OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hi. My name is Teddy and I am a 1688 usatt modern defender...at least that's what I'm attempting to be. I was a two winged looper from 2006 to february 2010. I progressed to 1750 and became bored. Not because I was all that great but because the game got stale for me. Throughout my time in table tennis I found enjoyment in watching Chen Weixing and Joo se Hyuk so in 2010 I took the plunge and bought some tsp p1r 0.6. I played that for one year straight and then the EJ bug caught me. I tried joola octopus 1.2, Phantom 0011 1.0, Phantom 0012 ox, Giant long ox, Ck531 ox, 755 1.0, and Dtecs ox. All of them I found playable. All of them I liked in one way or another, but as I progressed I kept trying to optimize my setup.

The holiday hit this december and I just finished a one year accelerated Nursing Degree that took most of my time. I got a job a wife a kid, and less time. I can play once or twice a week but I have a decent robot in the basement to hit with daily. So now here I am and 2012 is tomorrow. I just ordered some new rubber for my valor american chopper blade. On wednesday I will receive tibhar grip-s europe 2.1 and Grass Dtecs 1.6.

I was chopping and looping at first but i decided to learn all the shots I could with the pips so with the help of Greg Letts online coaching program I did. I feel I had too many options and became less consistent. Therefore I am going to work on playing more of a modern defense game.

In the couple years of me learning to play with long pips I've seen peers stick with their style and progress to over 1800 and a one over 2100. The players who reached 1800-1900 I still beat more than half of the time. I can only think this is because they are unfamiliar with pips. Also I only play 1 to 2 tournaments a year.
So here I am making a plan to improve in 2012. I will start using this blog to document my progress, and the knowledge I learn so I don't forget it. I'm hoping with the help of the great players here that I can improve my rating to the 2000 usatt level. However I know it's not going to happen overnight and I'll look at this next year as a success if my rating goes over 1800.

So here it is. I will start posting videos mid january. I don't mind constructive criticism. In fact I welcome it. Enjoy your new year everyone:)

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-Teddy

Well have fun and although keep pratcicing the backhand , don't forget the forehand

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Blade Ulmo Duality| FH Tibhar mx-p Black, Dawei 388D-1 red OX
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Looking forward to following this adventure as well. Keep the posts coming.

Good on you tabesamis!

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Yeeess its another blog. Awesome
Will be waiting for the stories and videos Sir

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GFoT |Blade : Timo Boll ALC • FH : DHS 3 Neo Provincial MAX • BH : Tenergy 64 MAX
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Looking forward to reading your blog Teddy. I think sometimes reading the progress of other LP players helps to re-focus the steps you've taken yourself as an LP player, thereby reinforcing what you've done and your own progress. So I will read with interest, and happily offer any advice you'd like.

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
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So the year started out great. I woke up with some muscle pain in my lower neck and upper back. I guess I pulled my trapezius muscle while crabwalking around the house with my daughter sitting on my belly saying "m'again daddy!". Anyway my brother the doctor says it should subside in 3-7 days. I'm hoping 5 cause I want to play our monthly tournament at the table tennis club with the my new equipment for the year. Throughout the week I'll take pics of the equipment and post them here.

I probably won't be at 100% that day compounded with new equipment, but it will be a learning experience. I'll bring a camera to get a match or two and hopefully get something that resembles my normal technique.

I want to play no matter what because its a giant round robin so based on how I play my first 3 matches I'll be placed in A B C or D group. I'm normally in B or C. Normally if I'm in C I win. I have won B, but it depends on who shows up. Occasionally we get a 2000 player relegated to the B group.

Once the groups are determined we normally play 7 to 9 matches. Which is normally great because you normally get about 2 matches with 2000+ players no matter what group you end up in pending we get our normal crew of about 10-12 2000+ rated players.

It's also a good test of the chopping style because it is an endurance event. Anyway I'll post some pics of my competition blade tomorrow or the next day.

Later

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-Teddy

Hey Teddy, you must have too much free time on your hands. I myself had to replace my home computer just to read and enjoy watching all of the table tennis videos. I know Teddy for going on ten years, so I know that he will work hard to get his game to the level he is looking for. I have seen his game progress and I enjoy working and training with him. I have also decided to "STAY" with the push blocker style instead of going to a defender style. I like to chop with my BH from any distance and I am working on my loop more and more. ANy time you would like to work on your game I have put together a regular blade that will allow me to loop more consistant *(higher throw rubber) to work your chops. I also have some ANTI setup on one blade to try out. I will still use my Trimmed Kris blade and Talon ox, I still plan to get an ANDRO TEMPER TECH OFF- blade st. and order a back-up Kris. I will be at the club on Tuesday, also not up to going but have a slight cold but I want to play. My goal for this year is to play in the States and U.S> Open.

Got to get back to work


PEACE GIG

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*IT IS NOT LOGICAL TO PLAY WITH LONG PIPS*
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.


New blade set-up... Nittaku Monophonic with Dawie 388d-1 ox and Big slam max ( really like this one) down to FH rubber selections--I like it better than talon
flaired handle and 90 grams

Hey Bob: Don't go this week. Come to the tournament on saturday.

