OOAK Table Tennis Forum

So after some thoughts - returned to my Xylo 7, updated the Trick Anti - took the 1.5 version. The difference is quite noticeable. The 1.5 mm is much slower. It bottoms out easier and both - the top end speed and the lowest speed are much lower than the 2.0 version (like 30% at least). This gives me much more control on receive, blocks and chops - attack is a little harder - but I just need to adjust. I think this is the right call as it's more forgiving this way and I need the additional control right now.

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Yesterday had the first proper training session in quite some time (with specific elements and combinations). Current focus - restore technique consistency (although my technique is far from ideal) and move more. Also previously I used a lot of wrist when receiving short serves but now I try to mostly fixate the wrist and use the forearm more for short receives (as per Fang Bo's instructions). Also trying to improve the block quality by blocking more with the body and less with the hand.. overall a great session - I definitely have a lot of things to do to return to my previous form but the important part is that I can finally start doing them.
The knee is fine, after the training session it was treated with ice and today it feels ok - so that's what's good also (cause the training session is rather intense compared to sparring sessions or leagues) .

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Actually started playing much more regularly - at least 2 times a week now (with icing sessions for the leg after the TT)..
Last session was on 20th of August with my defender-friend. Overall it was 3.5 hours, from which we played only 3 games bo 5 and everything before that was different exercises. So it was tough.
I recorded a little of me topspinning (to his BH with random changes to the whole table sometimes) and him chopping, but this was already after almost 2 hours of play (and also attacking a lot of course) so the form was not good.. I'm currently trying (at least at training for now) to shift my center of gravity to be in front of me when attacking because most of times I find myself attacking a ball leaning backwards - and that's not good for the lower back
Definitely mentally not there yet to play games cause I somehow don't strive to win currently - more like to experiment and play with the ball.. (also here I was very tired already so I was not playing well ) - but I feel the same when I go playing evening leagues - currently not focused on winning, but want to have fun. Maybe will need to shift this later, but for now I think it's ok.
So here's the Topspinning/chopping session (somehow with cuts between points)

And here are the "matches" we played (not really interesting, so will post them as links only )
https://youtu.be/2FIB3vPHpLg
https://youtu.be/tUuD9YEfiiQ

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For the last two weeks I finally start feeling my form actually returning.
First thing's first - I'm not thinking about the knee (although last Tuesday I twisted it while playing and it hurt quite a lot so I stopped, but after two days it was fine again).
Second - the feeling and the movement are pretty much back. I haven't played against much stronger opponents, but based on my play against my friends - I'm much more prepared for different shots now, have the time and can actually control my pace (this was definitely a problem at the beginning after the "knee break").
So yes - overall - been playing much better and more regularly (twice a week), with a knee brace and ice on the knee after each session

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That's great to hear! Having to put ice on the knee after every session is not nice though... perhaps you can build up the muscles around the knee to help protect it more? This worked for me in the past... used to wear knee braces all the time, then when I starting building the muscles in the gym, I did not need it anymore and it wasn't sore after playing.

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I agree on that.. Currently 4 days a week I do leg exercises (with a rubber band and some other). I've been trying to do that (build up muscles around the leg) for quite some time.. but it seems that either I'm not building the correct muscles.. or idk
About the ice - I don't feel a need for that after the training sessions, but if I don't do that then next day the knee will hurt more compared to when I ice it.. so yeah - for now it's like that. Overall the good thing there's progress it seems, so slow and steady I hope to lose the ice and the knee brace in the future too

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Yesterday watched the whole day of WTT Feeder Panagyurishte live (didn't take pictures - went there to watch TT this time )..
Anders pretty much easily defeated both of his opponents. Sipos seemed like he could not deal with the spin variation and the tempo variation at all
Yuna Ojio really holds the racket very strange When you see it in person it looks even more bizzare than on video
Obviously great love for Hashimoto and Sato - I'm a big fan of those two - they are super dynamic and their matches are a pleasure to watch..
But Sato lost to Satsuki Odo.. And let me tell you - Satsuki Odo is super sharp - very fast and with great FH - there was literally no chance for Sato - this is not something you can see every day. So really impresed by Odo
Filip Zeljko beat two Chinese before losing to Sun Wen (but this guy was super solid) so actually a great performance by him!
And who also impressed me was Flavien Coton (never heard of him before) a very young guy (WTT says he's 16), but super aggressive - played extremely well against Stumper - solid over the table and (it seems like all Frenchmen) really good in the long distance rallies too.
Decided not to go today as on finals day there's only one table for all matches and sitting there the whole day is not very fun when not a lot of action is happening (I prefer 4 tables in parallel - super nice to watch).

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Must be great to watch these players live!!!

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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

Yes! It's definitely great to watch them live - can not compare in any way to the online broadcasts!

So actually decided to go to the finals day for the second session (because of Sato and Hashimoto and some Anders Lind action).
The doubles were ok, but the match Hashimoto - Odo was great. Honoka's so fast! And still - Odoo seems very good against defense.. But a great match nevertheless. T
he final in the MS - Anders was too strange and unorthodox for the Chinese guy The spin and the tempo changes of Anders completely ruined the guy's game and actually the match seemed very one-sided at one moment. Seeing how such strange/unorthodox game works on this high level is actually very-very interesting And obviously his serves are on another level

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Haven't written here for quite some time..
About the knee: still playing with a knee brace, but not using any ice after the sessions anymore. Instead, when I come home, I do some isometric exercises for the leg muscles - theoretically this helps the blood (and not only) flow and increases the recovery speed (as an inflammation is started because of the torn meniscus not being in it's place). And actually it seems that this helps - next day the leg is fine (well, with some minor leftovers, but they actually never leave me for now). So this is the new procedure.
I play 2-3 times a week already, with my friends - mostly light training and sets - for fun.
This year will skip the club champs, also currently not playing at my club (let's say - some political problems there..) so I'm not playing leagues but somehow the sessions with my friends seem to be more effective actually (as there's more quality in them compared to a league).
Also traveled to tournament in another city - didn't make it pas the groups as there were 2 guys from the highest division and I have 0 chances against them, so I finished the group in 3rd place, but played really well. Also there was a doubles tournament after that - played with my chopper-friend but we lost 3:1 to a good pair. I would say we played well, having in mind we haven't practiced or played doubles for years now (as the doubles were removed from the club champs at Corona times and never returned ).
Have some friendly matches recorded - didn't have the time to crop them and load them for now.. (Also not that they are of high quality )

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