Using a Blade designed for table tennis - Why isn't everyone making the switch!?

[SlowPower]

 

[Chr75]

From researching the Nittaku tenaly handles further, it seems like the handle is too thin near the blade. Some believe it's due to being designed specifically for smaller Japanese women hands (the designer was a former women's champion). Other's think that it's thin so that it can double as a penhold as well as shakehand. The result is many people are suggesting it be 'fixed' for shakehand players with grip tape.

I'm starting to think that Tenaly isn't popular because Nittaku botched its launch by not designing it specifically for shakehand and for normal sized men's hands (which comprise the large majority of the market) and instead trying to cover too many bases at the same time. If you're going to convince people to switch to an ergonomic handle, it better feel perfect for the shakehand player, and enough for them to invest time to switch. By making it try to appeal to everyone, it ended up being suitable for nobody.

I'll still probably pick up one out of curiosity and then fix the thinness with grip tape. But infamou thin Nittaku handle is the exact reason why I got rid of my Acoustic. Right now it looks like the true Tenaly experience can only experienced by people with very small hands or people who can risk have a custom blade and handle made.

Handle Tenaly Size :
Tenaly, lenght 95,3 mm; width 22,6 (at thumb) 26,8 (in the middle) - 34,8 (at the end base); height 20,5 - 20,7

 

[turbozed]

Handle Tenaly Size :
Tenaly, lenght 95,3 mm; width 22,6 (at thumb) 26,8 (in the middle) - 34,8 (at the end base); height 20,5 - 20,7

Thanks I had a chance to hold the handles of all Nittaku Tenaly models recently.

The Acoustic versions felt a bit thicker and substantial than the non-Acoustic. I'm not sure if that was psychological or actual. They just looked and felt better.

Still felt a bit too small, unfortunately.

 

[Metaxa]

Dotec and similar grips are ideal for people who play with a "broken wrist" (like Kanak Jha) and can still have their wrist make a down > up motion on top spin.

 

[TackyForehand]

After reading many posts, I've recently switched to a Tenaly blade and found the bent handle significant for my game. Its ergonomic shape has been an improvement for both forehand and backhand.

Pros:
1. Longer FH reach from reduced Z-shape form
2. No need for elbow-toward-the-ceiling BH flicks
3. Easier to get under the ball for both loops and flicks.
4. Lower head heaviness from change in balance point
5. Relaxed wrist and arm muscles

Cons:
1. The thin handle must be remedied with grip tape.
2. Long? adjustment period. I'm still top edging balls after a few weeks in

Nittaku Tenaly has been easier to play overall, both technically and physically. The core reason I pulled the trigger on this blade was a sore pain that ran through the outside of my entire arm. Since the change, there's been no pain.

 

[The Pong Professor]

Can't remember if I posted this here, but I wrote an article on the pros/cons of different handles that you might find interesting:

 

[SlowPower]

After reading many posts, I've recently switched to a Tenaly blade and found the bent handle significant for my game. Its ergonomic shape has been an improvement for both forehand and backhand.

Pros:
1. Longer FH reach from reduced Z-shape form
2. No need for elbow-toward-the-ceiling BH flicks
3. Easier to get under the ball for both loops and flicks.
4. Lower head heaviness from change in balance point
5. Relaxed wrist and arm muscles

Cons:
1. The thin handle must be remedied with grip tape.
2. Long? adjustment period. I'm still top edging balls after a few weeks in

Nittaku Tenaly has been easier to play overall, both technically and physically. The core reason I pulled the trigger on this blade was a sore pain that ran through the outside of my entire arm. Since the change, there's been no pain.

Great that the blade works for you to get rid of the pain issue!
Maybe I should try it again as my shoulder makes problems for about half a year or more.

I put it away because of edging balls and EJing...

 

[Way Zooted]

I have been using Tenaly's for a while now (prob 6 years). Started with the Original then Acoustic and Acoustic inner carbon. I decided to give it a try because I broke my wrist years ago and had an issue with intermittent pain and wrist/blade angle/ z formation.

The Tenaly helps a ton with those issues. I agree with the handles being a bit small. I also feel like the blade face is a bit on the smaller side. Sanwei made one called the Type 96 Leaning Handle that looks more full size.

This is also interesting info on the subject...
"The effect of table tennis racket design on wrist motion by Sicong Chen. A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Major: Industrial Engineering"
https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/a89ddce5-813a-4ac6-8648-a3108549b80c/content

 

[Chr75]

From Sanwei:

 

[Chr75]

from Nittaku two more Tenaly models:

テナリー暁炎 | Nittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球 | 卓球用品の総合メーカーNittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球株式会社の公式ホームページ

日本卓球(ニッタク=Nittaku) は卓球用品の総合メーカーです。公式ホームページでは卓球のラバーやラケットなどの卓球用品/卓球製品の紹介や、卓球の動画や全国の卓球場検索などのコンテンツなど盛り沢山です。

www.nittaku.com

テナリー蒼天 | Nittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球 | 卓球用品の総合メーカーNittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球株式会社の公式ホームページ

日本卓球(ニッタク=Nittaku) は卓球用品の総合メーカーです。公式ホームページでは卓球のラバーやラケットなどの卓球用品/卓球製品の紹介や、卓球の動画や全国の卓球場検索などのコンテンツなど盛り沢山です。

www.nittaku.com

 

[Tyce]

from Nittaku two more Tenaly models:

テナリー暁炎 | Nittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球 | 卓球用品の総合メーカーNittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球株式会社の公式ホームページ

日本卓球(ニッタク=Nittaku) は卓球用品の総合メーカーです。公式ホームページでは卓球のラバーやラケットなどの卓球用品/卓球製品の紹介や、卓球の動画や全国の卓球場検索などのコンテンツなど盛り沢山です。

www.nittaku.com

テナリー蒼天 | Nittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球 | 卓球用品の総合メーカーNittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球株式会社の公式ホームページ

日本卓球(ニッタク=Nittaku) は卓球用品の総合メーカーです。公式ホームページでは卓球のラバーやラケットなどの卓球用品/卓球製品の紹介や、卓球の動画や全国の卓球場検索などのコンテンツなど盛り沢山です。

www.nittaku.com

It's a So-Tenaly!

