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Ask the Experts: Questions of the Week
8/28/08
Question: "Hi. I'm an agressive topspin player ..."
8/28/08
Name: Jordan
Current Blade: Stiga
Current Forehand: 2.1
Current Backhand: 1.9
Question: "I'm a defensive player who likes to put a ton of spin on the ball. What rubber and paddle would you recommend?"
Answer: Hi Jordan,
For rubber, I would strongly suggest Tackiness Chop and Tackiness Chop II. They are really sticky without the super speed. As for thickness... 1.9 will be faster than 1.5 and this is subjective based on your preferences.
As for blades, I personally would recommend the Defence II defensive blade. It will give you good size to defend but also a NICE feel for all-around play.
Regards, Mark Nordby |
Name: Joyce
Current Blade: Nittaku Wonder Blade
Current Forehand: Challenger-Attack
Current Backhand: Feint AG
Question: "I'm 70, rated 1300 and wanting to raise my rating. I started 4 years ago and still improving my game. I am looking for a Butterfly blade to replace my present one. Which one should I buy? Would Kong Linghui Special be a good choice? How about BalsaCarbo X5? Will appreciate recommendations.
Style of play: play at NSGA Senior Games around the country.
Forehand:
- like to push and smash - fairly aggressive play
- normally play close to the table
- like to play from the left half of the table - to be ready to smash -
would like to be more aggressive.
Backhand:
- fairly defensive - blocks and chops
Also, is there a disadvantage to using the Quick Glue Sheet? Should I use a regular glue...which one?
Thanks."
Answer: Hello Joyce:
The Kong Linghui Special and the Balsa Carbo X5 have very similar playing characteristics and weights. I think either blade would be a good choice for your style. However many players of your style prefer blades with a balsa core and you may want to go with the X5.
In regards to glue sheets, this is a matter of personal choice. They work well but most players still prefer to use glue.
Best of luck with your game,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Aleksandra
Current Blade: Boll TriCarbon
Current Forehand: Jo Waldner
Current Backhand: Jo Waldner
Question: "Hi. I'm an agressive topspin player. I'm a club player. I have been playing table tennis for 3 years.I've just replace my old rubbers
with Bryce FX. I want to change my blade Primorac classic EL which is too slower as the blade I want to have. I want you to give me advice about the blade which is comfortable for these rubbers... I want blades which are very fast, besause they are perfect for me. Please tell me your opinion..."
Answer: Hi Aleksandra,
I have used the Schlager Carbon for the last 3 years. It has a "hard" and very stable feel along with being quite fast. The Primorac carbon is very similar with a slightly thicker handle. Several years ago I tried the Primo Vitesse, and liked it for its quickness but with a slightly "softer" feel at impact. I know many players still use the Viscaria for the softer feel and great speed also.
I would recommend trying players blades at your club as much as possible also to help guide your decision. I want to add that you should also consider trying the new Tenergy rubber if you really LOVE all out speed. I have played Bryce FX for the last 2 years and it does not compare in speed with the Tenergy.
Sincerely, Mark Nordby |
Current Blade: Boll TriCarbon
Current Forehand: Jo Waldner
Current Backhand: Jo Waldner
Question: "Hi, tell me what rubber should I choose for the blade I have so that I won't loose much of the speed the blade has and also have a good control. I am thinking about something 'soft'"
Answer: I notice that you have been using Jo Waldner rubber on your current blade. This is an all-round type of rubber and if you want something similar, I would suggest Sriver EL. If you want an all-round rubber that is both softer and faster, then Sriver G2 FX would be a good choice. The rubber with the softest sponge is the Solcion.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Edwin
Current Blade: Timo Boll Spirit
Current Forehand: Sriver-G2 FX
Current Backhand: Tibhar Grass 1.1
Question: "I wish to adopt a playing style like Joo Se Hyuk but I wish to know what I need to change, is it my blade or the rubbers or all. Because at times I think the blade is too fast and I wish to chop and attack with the fore hand. So please tell me what would be good for me. Thanks"
Answer: Hello Edwin,
I would suggest you try the Joo Se Hyuk Blade. It has more than enough speed for your attack but more control and “dwell” time than your Timo Boll Spirit Blade. The larger head size of the Hyuk blade will also allow you to better control your chops against your opponent’s strong attacks. Most choppers also prefer to use one of our Super Spin Rubbers on their forehands. You might want to try Tackifire. It can produce great spin, good speed, and will be easier to chop with than G2.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Ajay
Current Blade: Butterfly Jonyer
Current Forehand: GKI offensive xx
Current Backhand: GKI offensive xx
Question: "I was playing with a pre-made racket so far. I have been playing
only for about 8 months. I would like to upgrade to a better racket.
