OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I'm an all out two winged looper (about 1800 usatt, but forehand dominant) who would like to add hitting/ block variation on bh side to my game. I'm used to using tenergy 05 on both sides, but the bh is hard to control. I often find myself blocking and looping off the bounce with my bh side.

I started trying pips with an old sheet of globe 889 1.8. It's pretty good, but I still have to get used to blocking with it. I can hit through consistency loops and high arc loops which is a plus.

I'm looking at either super spinpips 21 or spectol 21.

I know the spectol is less spinney and probably can't loop too well, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing. I'm pretty sure spinpips will be more similar to what I'm used to but I'd still like to be able to hit through loops. So I guess the question would be what blocks better that I could add spin variation with, but I still can opening loop/flip with? What has better control on pushes?
And what sponge should I be using?

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-Teddy

802-40 or Raystorm in 1.9 thickness. These are the best 'transition pips'. They are quite spinny. Some people will suggest short pips that are a bit tougher to play against, but they will also be tougher to use. The ones I mentioned will take less of a modification as you transition towards a different stroke.

Stay close to the table, and be prepared to make a bunch of changes to your forehand to accommodate the new location you will have to hold, closer to the table than you are used to.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

The TSP pips you mention are not good transition pips from inverted.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

All short pips let you hit through loops.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

Err, if you have to loop, I would have to recommend either a Bryce variant (more on block and hit, Bryce Speed is nice) or Tenergy 64 (more on off-bounce loop).

As it is, if you're going to switch to short pips, blocking and hitting will be your bread-and-butter, not your variation.

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Viscaria. H2 Neo 2.15. Tenergy 05 1.9.

True. I do wish to block and hit bh. In order to give a large variation of spin between fh and bh. Basically I want to expand my attack and pressure my opponents.

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-Teddy

Check out Wang Tao's matches on youtube and see what he can do with SP on his BH.
If this is what you want to do too, consider his SP - TSP Spectol.

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TSP Spectol Soft - 2.1 mm - FH
TSP Spectol 21 - 2.1 mm - BH
Stiga Clipper CR WRB
--------------and--------------------
TSP Spinpips 21 - 2.0 mm - FH
TSP Spectol 21 - 2.1 mm - BH
BBC 9-10-9

Spectol is one of the great short pips but does not forgive deviations from proper short pip technique. It is not for beginners.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

I learned this the hard way - after 3 months of frustration.
I have tried many short pips but I keep coming back to Spectol.

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TSP Spectol Soft - 2.1 mm - FH
TSP Spectol 21 - 2.1 mm - BH
Stiga Clipper CR WRB
--------------and--------------------
TSP Spinpips 21 - 2.0 mm - FH
TSP Spectol 21 - 2.1 mm - BH
BBC 9-10-9

Hi Guys, you all seem very knowledgable in your quest for perfection, i would like to ask some advice.

a little about me:
started playing at 10, mostly in my garage against a fold up table, but at 13 made provincial/county side but because table tennis wasnt a school sport was forced to join the provincial squash team instead. knocked around abit till about 15 but then stopped altogether till about 2/3 yrs ago, 20 years later.
fell in love with the game again after competing in may Racketlon tournaments which involve playing all 4 sports of table tennis, badminton, squash and tennis. Started my own company and have the sole agency and distribution for Andro and Donic in South Africa.

my current set up:
blade is a Donic Black devil carbon, extremely fast
forhand Quattro Formula and backhand Vario Cooper, Allround rubbers basicaly.

my style:
close to the table,block and wild wristy backhand smashes.
sometimes i stray from the table and play smashes from a distance all relatlively well.
i do not loop whatsover and i struggle reading and returning serves from good players. But they also struggle returning my serves of which i only have 3 variation.
i have been told before i hit very flat and should consider a pimple design rubber.

this is my thinking:
keep the blade for the fast offensive and change to Donic Acuda S3 rubber for forehand, more control 7+ and spin. 10++
now on the backhand to throw in some deviation a pimple Baxter D25 control 10, speed 5+, trouble effect 5, i would use this mainly for return of serves and blocking loops. my flat smashes should be perfect with this.
or slternatively just stick with the invert and go for a slight variation more control Donic Vario Bigslam cntrol 8, speed 8, spin 10+

i have read your revies on Andro Blowfish and dont like the inconsistency therof.

so what do you guys think?
is the whole pimple thing dying out, are they going to ban pimples am i playing with fire, should i stick to invert learn to spin and read spin properly or is it too late. for the very few times i play, maybe its best to go pimple. pimple both sides or just 1 side. Choices, choices.

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Racketlon South Africa
http://www.racketlon.co.za

You're safe if you decide to use short pimples, which seem like a good match for you. They won't be banned.

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The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Friendship 802-40 in black color with 2.0 Super Soft sponge is ideal for your backhand. It's cheap too.

My question is: "Have you fallen into the trap of using a blade which is too fast for your playing level?"

You say you don't play very often, so why focus on speed rather than developing your technique as a hitter/blocker? From what I've read elsewhere, why not choose a good transitional short pip? But more importantly, why don't you find a blade which will give you more control, even if it is at the expense of some speed?

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"So long, and thanks for all the fish
So sad that it should come to this" Sung by the dolphins in The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy

Also look at the guys who have been successful with short pips, old Wang Tao was a master as was Milan Orlowski-these guys dominated with SP.

Some rare Orlowski footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ed-ckrO ... re=related

He is back 5-7 feet and counter driving with SP!

Wang Tao:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExUayG8ZN_o
(notice at about 4:15 old Wang Tao is back chopping with his SP's).

Speaking of Chopping with Short Pips:(Ding Song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agmPb9y7N1E

So the SP will afford you a lot of options but they need their own strokes and strategies.

For what its worth, the most inverted like SP, I have played with is Stiga Radical, but it also has its baggage as well. I like 802 in all its forms and I like the price!!!

Ian

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Blade: Giant Dragon Kris: FH: Friengship 729 Judo (red) 2.0 BH: Feint Long 3 (black) 1.3
Blade: Alfa Pro : FH: Friendship Judo (red) 2.0 BH TSP Curl P-1r (black) 1.4

Thanks for the tips guys, really helpful. havnt made my mind up yet, but will definitely keep you posted. We have an international friendly against Pakistan and local tournament in 3 weeks time.
hopefuly decided and practiced by then.

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Racketlon South Africa
http://www.racketlon.co.za