I think my year of EJing is coming to an end
Last year at this time I bought a 729 Bomb+Pogo 0X and 3 anti rubbers, Super Anti, Best Anti and Power Anti.
It has become clear that I play better with what I call my "ball whacker" setup. Currently I have two "ball whacker" paddles. One is my TBS+T05+802-40 1.8mm ( too fast ) but I really play better with my Samsonov Alpha+T05 ( 22 months old )+802 1.5mm.
I still am trying to tame to T05 especially on the TBS. I think the TBS is simply too fast.
The 802 1.5mm on my Samsonov Alpha is not that spinny but I can flat hit well and pretty accurately. I know it is not fancy but it gets the job done. I need to learn to chop with the 802. 802 should be good for chopping. The old T05 is getting badly chipped around the edges. Eventually the old T05 will need to be replaced. I have a 1.8mm Rakza 7 that I liked on my FH. Rakza didn't loop as well but it flat hits well. Basically I could flat hit any loops that bounced too high. I also like H2 Neo for close to the table play.
The last few months I have been moving up. I have been beating people I haven't beat before and winning percentage is going up. The difference in play is seems small but it doesn't take much to make a 1 or 2 point difference. Before I lost too many games by 2 points. Now I am winning more of the tight ones. I think that is simply TT savy.
I have some nice LP, anti, and double inverted paddles that aren't getting enough love. Too many people here know how to play against anti and LPs and waiting for the other guy to screw up isn't as much fun as hitting blistering BHs that the other guy doesn't even a paddle on the ball.
It takes too long to get good at using any one particular rubber. I think the only reason I like the SP is because I like to play hard bat a lot. There isn't much difference in the strokes.
Comments
hit or loop
You'd want it to come to an end when there is only a week left LOL.
I am suprised you use tenergy 05 on a whacker set up. I find it has to much spin to constantly have to negotiate if flat hitting is what I mainly do. I'd like to see a video of you looping and then hitting with your set up - it would be a deadly combination drill!
I used to drill a flat shot then a loop but have not drilled for ages now since my robot is in storage across the other side of the world...
http://tabletennisyoutube.com
Hit or Loop? ..... Both!
The T05 is my old 22 month old
It was chipping badly on my TBS so I moved it to my Samsonov Alpha with a smaller head. I trimmed it up so it looked good for a while but now it is chipping again. I am just making sure I get my money's worth out of it. It still spins well though.
I usually do only one loop per rally. I will do one spinny top spin in hopes of getting a high return. After that it is 'ball whacking' time. When on the defensive I block to the table edges or sometimes chop block just to slow things down. I may need to do another loop to regain the offensive.
I have come to the conclusion that I am not a big time looper. I can loop but it is too energy consuming so I do it sparingly.
Last night at the club I played well with my Samsonov Alpha+T05+802 1.5mm. I played for about one hours then we changed partners. I played with my hard bat against an older guy. I can play a control game with my hard bat and make sure he gets his exercise. Then I got roped into a doubles game. I played with my hard bat. Won two matches. Then I play with my 'Ball Whacker' again. I was tired. I could swing and hit the ball to do a brush loop if I tried. I had run out of gas. It is for these reasons I looked into playing with LPs. I am a better player with my Ball Whacker but only for a limited time. Once I get tired my timing goes to hell and I can't brush loop well.
When I do loop I like to put A LOT of top spin on the ball. The ball jumps out low and fast and often goes under the opponents paddle and if he does hit it the ball is so low that he must hit the ball high so I can go into ball whacking mode. However, this tires me out quickly. Normal loops don't do it for me. The other guys hit those back unless I place them well. If the ball is high it is much easier to simply flat hit or maybe put a little top spin on the ball.
When I play with my robot I almost always top spin one ball and chop the next. The idea is that I learn to do the top spins without 'grooving' one stroke. I don't do well in warm ups where people just hit top spin loops at each other. I can't over power the younger power loopers. I get tired and my timing so disappears. I usually just hit a few then start to block. Yes I do block with T05 too.
My new T05 is on my TBS along with the 802-40. This is a much faster setup. It is better for those FH warm ups but not in actual play.
When my old T05 dies I will then use up my Rakza 7, H2 Neo and SST Pro Team. I still have about $200-300 of rubbers still un opened in their wrappers.
grooving one stroke - Ed please read.
I think that is the most interesting thing you said.
That is such a crucial tip, that so many people overlook and don't understand why they play so well in drills and then fall apart in a game.
Ed's best shot clearly evident in our last rally video, is a backhand loop down the line. It is his money shot. It is the only shot that if I try to counter attack my percentages are only about 20% to get back so I usually sidespin forehand block it. A normal block will go to high for a smash.
The reason he does this shot is simple, he has grooved it more than any shot and his stance is always the same forcing him to do it almost. He uses a return board on the same side of the table all the time.
He actually says he likes playing on it, as it helps him groove his shots.
Now when it comes receiving other stuff it is a different story as there is nothing to get groovy about.
http://tabletennisyoutube.com