I basically play all shots on my forehand. Topspin smash, chops and
spins.. Unfortunately my backhand is a bit weak and the only shot i can
make with finesse is the topspin smash. I can also play chops on the
backhand..
The store near my house has the Jonyer blade. So please tell me the best
rubber and the thickness for both the backhand and forehand...
I would like something that is well controllable and good to block
smashes. I would prefer generating the pace of smash myself so that I feel
it.
So please advise me on the best rubber for the FH and BH...
Thanks..."
Answer: Hi Ajay,
You really can't go wrong with trying Flextra or Sriver. I would suggest Flextra 1.7 for your bh and Sriver 2.1 for your fh. The Flextra is slightly slower and less sticky. This means you will be affected by opponents spin a little less with this rubber.
After doing this I would HIGHLY suggest a few lessons with a solid coach to make sure your strokes are on the right path for improvement.
Any follow-up questions ... let me know.
Sincerely, Mark Nordby |
Name: Damanik
Current Blade: Boll TriCarbon
Current Forehand: MarkVAD
Current Backhand: Sriver FX
Question: "I am a beginner in pingpong game. I have been playing pingpong for four months, so I don't know much about pingpong, including what blade and rubber are good for me. I also don't know what type of player I am. Last week I bought Boll Tricarbon blade with MARKVAD as forehand and Sriver FX as backhand rubber. What is your comment on my choice of blade and rubbers?"
Answer: Hello Damanik,
For the beginning player, developing the hands skills necessary to control your strokes is very important. For this reason, I normally recommend a medium speed blade with a high control value to players buying their first professional racket. The Boll Tricarbon is one of the fastest blades on the market and not a good choice for a beginner. I would recommend that you consider either the Timo Boll or Primorac all wood blades. Both Sriver FX and Mark 5 are good all-round rubbers and should be fine. You just need a slower more controllable blade.
Best of luck,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Shawn
Current Blade: Gergely Carbon
Current Forehand: Sriver FX 1.9
Current Backhand: Sriver FX 1.9
Question: "My current rubbers are due for changing, but I am considering switching to Ekrips Soft, I would like to know if the sponge used in Ekrips Soft is softer than that used in Sriver FX? Thank you."
Answer: Hello Shawn,
You can find a density rating (sponge hardness) listed in the descriptions for each of our rubbers. The higher the number is, the harder the sponge. Ekrips Soft has a density number of 35 and Sriver FX is a 33, so the sponge on the Sriver FX is a little softer than the one on Ekrips Soft.
Best of luck,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Calvin
Current Blade: Viscaria
Current Forehand: Bryce 2.1mm
Current Backhand: Bryce 2.1mm
Question: "I need to change my blade because it got stolen. I need a paddle with good speed, spin, and control. I'm an aggressive player I like to hit forehand loops. I'm choosing the Oh Sang Eun between the Schlager Carbon both with Bryce 2.1mm. Which one would you prefer?"
Answer: Hello Calvin,
Both the Oh Sang Eun and the Schlager Carbon will play a great deal differently than your Viscaria. The Oh Sang Eun is slower, has more control, and a softer feel. The Schlager Carbon is much faster, will have less control, and a harder feel. The Schlager Carbon is a get blade for the advanced power player where the Oh Sang Eun will hold the ball a lot longer on the racket allowing for a wide range of spin and speed combinations. Not knowing your level or the details of your style of play, it is not possible to tell you what to buy. I hope the descriptions above will help you make an informed choice.
Best of luck,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Roman
Current Blade: Nittaku Wonderblade
Current Forehand: Nittaku Magic Carbon 2.0
Current Backhand: Nittaku Magic Carbon 2.0
Question: "Dear Expert,
I am an advanced player who has played table tennis for about 8 years with interruptions. I try to play an offensive game close to the table. My forehand is much better than my backhand, which is very inconsistent. However, my biggest problem is control, namely serve return and starting a medium-strength attack both with the backhand and the forehand after the serve or a returned slice. I am now thinking of changing my Magic Carbon rubber to Sriver, but I am confused about a number of things: 1) do I choose FX or EL? 2) do I go for 2.1 or max? 3) is it wise to go with EL on the backhand and FX on the forehand? 4) does the Nittaku Wonderblade, which is very light, work well with the Butterfly rubber at all? I know I am asking many questions at once, but I'd really appreciate if you could give me some guidelines."
