OOAK Table Tennis Forum

3 hours with Radi today.

I did focus on getting to know both Rakza and extra hard version on FH and BH.

Radi played smart today, she served mostly short to my fh knowing I will kill anything long. That was my achiliies heal today. I tried mostly with EH to get used to touching short and angles etc. and I found too bouncy. I was often returning shots for her to get a good drive on and then my blocking after a few shots were all mainly too high. I felt the days play was summarised by my out of position defensive shots just being too high or and going high off not landing on the table.

The next time I play I am going to put Hurricane 3 on one side so I see if I really am still as inconsistant on FH.

She played better than she has for a while against me. I played worse than I felt I had in past against her (using slower set up).

The overall games over 3 hours I lost count but we were roughly 5050 and at the end I only barely beat her in a best of 5. Something like 16:14.

---

Of course I hit countless good loops, but she blocked me off close to the table half the time.

---

So yeah... not going to blame everything on equipment but I did feel like I lacked control today.

---

I have glued the black H3 onto my ishlion. And will try the red original Rakza on the bh for my next stint.
Ishlion is like a little brother to the primorac carbon. Ishlion has a very thin hinoki layer with ULC (thinner carbon layer).

---

In a nutshell, I found Rakza Zs too high throw and bouncy. I had to get over the ball continuously....

_________________
Watch me playing TT

11am-5pm playing with a 30 minute break in the middle...

I am smashed.

Beat Quang Tran in the 5th.
Similar with Steven.
Beat Ken 4:3 in the 7th.
Beat Ui, Chinese guy.
2 all in games with a very tall 20s guy who was good in everything except my strategy.
HIs frined beat me in the 5th.
Played a couple others but over all most my games were closer but I felt more at home.

---

Just used.

Ishlion + Rakza Z BH + H3 FH.
My control improved greatly. I liked the much lower throw angle of the hurricane more. Sure now I was hitting into the net more often with both sides but I got get used to this now again.

---

I actually twiddled a little and found it's fun to mix it up for myself. I can use H3 on my bh easy and it drives well.

---

I wouldn't say I am excellent form but I can find a groove to play anywhere on the table and from the back of the court. I missed a lot today but first day with new bat and get used to the rubbers....

Not bad showing.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

4 hours in this morning

Beat Yuta 3:0 I think...
Beat Eric about 6:2 roughly.
Beat Vinnie in the 5th + an extra game.
Beat Rabi in the 5th
1:1 against Gehardt.

---

h3 and rakza z both felt less tacky today...
Not much change in my performance... I mostly win by defending... or so it seems.

Probably my favorite shots today were bh counter looping right off the bounce against Erics opening spinny loops.
FH with H3 is kind of similar: I need to take these earlier as it seems h3 excells at this.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

Last night 4 hours at the club against a lot of really good players. Awesome!

I beat all except 1 guy 2:1 his name is Jo.

Saive I got about 8:2 ish.
Michael about 4:0 or 1...
About 3:1 against Mat.
And about 4:1 against Collin who was great to catch up with. He was young teenager 15 years ago when we used to play back in the day...
Was another but cant remember the name...

Regail balls I bought are pretty good.

Not sure on the ishlion but it dam helps in the smash department.
I lose on the looping sometimes though.

Loving it.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

So I ended up playing 3 days in a row over the weekend. I was stronger against everyone except Kaine and Jo.

Body survived it.

I enjoyed watching the Swedes and French give the Chinese a run over the Olympics too.

It can be done. It seems.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

3 hours play tonight.

Only dropped a game right at the end to Collin. I even clean beat Jo.

I think Hurricane 3 + Rakza Z + a carbon blade is as good as it gets for me.

I feel the rakza Z is not too soft on the bh anywhere anymore. It gives me tons of confidece.

I still need to buy some more hurricanes including a red to match with the rakza Z extra hard on the primorac to do a final test.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

Last night I was in the zone. I really felt it. It was like everything makes sense. Today I felt weak and wanted to have more of a day time nap before the session at 2. Shouldn't get on the medicinal too early.

I still won the top of the table, including beating Kaine, Barry, Tran. Nothing though even lower level guys was simple.

I was like playing a bit dreamy and like I had no kill instinct... more of a just defend everything... This has happened to me before. Because at top of table I start at the bottom with low level players and I don't try to kill them but just let them have a bit of fun rallying...

Then I get to the stronger and stronger players and I am meant to turn up the dial but I just kept defending most the time. Hard to snap out of it unless I am losing.

So when I win it doesn't mean all my shots are on fire. It's just I am well aware of the probabilities of shots. They might kill some past me but they tend to miss more than they get.

After comp was over Viteli got 2 out of about 7 games off me. But his short pip and antipower game is pretty different.

Also dropped a game out of 5 roughly to Ken....

So as I have always said. I defend better with "offensive" types of set ups.

I like the rakza Z, it seems better to me than another hurricane but I reckon I would play just as well with another hurricane on my backhand instead of it. Just not as high powered maybe??? results are results though....