 

[laowa]

from Nittaku two more Tenaly models:

テナリー暁炎 | Nittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球 | 卓球用品の総合メーカーNittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球株式会社の公式ホームページ

日本卓球(ニッタク=Nittaku) は卓球用品の総合メーカーです。公式ホームページでは卓球のラバーやラケットなどの卓球用品/卓球製品の紹介や、卓球の動画や全国の卓球場検索などのコンテンツなど盛り沢山です。

www.nittaku.com

テナリー蒼天 | Nittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球 | 卓球用品の総合メーカーNittaku(ニッタク) 日本卓球株式会社の公式ホームページ

日本卓球(ニッタク=Nittaku) は卓球用品の総合メーカーです。公式ホームページでは卓球のラバーやラケットなどの卓球用品/卓球製品の紹介や、卓球の動画や全国の卓球場検索などのコンテンツなど盛り沢山です。

www.nittaku.com

Wow for once I'm tempted to try a tenaly

 

[zeio]

OK, so my background is in physics, I analyse a lot.

...

However, wouldn't it make more sense to use a table tennis racket DESIGNED for table tennis?

I think it's pretty obvious that the modern rackets we have all been using forever (there's a hint, forever! No change, what does that tell you!?) have NEVER been designed. Seriously a round paddle with a handle in the middle.

First world problems...

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Hr-z12wii2s

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6wbuqo00l50

拍不断的【古法菜刀】：一把中国菜刀雄霸天下，教你做人！
https://youtu.be/CyMwrU4-o3Q?t=271

肆 文化
华夏文化的这个圈子内
中式菜刀的认可度是非常高的
日本 韩国
东南亚一些很多国家
他们都用这秉菜刀
而不是像欧美国家
他是用那秉细长的刀
跟好坏没关系
跟使用习惯有关系
商周时期刀币
跟我们现在的菜刀的区别也不是很大
中国人是有智慧的
过去要如果打仗
厨子揣一把菜刀 背一个大锅
什么都解决了
西餐那样 他帶一堆刀
那也不现实
我们可能长期生存的环境
导致我们就伝把很多想法
都集中在一个东西上

IV. Culture
Within the Chinese cultural sphere
Chinese kitchen knives are highly recognized
In Japan, South Korea and
many other Southeast Asian countries
they all use this type of kitchen knife
rather than the long, thin ones
used in Europe and America
It has nothing to do with good or bad
it has to do with usage habits
The knife coins from the Shang (1600-1046 BCE) and Zhou (1046-256 BCE) dynasties
aren't much different from our current kitchen knives
The Chinese are wise
In the past, if a war broke out
a cook would carry a kitchen knife and a large pot
and everything would be covered
Western cooking, where a chef carries a large number of knives
is unrealistic
Perhaps the environment we've lived in for a long time
has led us to focus many ideas
on a single thing

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/recommendations-for-cpen-blade.30856/post-436212

The issue with the Jpen handle is that it trades finger/wrist flexibility for FH power and in turn BH TPB takes a toll. As explained in the video, the 未來直板/Future Penhold is actually primarily designed for kids. The idea is good but the direction is wrong. Much of the iterations has been about overcoming the shortcomings of the Jpen-like handle when playing TPB and/or RPB. They are trying to adapt the FH advantage of Jpen to RPB. See the problem? That's more about fixing the Jpen (which is all but abandoned in Japan and South Korea) than the future of penhold. "Revive Jpen" would be a more fitting name here.

RPB is an innovation of Cpen, an extension that takes advantage of the finger/wrist flexibility inherent to the grip which makes the adaption of shakehand BH stroke possible in the first place, but these grip modifications over the past two decades are totally missing that point and trying to fix issues that bother the grown-ups that started with TPB and have trouble transitioning to RPB, issues that kids have much less trouble adapting as they grow.

 

[Jerushka]

Just to add my two cents to this thread, the creator, Noriko Yamanaka does have instructional videos on the Youtube. The backhands look real interesting...

 

[OvrChkn]

Saw this while browsing. This looks like it would not be fun to do regular pendulum serves with lol

 

[godysseus]

Great thread – this is exactly the problem we set out to solve when developing our blades.

Classic handles were never really designed for the hand. They're symmetrical, straight, and optimized for mass production rather than ergonomics. The result: unconscious gripping tension, blisters between thumb and index finger, and faster fatigue.

We're Ergopong, a small blade manufactory from Austria. We developed an ergonomic handle shape based on 3D scans of real players' hands – more contact surface, and crucially, a rounded edge where the handle meets the blade (that's exactly where the blisters form on classic blades). The design is EU-registered and to our knowledge unique worldwide.

The feedback we get most often from players who switch: they hold the blade more loosely and play more stably at the same time. And the blisters disappear.

Happy to share more details about the construction if anyone's curious – or check out ergopong.at