Answer: Hi Roman,
First of all, the problems with serve return and control are not going to be fixed by changing your rubber. These are problems related to your technique and best solved by finding a good coach. In regards to your questions about Sriver, I will try to give you some answers. Sriver, Sriver EL, and Sriver FX all have the same topsheet and the difference lies in the hardness of the sponges. Which one you should use depends a great deal on the length and speed of your swing. Players with faster swing speeds most often like the regular Sriver. Sriver FX has the softest sponge and works well with players who rely on shorter strokes with heavy amounts of fresh glue to provide power for them. Sriver EL is right in the middle. As to your question about the use of 2.1mm or Max, the thicker the more speed and the higher the ball throw off the blade. Finally, if you are happy with your current blade, there is no reason why it would also not work well with Butterfly Rubbers.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: John
Current Blade: Primorac Carbon
Current Forehand: Avalox Pronte soft
Current Backhand: Avalox Sterco
Question: "Is the wood blade more stable than the composite blade when execute fast loop? Several of the players at my club told me that when they switch from composite blade (mostly carbon balde) to wood blade, their fast loop is much more stable and accurate. Is it true? Another question is I think of having another blade that fits my style. I'm OK with the current blade but I want something else that might fit my style of play better. I mostly loop with my forehand and learning to adapt backhand block and loop. What is your suggestion? Thanks so much"
Answer: Hi John,
When comparing wood vs carbon blades, I personally would find it to be completely subjective based on the feel you like. As for more stability, I would actually have to say carbon would be more stable because it would be stiffer. When your friends talk about accuracy, I believe strongly that this is based on FEEL alone. Wood would generally feel softer and more flexible than carbon blades. The top professionals play with both kinds of blades, so it would be almost impossible to say 1 is better than the other in stability or accuracy.
As for your blade, if I was you I would try every blade that I could at your local club until I found one that FELT good. For example, I played with softer feeling wood blades most of my life, but the last few years I have really begun to like the speed/stiffness of the Schlager Carbon which is very simliar to the Primorac Carbon. Initially liking the "feel" and lots of practice are really the keys to finding a blade/rubber combination.
Any further questions, let me know.
Best wishes, Mark Nordby |
Name: Joseph
Current Blade: Kim Taek Soo
Current Forehand: Bryce FX
Question: "I am a younger player, thus I am very concerned about new technology in the table tennis field.
I have noticed that high tune was introduced by butterfly quite a while ago, but what gave me the confusion was that wasn't the rubber "catapult" supposed to have built in speed glue capabilities also? So my two questions are 1. Does catapult have built in speed glue technology and 2. If it does, what is the difference between high tune and "catapult?""
Answer: Hello Joseph,
It looks like you are confusing High Tension and High Tune technologies. Our High Tension rubbers have been on the market for some years now. This technology adds tension to the topspin in the assembly process making these rubbers more powerful than non-tensioned products. Using this technology, Catapult was designed to mimic the feel, spin, and sound of a speed-glue rubber.
High Tuned rubbers feature a new technology that creates tension in the rubbers by expanding the sponge, the same way that speed glue does. This effect is much more dynamic and pronounced than the effect of High Tension alone. By the way, if you like the playing characteristics of Catapult but want more speed and spin, try our new Speed Optimizer on it.
Best of luck,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Bert
Current Blade: n/a
Current Forehand: n/a
Current Backhand: n/a
Question: "Good day I am a club player who is most of the time an all-around player. However I like to use backspins on my backhand and topspins on forehand for my offensive game. I am currently using a pre-assembled paddle and I want to buy a better one. Please give me an advice as to what blade and rubbers to use that will suit my style. Thank you and more power :) "
Answer: Hello Bert,
It sounds like you are an all-round style of player, so your equipment needs to be able to support that style of play. You indicated that you are using a pre-assembled racket, so I am also assuming that you are looking to purchase your first professional blade and rubber.
First of all, please realize that professional quality equipment is much faster and will produce more spin than pre-assembled rackets. I would suggest that you look for a blade in our All-round plus or Offensive minus categories. The two that I usually recommend to my students are the Timo Boll or Primorac. For your rubber, I would suggest Sriver. Sriver is the most all-round rubber we sell and because of this the most popular. As you like to chop more with your backhand and topspin more with your forehand, I would suggest getting a little thinner sponge (1.9mm) on your backhand for more control and 2.1mm for your forehand.