Got to order some more hurricane.... not too interested in provincial even. I don't recall much difference.

---

Tacky rubbers and Chinese in particular feel like I have more control against opponents who go the Euro Jap route. I am happy they send me faster balls because then my shots are faster but I can also just kill the speed on what they have done. Problem is too slow is too slow as in the whole game becomes at the table and can't fish or smash well.... The carbon is nice being back there in the arsenal when called on.

---

There is no doubt that recently my pushing / sidespin game has been the biggest improvement for me. I feel so much confidence in jabbing anyone off at good angles. And when they don't spot my bit of side, there open or kill shot against it is a metre to side of the table.... It's deceptive and not many people seem to notice I always push at 3pm or 9pm.... it's points in the bank.

The other frequent thing is the shot to my middle.. Me being a heavy guy, I am too lazy nor is it logical to move my feet. I have developed a very strong like tomohawk pure sidespin usually more on the FH side. I really don't know any other players who do this. It's like I am a chopper but not.

I think one of my strongest part of my game these days is my fishing. When I loop it's not an attack shot but a cruisy kind of focus on making sure I contact the ball, loop it a bit, roll it on as low as possible. It is also intuitive under the table type of stuff. Under pressure = Lobby stuff. ETC... until you might hit perfectly into my power zone on either wing and then I go for my real big loops that look more like you might see from the pros. ...rare to get those and my accuracy is inching over 50%

--

TT rocks.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

So monday I played well against everyone except Radi again.

We ended up about 50 50 or she might have got an extra game on me (lost count) felt like I wasn't on top though.

I was keen to play her because she is my gauge since putting the H3 on fh instead of the Rz EH. Made very little difference. She still kept me weak with her short serve to fh and then could block most of my opens.

If I tried to be defensive then she would end up driving enough till I just couldnt fish them back.

Hats off to her for being so consistant. It seems she knows my spin more than most....

Frustrating. I also seemed like I was more inconsistant toward the end of the session when I played her... so its a mix again.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

Another great session tonight.

I dropped games to a few people but won the majority against everyone. = Partners tonight: Collin, HIro, Saive, Michael, Mat, Jo.

I feel my serve is sharper these days. And I realised a few times I just intuitively went back to an old fh grip occasionally during points where I have both my index and middle finger at the back of the blade when going for power forehands. It really adds control to the head (but lose out on that extra whip....

Hiro was really struggling against me snaking him all the time. He always tries to kill them early. I advised him to wait to see which way the ball will go... but he disagreed...

All up my game is pretty strong again now. Only thing holding me back is being over weight and unhealthy. I know I have poor footwork as a result and have developed a lot of touchy quirky stuff for being out of position... Not ideal, but it works.

I reckon my fh looping was better with my all wood 5 ply. I just felt more confidence going for it. But I just have to remember the importance of being able to smash through spin with the carbon and also get back into the game back away from the table. As good as it gets.

Cool TT!

_________________
Watch me playing TT

quick catch up tally on Monday I got about 7:1 against Radi. Thats the first time in ages I got the clean type of win I used to expect. I did lose to 2:0 to Gehardt, I think I approached playing with out a strategy.... and tired...
Oh and I played the whole time with rakza z on fh....

Anyhow tonight I beat one of the Indonesian Lp bh doods. I think I beat Ray 3:1, but lost the greyer haired guy forgot his name.well I beat him 2:0 not knowing how many games we were playing.... so lost 3:2...

Main thing is I just feel way happy with my set up.

Ishlion is an old favorite that I just have readapted to like a glove. Sure I miss here and there but I think this is the right equipment for me.

Feel at home everywhere. As long as I don't mess around with other blades I am getting used to the carbon hardness well.

Fun TT tonight. That's the main thing.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

I reckon my fh has gotten worse last session (forgot the details)...

Today I was on fire for the first 7 or so games. This performance drop through the session is almost every session I have noticed now. I play well and start just getting worse... I don't think it is just body tired but a mental concentration thing.

Shadi couldn't get a game off me. (he's not in great form at the moment) but I was attacking consistantly everywhere.
Then my standard started dropping
I beat Shaun and Ken in the 5th.

Today I finally got to go back to my Primorac carbon with the Rakza Z Extra Hard black on BH and a brand new sheet of H3 red commercial $25 with a layer of baby oil.

---

I reckon my FH looping is best with H3 on all round wood blades like my yasaka sweden. But that's the only place that blade feels better for me. And I have to be in a position to do that looping.

Everything else such as smashing and fishing from a distance to BH driving is sooooooooooooooo much better with carbon off+++.

Sure I over shoot the table more but that's the trade off. I just feel both these rubbers have a more complete realistic killer appeal on carbon.

And the Primorac C is noticably more power than my ishlion.

---

Rakza Z Original = RzO or O, Extra Hard = RZEH or EH

looping at the table up to mid distance is easier to land with O
looping with EH anywhere is just that more power piercingly fast though.
EH beats O anywhere for driving.
EH counter looping or fishing from mid to back of the court beats O.

