try them too), but for the beginning, I'd maybe consider the Mercury 2. For less than 5€/sheet they're more or less what you're looking for.

 

[banbekas]

Vega Intro should be more controlled than Europe, not?

Never used Intro so I can't recommend it.
Vega Europe is crazy good for everything.

Xiom Vega rubber type is ok, but it's complicated to find thinner sponges than 1.8

No need to look for thinner rubber. Getting it at max or 2.0 is great and awesome.

 

[jk1980]

Vega Intro is 47° on the esn scale and it is more controlled than vega europe.

If you want to teach stuff yourself and get many bad habbits, then vega europe will support that. Good luck trying to get that out of your system if you ever wanna beat somebody that is not totally clueless about tabletennis.

Dont try to solve something that can only be solved by technical guidance with a rubber. This is NOT the way.
You can find rubbers that will support you getting more balls on the table with your wrong technique, but then this is what you are learning: bad technique.

Your setup is totally fine and the hardness of vega intro will help you develop a better stroke.

tbh i had tried somebodys blade with vega intro on it and also found it harder to play with, but it would have been the right way to go forward with this and not use something easier.

You dont need to be afraid to post a video, because at your early stage pretty much 95% of the forum can give helpful advice and look at penhold sandro and olive nguyen who both posted videos here and are also quite new to the sport.

 

[Nakira]

Vega Intro is 47° on the esn scale and it is more controlled than vega europe.

If you want to teach stuff yourself and get many bad habbits, then vega europe will support that. Good luck trying to get that out of your system if you ever wanna beat somebody that is not totally clueless about tabletennis.

Dont try to solve something that can only be solved by technical guidance with a rubber. This is NOT the way.
You can find rubbers that will support you getting more balls on the table with your wrong technique, but then this is what you are learning: bad technique.

Your setup is totally fine and the hardness of vega intro will help you develop a better stroke.

tbh i had tried somebodys blade with vega intro on it and also found it harder to play with, but it would have been the right way to go forward with this and not use something easier.

You dont need to be afraid to post a video, because at your early stage pretty much 95% of the forum can give helpful advice and look at penhold sandro and olive nguyen who both posted videos here and are also quite new to the sport.

ok 🙂
For the backhand, do you recommend that I glue back the vega intro also? Or I can keep the magic carbon, the only important thing is to improve my skill?

I will take some private lessons again (the coach does not help with rubbers).

 

[jk1980]

It depends on the state of your backhand rubber. If it is worn and the Vega intro is less worn I would indeed change back to it.