Best of luck,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Bernardo
Current Blade: Timo Boll Spirit
Current Forehand: Butterfly Cermet
Current Backhand: Butterfly Cermet
Question: "Hi, I was thinking to purchase the new Sriver High Tune, because I don't want to reglue anymore, but what happens if I don't feel the power and spin on the rubber anymore. Can I use the Speed Optimizer One to increase the speed and power of my rubber?, or What do you recomend to not lose the efect of the rubber?. Thank You"
Answer: Hello Bernardo,
Sriver High Tune keeps it’s built in glue effect for quite a while. However, if you feel like it is slowing down as it ages; you can certainly use our Speed Optimizer to restore the glue effect.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Roberto
Current Blade: Sardius
Current Forehand: Raystorm
Current Backhand: C8 Long
Question: "I am just a 48 year old club player who usually beats younger players due to my close to the table defense & attack style, my question is, what is the best long pimples-out rubber that i can use for my backhand defense & attack and best short pimples-out rubber for my forehand defense & attack? I'm quite contented with my powerful sardius.
I'm hoping to give younger players more trouble by following your suggestions. Thanks & More Power Smashes"
Answer: Hello Roberto,
It would be hard to give you a good answer regarding long pips with out knowing much more about your style of play. C8 Long pips are a popular choice, especially the no sponge model. However, if you are looking for a more offensive long pips, you may want to try our new Feint AG.
Your Raystorm pips produces the most spin of any of our short pips rubbers but because of this, its returns will seem very normal to your opponents. If you play your forehand with more spin than with a flat hit, then this is the perfect rubber for you. If you want a little less spin, a lower trajectory return, and more control try our Challenger Attack Rubber. If you want more speed, and a more difficult ball for your opponent to handle, try Speedy PO or Flarestorm. Finally, our Relop pips rubber has a little longer pips, almost medium long in length. If will produce a wide variety of returns that will cause your opponent’s the most problems dealing with.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: May
Current Blade: Keyshot Light
Current Forehand: Sriver FX
Current Backhand: Sriver FX
Question: "Hello,
I had this problem for a few months now. I really want faster rubber on my forehand, but spinnier rubber on my backhand. What should I switch to on my forehand and backhand?
Thanks"
Answer: Hi May,
I personally used Sriver FX for many years and recommend it to many of my students. Here are some options. Sriver FX is great for speed gluing so you can use what you already have on your forehand. If you want more spin but don’t want to lose the control on your backhand, try Tackifire or Tackifire Soft (Without speed gluing). But if you are more confident and experienced and want both more spin and speed, consider Bryce FX or Sriver G2FX for backhand and forehand speed glued.
Masaaki Tajima |
Name: Rob
Question: "I am an aggressive topspin slam kinda guy on both forehand and backhand. I want maximum speed with as much spin as possible. I do NOT want to reglue. I have narrowed my rubber choices down to Bryce Speed or Bryce High Tune. High Tune is much more expensive, and yet has lower speed and spin numbers. Why is that? Are the Bryce Speed speed and spin numbers dependent on reglueing? Which rubber would you recommend for me?"
Answer: Hello Rob,
The pricing of various types of rubber or blades is based on production costs and does not indicate one is a better quality product than another. For example, far more tournament players use Sriver rubber which is much less expensive than either Bryce Speed or Bryce High Tune. The technology used to produce the permanent fresh glue feeling of our High Tune rubbers is very expensive and thus the high cost of these products. Bryce Speed is faster than Bryce Tuned. Be aware that rubber this fast requires lots of training time to achieve good control.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach + Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Erwin
Current Blade: Gergely
Current Forehand: Joola Air Rosnet
Current Backhand: Butterfly Sriver EL
Question: "Once, on my very first international tourney, I've encountered a Chinese with a serve that from his side of the table the ball seemingly going to my backhand but upon bouncing unto my side of the table it suddenly swerve going to my forehand. I am just wondering what serve it is? Is it the cork screw serve? and how it is being executed? Please."
Answer: Erwin,
This is a difficult question without being able to see the serve you are asking about. Back in the days of the hidden serves (around 5-6 years ago you could hide contact with your arm and body) this result would happen more often because players would wiggle their wrists super fast and move almost simultaneously in both directions as they grazed the ball. This made the results you describe because it MIGHT look like they made contact in one direction ... but REALLY it was the opposite way causing you to be surprised by the bounce.
My next thought would be to search on the internet for videos of serving techniques especially using Youtube.
Also, the Chinese grip was famous for fast wristy motion and why all others copied their grips for serving by using their index finger and thumb instead.
