OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I have developed a unique table tennis grip/style due to being an athlete working around a handicap (a severe variant of distal arthrogyrposis, Type 1). My condition impacts my table tennis game in that my wrist cannot extend backwards more than a few degrees, but has hyper-mobility in forward flexion and my thumb is "double-jointed" in a couple different ways. I attached a short youtube video I made to illustrate these features and my grip.

https://youtu.be/wrYO4ICLwHg

Long story short, I picked up TT in med school a year and a half ago and had a real knack for it (after I got done being an absolute beginner). I quickly realized that my ability with shake-hand would hit a ceiling due to my anatomical limitations so I tinkered and arrived at a solution that covers my weaknesses, takes advantage of the positive, unique features of my anatomy and wound up with something I would come to understand is colloquially referred to as the "Seemiller grip" even though my grip differs pretty drastically from Dan Seemiller. I've outgrown my Palio Legend 2 pre-made bat and I'm looking for equipment advice: blade, FH rubber, BH rubber. I play a super aggressive close to the table style and am able to flick anything back with merciless topspin and placement (my grip and swing mechanics allow me to get "on top of" any short and/or low ball to the forehand and generate a powerful low topspin that I can hook or fade). My forehand game is strong at any distance, but I play close to the table because I have a strong block game and my backhand is best over the table or a step off, but is mediocre to dubious at mid-range or longer due to the nature of my grip/mechanics. I tend to use the backhand side of my rubber for aggressive backspin pushes/cut-pushes and to chop if I'm off the table to buy myself time to recover and get back to my preferred close distance. Unlike other Seemiller players I don't twiddle so I'm not interested in an "anti" for my BH side. What kind of a blade works best for powerful shots close to the table? What kind of forehand rubber will give me the throw I need to clear the net with my aggressive forehand flicks on short heavy backspin serves and combination of speed and spin necessary to win points with a forehand dominant style? What kind of a backhand rubber would work best with the blade I need to load up backspin on pushes/cuts/chops without playing too fast since I don't loop with my backhand side of the paddle? I'm by no means an EJ, but I want a blade that will last and the right rubbers for the job. Price isn't an issue since I'm quite frugal and have decided I want to splurge (I mean… invest!) in the best possible setup for my burgeoning game. I don't have any idea of my level since I don't play in a club (yet!), but I did just beat an acquaintance who is 2380 in consecutive best of 7 series (the only two we've played). G D it I hope that didn't sound as humble brag/douche bag-tastic as it felt to type, but I wanted to give as honest and complete an appraisal of my game as I could so that the equipment advice would work out.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read my post!!

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User of the one of a kind "Smith" grip: here to revolutionize the game.

That is the same grip I use. I can loop or banana flip on the backhand using the forehand rubber. I have anti on the backhand side of the bat and use it to block, push, chop or flip on the backhand side just by rolling the forearm. I have instant choice of anti or forehand rubber on the backhand by just rolling the forearm. Same on backhand serves. I also hold the table. That grip is the best for blocking close to the table, no crossover problem. Just move the bat to the ball.

Hookshot, there's more than one of us?? Huzzah! What kind of a blade do you find suits this style? Also, why don't more people play this way? I was heavily mocked when I attempted the switch (especially because I was playing quite well with shakehand at the time), but now I'm universally feared in my tiny little pond.

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User of the one of a kind "Smith" grip: here to revolutionize the game.

Not as tiny as you think, I block similar style caught wrong.

Important thing is to be loose before stroke and be in position, hit in zone and hit center of mass on bat at impact.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

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Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

there is nothing wrong with an unusual grip imho.
ps whats on the bed-a rat,small dog,hampster ?

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igorponger wrote:

Day -by-day inhalation of the speed glues is not any good for health..

That's my dog, Rufus. He's a little Papillon! Any blade suggestions? Danny Seemiller responded to my question somewhere else (still amazed he responded!) and suggested a Petr Korbel blade. Was a tick slower than I anticipated in terms of suggestions, but it seems to favor more feel which could be useful for the kinds of shots I play. Still unsure so I'm trying to get a few inputs and opinions to circle in on a choice.

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User of the one of a kind "Smith" grip: here to revolutionize the game.

I'm pretty sure Seemiller is still using an old Grubba blade, which are slower than Korbels.

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SPW/Solo

I thought for a long time about Coach Seemiller's suggestion and I decided that the Petr Korbel blade made a lot of sense. There's the masculine desire to play the "fastest" and "most powerful" blade—and to be fair, I have a very powerful forehand that I use to finish out almost every point, hah—but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that with the extremely flat angles I take to the ball on over the table flicks and close to the table all-out-topspin shots an all-wood blade with a slightly longer dwell time along with a high throw rubber would be ideal and Seemiller was completely on point (he also suggested Tenergy 05 for my FH). Since I don't twiddle I settled on the following set up and I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes. I may even post a video if I can find a videocamera of sufficient quality to capture a game of TT!

Blade: Petr Korbel
FH: Tenergy 05, 1.9mm (black)
BH: Tenergy 25, 1.9mm (red)

Blade should be assembled by next Friday!

P.S. I didn't go with the black on the FH just to be like the Chinese (I think they use black on FH because of manufacturing processes over there and dyes/tackiness correlation) but the Tenergy 25, 1.9mm was out of stock for black and I am too impatient to wait!!

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User of the one of a kind "Smith" grip: here to revolutionize the game.