OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Some time back I played and trained with LP.
I used it with sponge .... but I had problems with attack. I was to impatient when the opponent didn't do anything.
So i quit and returned back to normal rubber.

last weekend I saw Manika Batra play and she now attacks way more as she used to do. She plays 0x.

I always thougt it's easier to attack with sponge than 0x. Now i'm confused.
i was thinking of going back to LP because i'm gonna play 2 levels higher next season and I won't have to play versus players that call you names when using LP, of those 'just bring all balls back and do nothing' players.

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Regards Marc

Setup: Stiga Cybershape Wood / FH:Tibhar Evolution FX-D / BH: S&T Hellfire X 0x

Manika plays with a ultra fast blade.

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No more political prisoners in Catalonia.

Manika Batra twiddles a lot during play and attacks a good bit with her T05 from the matches I saw. Love her style and twiddling is great but takes practice to master. You have to practice hitting with LP on FH as well in case it comes to your FH. You can attack with OX LP but again, takes a lot of practice to master. I've seen some instructional vids on YouTube.

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"Success is on the same road as failure; success is just a little farther down the road."

Donic Defplay Senso | Yasaka Mark V 2.0 | SL Dornenglanz OX

Donic Defplay Senso | Butterfly Sriver | Testing

I started out with LP on my FH but that does just not do the trick.
I also twiddle but not as much .... during a game you can predict where it's gonna go.
I am just not sure if I want 0x or a bit sponge. I know I can't just hit good balls only and I have a lot off practise to do.
But thats ok.

_________________
Regards Marc

Setup: Stiga Cybershape Wood / FH:Tibhar Evolution FX-D / BH: S&T Hellfire X 0x

In general, the more sponge you use on the long pips, the less "effect" there will be and the more "normal" your hits will be. It's a balance. I'm back to using OX long pips on an offensive blade and I plan to use it for both attacking and defense. If you get a fast blade that's good for blocking and hitting it should work well with long pips, it just takes an adjustment time for the speed, something I'm still working on.

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"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5

I mentioned training with LP on your FH just in case you judge it wrong, and it comes to your FH side. I have had this happen lol and before a little training it was not good .

As for not knowing which to choose, OX or sponge, I understand completely. I played LP OX for many years but recently been experimenting with thin sponge (.5 & .6 mainly). I would suggest trying it in OX exclusively for a month or more (or at least 10 training sessions) then switch to sponge LP for a month. You should have a better idea which you prefer after some alone time with each. OX is different than with sponge, so you need to give it plenty of time to adjust without going back and forth IMO. This will force you to learn to adjust to the differences. Playing with OX for an hour isn't going to give you enough time to learn how to play it so you won't really get a good feel for it IMO. Only a suggestion. Enjoy the process.

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"Success is on the same road as failure; success is just a little farther down the road."

Donic Defplay Senso | Yasaka Mark V 2.0 | SL Dornenglanz OX

Donic Defplay Senso | Butterfly Sriver | Testing

I will try the 0x first and see from there what to do.
Thx all

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Regards Marc

Setup: Stiga Cybershape Wood / FH:Tibhar Evolution FX-D / BH: S&T Hellfire X 0x

Not always, I use 0.5 mid-hardsponge to avoid the nasty no spin ball, with my LP increase the effect but I know with other LP sponge decrease the effect, so no fix rule!!!

Also kind of sponge matters.....

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No more political prisoners in Catalonia.

What mid-hard sponge are you using and how hard is it, if you don't mind me asking? It does depend on the sponge you are using imo. For instance, I've had a lot of success with the zero-air sponge for many things with LP (push, block, chop-block, serve return) and it still has a lot of reversal, but it isn't the best for chopping, so I've been testing other sponges lately. It seems like a thin harder sponge would be better for all-around play with LP including no spin balls and chopping without losing to much reversal. thx

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"Success is on the same road as failure; success is just a little farther down the road."

Donic Defplay Senso | Yasaka Mark V 2.0 | SL Dornenglanz OX

Donic Defplay Senso | Butterfly Sriver | Testing

I play now somewhat similar set up as Batra with Dtecs and carbon blade. It seems to me that Batra sometimes puts faster pushes with pips, but she don't attack fast. Dtecs ox is not very good for attacking - I have used Troublemaker or Hellfire X and they both have better grip for attacks.

I buy to Jan from Noppenladen https://www.noppenladen.shop/, unbranded and so cheap that Jan gives for free when you buy a rubber. This mid-hard spnge chops very very well. I bought from him also old TSP Curl P1-R hard sponge but doesn't works like the mid-hard so sponge matters a lot.....

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No more political prisoners in Catalonia.

Here is the match.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miMpMRjP2pg

Start at 1.24.45. She serves from backhand with forehand.
Return chopblok, second attack, 3th chopblock again. Check the rally at 8.8 altough it was a high ball.
She does that many times in the match.
And yes some fast chopreturns but she also attacks.

_________________
Regards Marc

Setup: Stiga Cybershape Wood / FH:Tibhar Evolution FX-D / BH: S&T Hellfire X 0x