OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Not a review, just some impressions.
Apart from short-lived excursions into other rubbers, I've played OX Grass dtecs since the f-less ban. I play a chop blocking game, looking for spin variation to provide a pop up for me to kill with my fh sps.
Trying the new ball led me to believe that while the grass gave me great control, the difference between the chop block and the passive block was not going to be enough for me. I also needed to be able to punch block and hit more than I am doing at the moment. I thought of all the usual suspects I've tried before, leggy, p3, phantom (more for its variation possibilities than hitting), although i couldn't get any of those quickly I could get a sheet of pimplemini one.
As most people know, this is an sp/mp that plays more like an lp due to its thin pips.
I've had 4 hours training on this now, which is enough for some impressions.

Blocking.
Oodles of control. Chop block bites more than grass and the ball flies straighter. Passive blocks the same. Loads of control to move the ball around, mix the depth of the blocks.

Punch-blocking.
Lovely. Flies low and straight

Attacking top spin.
Easy, hit at the top of the bounce using the blade tip and watch it fly.

Attacking underspin
Easy. Nasty hard low balls to the opponents elbow

Attacking no spin
Not easy but better than grass. Hit at the top of the bounce or a wristy shot when the ball is rising. After the apex I tended to chop. But I'm not a chopper. Ball flew straight and low, but I didn't get much spin on it.

Serve return
Pretty much like the grass - didn't have to change anything

Seems promising. I need more training time, as the first few hours with a new rubber are always promising and the warts don't show till later

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

Nice julian

I would have expected considerably less reversal, particularly on passive blocks. I'd also expect else backspin when chopping away from the table. The relatively fast blade you're using probably helps quite a bit in reversal.

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Passive blocks don't give much reversal, but the difference between chop block and the passive block was better than with Grass. IMO. My tactic against an offensive looper was to chop block the first attack, which would give me a slower heavier spun ball which i could then punch block (if that block was just pushed back, i could hit it easily). If that came back i would passive block it, with the attacker then hitting long. IMO the 'modern' close to the table game, even more so with the new balls, is even more about variation and the pimple mini gives me the variation

Re chopping, my technique is bad. If I am far enough away to chop it is because I am out of position, I have never really learned to chop.
The joo is my slow blade , couldn't control the leopard on my clipper!

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

Hmmm that's a really good point about having variation... makes a lot of sense

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Just come back from a chopping coaching session - jeez these things generate spin. My error had been taking the ball too close to my body and going down the back of the ball too much - like lps. Opened the blade and got a bit more viscous at contact and wooooooooo

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

My biggest problem since switching to PM on my BH is keeping my elbow down and the tip of the bat high. Been watching Galia for pointers


[youtube]http://youtu.be/vOLJuUuZHcQ[/youtube]

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

Does she use Pimplemini one?

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Thats the thing with pimplemini. The diffence between a no spin/reversal and actively spinning the ball is huge and it's easy to mess around with the opponents head a lot. A lot easier to smack the ball with hard bat type shots than with a real long pip too.

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

no she doesn't use PM, but she has the whole arm/bat position thing down. Hand always high,elbow down, tip of bat upwards. having for years played lp with the bat parallel to the table, and the elbow position higher it is a tricky change for me. A good one though. Playing like that, the change from bh to fh is a lot easier. I used to miss a lot of bh/fh transtitions with lp as the lp stroke was always high to low, finish the stroke low, then switch to forehand attack with the hand too low,moving low to high, and sending the ball long with the sps.

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

just found out she uses feint long....

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

Hi Julian,

I have just watched the match before reading that she uses Feint Long! I thought she was using a medium or short pip! Superb aggressive blocks and long pip attack. How much sponge does she use?

Bulldog.

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Tibhar Stratus Power Defense
Tibhar Evolution ELP
Tibhar Grass DTecS Ox

My trainer has the same trainer as her, and he says it is feint soft max. I couldn't believe it was lps as the style is so mp/sp. Apparently she never changes the types of rubbers she uses so she knows
it really well

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

Amazing!!

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Tibhar Stratus Power Defense
Tibhar Evolution ELP
Tibhar Grass DTecS Ox

Hi Julian,

I have just ordered a sheet of 563 Mystery 3 in Red 1.8mm to put on the backhand side of my Joola Wing Medium blade. I shall use inverted on the forehand side for now.

I hope to start receiving some coaching in due course to enable me to move gradually away from long pips on the backhand although I have recently had some good wins with Grass DTecS.

I find that the more often I play an opponent the less difficulty they have and I sometimes feel like a sitting duck so to speak to higher level players.

Bulldog.

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Tibhar Stratus Power Defense
Tibhar Evolution ELP
Tibhar Grass DTecS Ox