Will practicing on a 13mm table affect tournament play?

[FrenchFrog33]

Will practicing on a 13mm table affect my play when I play matches on a 25mm table?

 

[Lazer]

No it will not…
I can not tell the difference except for the sound. The ball makes a bigger difference.

Cheers
L-zt

 

[DukeGaGa]

It does , the bounce of the ball is very different for different thickness, not to mention it’s almost twice as thick in this case.

 

[grandMast3r]

I have Kettler outdoor table tennis with decent quality built at home, but im using it only for serving practice and nothing more

 

[mocker88]

Practice on a 13mm table is better than no practice at all

 

[DukeGaGa]

Practice on a 13mm table is better than no practice at all

I don’t think so, hitting the ball at the right timing and positioning is very important, and with a table that bounces differently it might be better just practice using something else. There are lots of choices, some costing way less than a table.

 

[NDH]

I don’t think so, hitting the ball at the right timing and positioning is very important, and with a table that bounces differently it might be better just practice using something else. There are lots of choices, some costing way less than a table.

That’s a bit far fetched for my tastes (although I understand what you are trying to say).

As ever, more context would be useful.

What sort of practice are we talking?

Serve?
Matchplay?
Robot play?

I would agree with Mocker that 99.9999% of the time, practicing on a rubbish table is better than no practice at all.

But it also depends on the level…..

A Pro player practicing non stop on a 13mm table and then having to play their best on a 25mm table will struggle with the small differences.

But for most levels, I can see far more positives than negatives.

 

[FrenchFrog33]

Ok, I see a Stiga 25mm table on Amazon.com for @ $645. I see a Stiga 25mm table on tt websites for @ $1400. Is there a real difference in the playing surface?

 

[DukeGaGa]

Ok, I see a Stiga 25mm table on Amazon.com for @ $645. I see a Stiga 25mm table on tt websites for @ $1400. Is there a real difference in the playing surface?

I’d ignore stiga tables and buy a Donic Persson 25 or Waldner 25 or Butterfly Aspire 25. And yes, I have bought Stiga, Donic and Joola tables, my local club uses Butterfly Octet 25 and Europa 25.

 

[DukeGaGa]

That’s a bit far fetched for my tastes (although I understand what you are trying to say).

As ever, more context would be useful.

What sort of practice are we talking?

Serve?
Matchplay?
Robot play?

I would agree with Mocker that 99.9999% of the time, practicing on a rubbish table is better than no practice at all.

But it also depends on the level…..

A Pro player practicing non stop on a 13mm table and then having to play their best on a 25mm table will struggle with the small differences.

But for most levels, I can see far more positives than negatives.

Honestly it’s not a small differences at all, bounce a ball on them side by side and compare. And by cheaper ways I mean these, https://a.co/d/9TJG2aw, https://a.co/d/2bvaec2 , https://m.tb.cn/h.UpV7QQ5?tk=vE0adRiprRs

Or find a mirror and practice, or use your kitchen table, probably bounces about the same as a 13mm tt table just smaller in size.

Also, @FrenchFrog33 why waste money on a table you’re not sure about? That usually means you’ll most likely regret buying the cheaper one eventually, go to a local sports store and test If you have the opportunity, or save up and buy the right one.

 

[latej]

DON'T READ THIS: (It's not me, it's ChatGPT I swear)
As the importance of precision in the different types of practise increases, so increases how negatively (or less positively) the training on 13mm table affects your tournament play. The measure of the "goodness" of this affect/influence is directly proportional to the level of the player. The higher the level of the player, the more negative the influence, the less-lower the level of the player, the less positive the influence.

READ THIS:
Example in my case: Training serves on 19mm table leads to a bit higher and longer serves in the match on 25mm table. That is for me the highest influence.

Still, much better than not training it at all...

But as Duke says, I regret not buying 25mm table now.

EDIT: Coudn't get the ChatGPT right...

 

[lodro]

Oh shit !
I am completely f#&**ed now, my table has only got a 10mm hardboard.
I train mostly serves and also try to beat the robot.
Yes there is a difference when I play on the old Butterfly tables at the club
and there is also a difference playing on the Stag tables in the other club but
at my level of play.......................who cares 😂

 

[pingpongpaddy]

you might be able to improve the cheaper table a little by putting weights (sandbags) on the legs to improve the stability and contact with the ground. I remember from my youth a long time ago my dad improving my first cheap table by this means. It makes the bounce a bit more lively and consistent

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Bounce is different.
If you can buy a 22mm, then it is better than those thinner ones.
22mm and 25mm is closer (and both could be ITTF approved)

a bad table is better than no table.
I have seen places where they train on poor quality tables (you bump the table, and the base will collapse). I have seen tables (and coached on) that require 10 x school bags (with heavy books in) to support the bases too. What people do for the love of the sport (with zero budget) is amazing!

A table is a long term investment. few hundred dollars more over 5 or 10 years isn't much.
So hope you can get something better.

Regarding Amazon vs Stiga store pricing, I think questions need to be asked around shipping costs and taxes.
Shipping a table + taxes cost more than the table it self (sadly), so maybe just check what is your true cost to your door (delivery) would be, before decided what/where to buy.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Yes, practicing on a 13mm table will affect tournament play. The 13mm table is designed for beginner players, not for professional tournaments. This means that the bounce of the ball and other features may not be optimized to provide you with an appropriate level of challenge or accuracy during competition.

Let me add to it.
When the table is so thin, the ball can't really adsorb well, it will skid more.
Spin is wrong, skidding appears, which is wrong
Sound is wrong
So much is wrong

 

[Der_Echte]

...a bad table is better than no table...

I was inclined to say try preparing for your tourney WITHOUT a table and see how it goes... but it looks like the Goon Squad reached carl's trap door before I could.

 

[Brs]

Will practicing on a 13mm table affect my play when I play matches on a 25mm table?

No. Not at all, when compared to the difference between practicing and not practicing because you are scared the table will mess you up. Practice.

 

[brokenball]

Based on mass alone, the bounce is theoretically different but the difference is so small because the mass of the ball is small compared to the mass of the table. The surface of the table will make a bigger difference. A 10mm slab of slate will be very fast because the slate will absorb very little energy. Tables with softer surfaces will be slower and less bouncy because the softer surfaces will absorb more energy.

 

[palguay]

That’s a bit far fetched for my tastes (although I understand what you are trying to say).

As ever, more context would be useful.

What sort of practice are we talking?

Serve?
Matchplay?
Robot play?

I would agree with Mocker that 99.9999% of the time, practicing on a rubbish table is better than no practice at all.

But it also depends on the level…..

A Pro player practicing non stop on a 13mm table and then having to play their best on a 25mm table will struggle with the small differences.

But for most levels, I can see far more positives than negatives.

This is the only answer that make sense to me, without having context it is really hard to give any meaningful answers.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I was inclined to say try preparing for your tourney WITHOUT a table and see how it goes... but it looks like the Goon Squad reached carl's trap door before I could.

then you need to hear of the opposite,
Training on good tables and playing on "world event" - bad tables.