OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hi guys, just found this forum and its been great so far.
I'm going back to playing competition after 12 year break. The league is in an area of small country towns and I was playing number 3 in an 8 person team. The number ones and twos are obviously the best in the area since there is only one league and they can be quite good and the number 8's can real beginners with a rally consisting of just getting the ball back. So as a number 3 I was somewhere in the middle.

My issue is that I'm currently looking at getting a custom bat made but in reading the forum people talk about your 'style'. I'm not really sure how to assess this. I just play with some mates who serve with a little spin, hit it over a few times then someone usually goes for a smash and it either goes in or out, we might get it back and its on again. Not sure what style this is or more importantly what type of bat to look at.

I've taken on board not to go up to 2.0mm and thinking an ALL rating could be the way to go. I've read the beginner bat suggestions but it gets a bit confusing. I've been looking at a pre-made Butterfly Yuki for about AUD $50. Would this do?

Any thoughts, help or tips would be appreciated.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

You are right on the money speedplay. That was the exact page I was looking at.

Would the Friendship ones be any good? What about compared to say the Butterfly Yuki I mentioned.

I was probably leaning towards the Galaxy N10 over the Instinct since hearing that the Instinct seems to have a history of breaking according to other forum users. The rubbers are 2.0mm. Would this be an issue for me since elsewhere it said to stay under 2.0mm.

Also heres a real beginner question. Are you meant to use say black for forehand and red for backhand? On this bat they are both RITC 729 2000 rubbers, just one red and one black so I'm assuming they are the same so it doesn't matter.

One other question. What is a 2-winged looping style ?

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

you can use any colour for either side, some premades rubbers are stuck on too well and when you want to change any of the rubbers the blades may splinter, however the 729 blades will be good use for you for a year, but another option is talking to the OOKT shop and telling them your budget, playing style, experience and expectations ie a slower backhand rubber and a bit faster forehand bla bla bla and they will make you 1 up just for you
the 729 bats would be better than the cheaper yuki bats (as these are made in China and not Japan)
I like the look of the B002 with 007 rubbers as its a nice alround bat with good rubbers, the bats has a nice handle and overall well made

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I'd skip the 729's and go for the Yuki. It's a heavyish medium speed 5ply with 2mm flextra on each side. I started off with one of these too. Much better than the cheap 729 premades.

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Chasse Patate

When you say the 729's, to you mean the Friendship bats with 729 rubbers or the Bomb and Galaxy with 729. I'm thinking of going the Bomb, Galaxy or Instinct with the 729 fx lightning, or do you think the RITC 2000 would be better.

Really appreciate your help.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

hmm...not much spin or speed but a lot of control...sounds like an allround player. get a setup, start playing and go with whatever you think is easiest for you. for me, i play a varied game. against a high-spin looping player, i go back about 3 feet from the table and chop and block with BH and counterloop with FH. against a fast attacker, i distance myself from the table and block and counter/place with FH and chop with BH. against beginners (or little innocent kids) i use my penhold setup and hit back anything that comes my way. if i get the chance to twiddle to a good BH shot, i can punchblock.

if you tend to take the ball off the bounce, you can become a countertopspinner, hitter or blocker. (chuan, kenta and he zhi when)

if you tend to brush the ball on your strokes, you can become a looper. (timo and any top chinese penhold player)

if you tend to back away from the table and counter, you can become a mid-distance attacker (mizutani and kaii)

if you want to chop, you can become either a pure defender (two winged chop, like joo) or combination (BH chop, FH attack like chen)

if you tend to hit really hard, you can become a driver. (shiwen and hirano)

if you become lazy, you can become a blocker (or if you freeze up when being attacked, which is my case)

or you can be some of each. and that is the allround style.

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SPW/Solo

Thanks for your help. After considering all the information and speaking to Alex at Table Tennis Shop I've ordered the following: -
1) 729 Bomb with 729FX Lightning 2.0mm FH & BH (for me)
2) Friendship Fighter 1 Glass Fibre Bat with 729-2 and 729 rubbers 2.2mm

Hope they are ok. Pick them up on the weekend and first hit will be next week, will let you know how we go.