Ok. So I took some pics with my phone of my blade. I'll take more when I get my rubber and show the finished product. I got some new glue and a new surgical blade the other day so I'm going to aim for something close to perfection:)

The blade is a valor american chopper.
http://www.valortabletennis.com/Valor-A ... r-1001.htm

I believe it's made of North American Birch which I've really never heard of for blades, but It's a hardbat blade made to look like a hock or something classic. I bought it because I like the look of it (silly), but I got lucky. It plays with good control and is fast enough for a killer loop.

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-Teddy

So my new rubber is coming in the mail. I was in pain but I couldn't resist playing some table tennis with my brother who was in town for the new year.

So for all of you who haven't pulled your trapezius muscle it not only affects your back but your neck. It was tough to turn my head to see the ball to loop therefore I had no forehand .... My only attack was a backckhand flick and punch block with inverted. Also my forehand was limited to blocking and pushing...

After being humiliated 3 games I decided to stick long pips on my attacking blade and play a push block style with mostly my backhand. I used my long and most deadly serves and hoped for a few easy points. I also did my best when I played inverted on the backhand for serve return and to attack and pips on the forehand for chop-blocking with occasional flips for effect. The next 4 games were all loses but I lost at 8 and 9 instead of at 5 and 6. This is where my realization came.

Pushblocker (Olivier) is a GENIUS!!! You have to have great touch and great strategy and a huge understanding of what your opponent is trying to do to play this style. I am pretty sure that many players who excel in looping and hitting could not play this style. At least not to his effectiveness. In fact after my experience I can only think that his success comes from a paddle forged by an evil wizard from the depths of europe who enjoys watching modern loopers fail on youtube over and over and over, and a mind that takes modern tactics and finds telekinetic mystical wrenches to throw in the engines of unsuspecting players. It made me watch some of Pushblocker's matches more carefully. Thinking...I still don't understand why those guys are missing. My eyes and mind are too slow.

This is the first muscle pull in my life that has affected my play. It's a sad thing that tells me I'm getting older, more out of shape, and that my game is only dependent on me being in top condition. Even though this is the case it only makes me want to be a chopper / Looper more. Not because it's a cool style, which it is, but because it will keep me in shape.

If I were to take something out of the first week in 2012 I would come up with only one piece of knowledge for all: Stretch. Stretch before you play. Stretch before brushing your teeth. Stretch before drinking soup. Stretch before bed. Stretch before your next match, and definitely stretch before playing with your kids.

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-Teddy

So I got my new rubber in the mail today and I have it in my clicky press as I type. All the rubber looks really high quality.

The dtecs is nice and has a 1.6 sponge on it. The grip-s europe looks chinese... I hear that everyone is suspecting that it is whale II with the red sponge. Well I've got some pics so you can tell me:)

Here's the pics of my setup as I was cutting it.

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-Teddy

Here's more

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-Teddy

So here are the final pics. I am so ready to feel 100% so I can try it. Trying a new setup at a tournament is probably not the best thing but the tournament at our club is a money tournament and not a USATT sanctioned tournament so if I don't do well in the first round then I'm more likely to win back my entry money plus 5 dollars.

Now I'd like to do well in the first round to play higher ranked players but the fact that I'm guaranteed to play one and one at my level is fine to me. If I do average then the tournament will be fun yet I'll have a chance in B division. I'm aiming to play there but if I have a great first round I'll be happy. It's coming quick and I'm feeling better every day so I assume I'll be ready to play without pain. Wish me luck.

Oh and I'll give my rubber reviews then. Though I'm pretty sure 2 or 3 guys here play with dtecs 1.6
My idea about the Grip-s is that if it is a rebadging of haifu whale II I'll buy whale II when I can but it will be nice to be at the us open this year knowing that if my rubber rips I can buy one there for emergency.

Hopefully this rubber is everything I want. I'm really looking for something like top energy soft, but slightly softer....so topenergy softer...

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-Teddy

Nice looking blade, I dont know much about the inverted rubber from Tibhar but I am sure it is spinny. I am still playing with the pushblocker style of play with my trimmed Kris blade. I have been looking at more vidoes that have blockers and FH attackers. I think since I set up some top energy soft on another blade for training that I could loop more consistant so you can practice your chops.
I will also look at adding 755 to my alt Kris blade to try out with some regular pips on one side.
I will be at the club next Tuesday,,still feeling under the weather with this cold.

Good luck this SAt and dont hurt yourself.
PEace GIG

_________________
*IT IS NOT LOGICAL TO PLAY WITH LONG PIPS*
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.


New blade set-up... Nittaku Monophonic with Dawie 388d-1 ox and Big slam max ( really like this one) down to FH rubber selections--I like it better than talon
flaired handle and 90 grams

so heres a couple reviews. not really reviews of equipment, but fun. I am writing this on my new 32 bit blackberry playbook. A 7inch tablet pc. I own an ipad 2 which i mostly have my wife and daughter use. This is a nice tablet. It has enough hard drive at 32gigs to load videos take video and pics. The web browser may be faster than my laptop from 2 years ago and it plays youtube videos nicely.

You wont get as manyapps as in other tablets, but i love that. My daughter doesnt want to use it and I am happy. Also this thing can run multiple windows and multitask a little. Overall for $250 it is good.

I also bought the alpha table tennis pro serve return video. It is great for beginners and also the analysis may be worthwhile for experienced players.I think its one of those videos that grow with the user. The better theplayer the more nuance they will pick up. Worth the money for the beginner or for coaches.

Tomorrow I play my first competition of the year. New pips and inverted. I will try to get an hour of service practice before. Wish me luck!

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-Teddy