---

EH contrasts more against H3 because of the speed.
H3 excells at short play, defensive drop shots, pushing etc. anything you don't want that bounce to ever kick in.

---

EH just feels like a more big boy rubber. It's just got more speed when you can't put in that effort out of position.
EH is higher throw by far than H3.

O is just way too high throw especially when you can't get to twisting your wrist to BH a block or what not.

---

Out of the 3 rubbers EH is the closest in performance to something like tenergy 05 which was my go to rubber back in the day.

EH is a dam spinny rubber and as fast as you can get when you want that tackiness to always catch that ball.

---

All up I think EH is ideal for me on BH to give me a bit more free forward kick, H3 is ideal for my fh because it's a pure spin control type of rubber for looping.
The Primorac carbon speeds up these generally slower rubbers (anything tacky for me is always slower than non tacky).

With this set up I feel like I can play the whole gamut of the game from looping insane slow short grazing - all the way to being able to smash higher balls again and play from anywhere on the court.

No combination is great at everything but this seems as great as it can get and The price of the rubbers is affordable.

---

EDIT

H3 blue sponge (supposedly provincial) I think the sponge is slighly nicer but not doubly better the commercial. The topsheet seems tackier on the commercial for me which is better. Overall considering price and performance, the commercial is better.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

That's a useful comparison of those rubbers

BTW H3 Blue sponge can be commercial, we used to get it directly from DHS, so they definitely make in commercial as well.

_________________
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

Ah yes I have been using "commercia"l to mean not provincial or National".

No doubt we are not getting prov or nat so all are most probably commercial.

---

I should say I am using the cheapest orange sponge again... it's kind of lifeless but excells at it.

---

Yesterday I was on fire beating Shaun and Dennis for the first couple of hours and then as I totally felt exhausted just went to my usual lazy style and mostly lost. Overall I think I came out ahead.

Dam my style of playing tiring. If I move my heavy ass to where it should be I play well.

_________________
Watch me playing TT

Haven't written down my last session just remember I was a bit down than usual and frustrated a bit.

I have been wanting to retry short pips on one side of a bat after my little hard bat adventure a couple of weeks ago...

I stuck red 729 802 with a max sponge. The other side an old micro cracking black with orange sponge H3... (still holds the ball upside down)
on my yasaka sweden.

I played the whole session with this and both Shadi and Dennis said I should use my normal bat... but although I lost a little more it wasn't that one sided. Given it was not what I am used to take that advice with a grain of salt.

A lot of variables changed here and I twiddle constantly. And as must happen I was experimenting with what can work.

The main theory behind why I wanted to retry is this:

My style of play is not going to change.
My style of play is always either backhand or forehand focussed. I cannot for the life of me be equally both with a strong return position. I just never have and don't ever see that happening.
Hence I have been fine as a twiddler rarely making mistakes with two different types on one side.

One side is my looping side and one side is my just get it back side. That changes between each return of the ball.

So even if I use double inverted one side is always a more passive shot especially nearer the table when you just don't have time alter my two grips... one bh centric the other fh centric.

So LP I find is too different.
double inverted is a problem for my grips as I have been saying my super spinny rubbers are way to high throw. No problem being high throw if my grip is ready for it. No problem at all in warm up or practise... but in game scenario it's about the side I don't expect.

So 99% of the time I try to use my inverted and that's my strong loop prepared closed angle. But when the ball goes quickly to the side don't expect the high throw angle rubber and limited face to contact the ball becomes problematic.

It's hard to close the face enough for blocking or flat plonking the ball back with inverted especially high throw rubber.
It's much easier with short pips because they are so much more open faced for the shots so there is much less adjustment.
It's easier to go from FH closed looping grip to a BH open face. And the same goes from a closed BH looping grip to an open fh face plonker.

It's pretty much that. Now if the ball is high enough of course smashing with either side with short pips was a treat.

Yeah I missed a few shots wildly wrong but thats just adjusting.

The other off topic is dam I miss looping with this all wood bat. Everything so much easier to land because it has a shorter throw. Making easy to go for more extreme angles. I am way more consistant in looping with H3 with this yasaka sweden blade. I reckon about 30% more accurate. The feedback I get from it is wonderful. It sounded louder too....

(No I didn't play much back from the table.)

I actually chopped quite well and also did a lot of zero spin plonkers watching the label on the ball not move much once I stepped back....

I also started standing much nearer the centre of the table in service return and much closer to the table.

---

All up it was fun to use SP, I miss this wood bat and it is dam fun to not miss so much.
I reckon my opponents were a touch more hesitant too because of the pips. A few were like "oh no you are using pips" lol

_________________
Watch me playing TT

Session this morning with Radi at btta. I still could get most of her (good gauge)... for some reason I got sick of it and went back to my carbon blade after playing her.

No problems against michael... I enjoyed going back to a bat that would send the back with less efort.

But I was down 4:5 in game tally against Simon. We are always close. Again I felt I was beating myself with errors in attacking shots.

Nothin to report more.

_________________
Watch me playing TT