Whatever the result hopefully they will be better than the $7 Kmart bats we now have.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

You'll be happy with those bats it'll be a world of difference to what you are using now

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Donic defplay senso
Haifu whale soft (grips-euro)
Nittaku pimplemini 1.0mm

Had my first comp with the new bat. Very happy with the speed, spin etc when I was able to play my own game and play to my strengths. Won my first 2 matches. Then I came up against my nemises. The backhand chop.

I've never been able to play well against spin and this was no exception, especially with the new bat.

So this brings another question. Do people ever use different bats for different opponents, such as using one with pips on backhand for example against a defensive chopper but on with more spin against an attacker, or is it just a matter of practicing against this style of opponent and learning how to use my current bat properly. Spin kills me.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

Spin is obviously a major part of TT and it is largely why the game is so compelling. Just like you have to learn how to smash you also have to learn how to produce spin and how to return it. It will probably take some time but once you get it you will be fine. Don't try to take short cuts by using different rubbers because then you will never develop a rounded game and your progress will be limited. After some time you will realize that playing against chop/backspin is ridiculously easy. For now you can just push it back by sliding under the ball with your bat almost parallel to the table but in the long term you need to learn how to loop it. Once you learn how to loop you will relish people chopping to you.

Well its now 4 months since my original post and my style is now what it is but I'm still not sure what that is. I know what I'm not........Chopper, Blocker, Defender, combination.

Could be a Hitter, Mid-distance attacker, Driver (not really sure of the difference). In my games its usually me that takes the initiative to attack and the points are won usually by whether my attack is better than my opponents defense and consistancy, with a few errors each thrown in. I wouldn't say my attack is 'looping' as I've seen loopers in action and I don't get the same loop and kick off the table. My attack is flatter. I also attack more on my forehand but still and not scared to do so on the backhand and certainly don't move to favour the forehand.

I'm planning on hopefully getting some footage at some stage but until then, any ideas on my style so I can determine what types of equipment would suit me best?

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

your style is looping, its just that you can't make your equipment do what you want it to do yet. When I first had a hit with my 2008 XP super power i could only drive, but after a while of practicing I could hit a decent loop that was by far spinnier than my drive. Cream MRS is a step above the 2008 XP superpower, but you have to engage the sponge to lift the ball to make topspin loops good. Otherwise it just goes into the net. The 2008 XP superpower didn't do that. I could do the slightest of brushes and still make a good trajectory. But with cream, you have to work harder to get more. I mainly got cream MRS to help my fishing, as 2008 XP superpower lacks power at mid-distance. You have to work to get the ball back at mid-distance with the cream, but it is easier to do so. you just have to hit harder and flatter.

I was watching some USATT2000 + players loop at my club, and they hit the ball really hard (no doubt with Butterfly stuff) their rubbers crack really loud, and their topspin rockets off the table like a rocket. One girl (maybe around 20ish, probably older) was making loops as strong as everyone else in their group, but she was using a Nittaku Tesura (OFF-) with sriver-L and mark V.

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SPW/Solo

Stiga allround with two mendo Energy rubbers :p..

consentrate on consistancy,(placing the ball), not power

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my youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/decoyla?feature=mhum

Main: / secondary / LP
Blade: DHS Hurricane hao/ Blade- Hurricane Hao 2
FH: Skyline 3(Blue Sponge)/ FH- Nittaku H3 pro
BH: Omega Asia/ BH- Calibra Tour H

http://www.affordablett.com.au/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1089&osCsid=8dccd5d57ae9f8f16fe7800c54cdf06a
http://www.affordablett.com.au/shop/product_info.php?cPath=1_32&products_id=500&osCsid=8dccd5d57ae9f8f16fe7800c54cdf06a

1.2 mm backhand and 1.5 mm fh

Cheers
Geddk

as long as you have proper foot position, and take your time with your stroke you will get better, rushing into shots wont let you get better

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my youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/decoyla?feature=mhum

Main: / secondary / LP
Blade: DHS Hurricane hao/ Blade- Hurricane Hao 2
FH: Skyline 3(Blue Sponge)/ FH- Nittaku H3 pro
BH: Omega Asia/ BH- Calibra Tour H