Sincerely, Mark Nordby |
Name: Chalermsak
Current Blade: Gergely 21
Current Forehand: Bryce FX
Current Backhand: Bryce
Question: "I'm looking for the faster and softer blade than my current one, Gergely 21. Also, I'm a player who play top-spin close to the table and a little bit back-spin, so any suggestion for the rubber I should use?"
Answer: Yes, Gergely blade is very fast but not very soft. Consider Viscaria or Kumpuru blades; Viscaria is faster than Kumpuru, both are Arylate/Carbon blades with soft feel.
I am surprised you use Bryce FX on forehand and Bryce, which is faster, on backhand, especially when you like to use backspins also; I am assuming that you use backspins on your backhand and all topspin on forehand because this is the norm for some offensive oriented players. For this style of players, usually players select slower, spinier control rubber on the backhand for pushing, chopping, blocking and sometimes attacking, and hitting or variation of topspins on the forehand.
I suggest you stay with Bryce or Bryce FX on the forehand and Tackiness or Tackifire series on your backhand.
Masaaki Tajima |
Name: Mitch
Question: "I am laid back and just want to find a table that me and my friends can play in the living room every day or so. And that I can even play by myself sometimes. What is a good table for me? I was looking at the
Personal Rollaway and that one looked pretty good for me. What do you suggest?"
Answer: Hello Mitch,
All Butterfly tables are made to the highest standards in Germany. My own experience with the Personal Rollaway is that it offers an excellent bounce which is comparable to tables costing much more. For home use, I don’t think you can beat the value.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Flint
Current Blade: Grubba Pro
Current Forehand: Tackifire C
Current Backhand: Tackifire C
Question: "I've been playing with this combo for a while now, I am forehand dominant and I was thinking of trying out Super-Anti for the reverse side to change the pace up at random times. My question is about the difference between Super-Anti and the Super-Anti Special. I read the descriptions for both but I have never used one before so I am in still in the dark. Thank you for your time."
Answer: Hello Flint,
The difference between the 2 antispins is the speed.The super anti special is much slower than the super anti. The super anti has a white sponge that is fast. The super anti special has a yellow sponge and is 40 percent slower.
Dan Seemiller |
Name: Eugene
Current Blade: Avalox Penhold
Current Forehand: Stiga Mendo
Current Backhand: Friendship
Question: "I'm a quick attacking, short pips competitive player (inter-versity), and I am considering a more powerful penhold blade to get more power behind my smashes. I'm relative good in controlling shots, however, it is difficult for me to get enough power behind those smashes.
I am looking at more powerful penhold blades from Butterfly (many of my friends recommend Butterfly). But may I know, which penhold blades under the Butterfly brand is the most suitable for short-pips close to table attacking style?
Best Regards."
Answer: Hello Eugene,
I am assuming that you are looking for a Chinese Style Penhold Blade. Most short-pip attackers prefer a fast blade with a hard feel. These harder blades provide the speed and low ball throw that enable a short-pips hitter to hit effectively against heavy spin. I would suggest two blades for you to consider, the Yoshida Kaii and the Primorac Carbon CS. The Kail is a 7-ply all-wood blade which offers moderate speed and good control. The Primorac Carbon CS is the blade of choice for advanced short-pip attackers looking for maximum speed. Both of these blades have the playing characteristics your style requires. Your choice will be how fast a blade you feel you need.
Good Luck,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Matthew
Current Blade: Firehand
Current Forehand: Sriver 2.1mm
Current Backhand: Sriver 2.1mm
Question: "I want to change to a whole different racket and asking for your advice. I'm an all around attacker that likes to chop and do hook shots to throw my opponents off there game. I play close and mid distance. I would
like a lighter, faster blade with more dwell time. What do you suggest I choose?"
Answer: Hi Matthew,
Your Firehand Blade is quite fast and has a hard feel which produces a short dwell time. To increase the dwell time look for a blade marked with a medium feel. You can see a comparison of all our blades by speed, control, and feel located on our website. Just click on “blade specifications”. You might want to take a look at our new Photino Blade which is just a little faster than your Firehand but has a medium feel. The Photino features our new ZL fiber which also adds to the dwell time.
Good Luck,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Jonnathan
Current Blade: VSG 4000
Current Forehand: SpinSpiel Juic
Current Backhand: Juic 999 Elite
Question: "Recently, I got the VSG 4000 for better control and a bit more speed, but right now I'm not feeling to great with these 2 rubbers, I feel they get dusty too fast and are too slow, I'm a player that likes to backhand loop and forehand loop a lot, an offensive player, So I was wondering which rubbers I should upgrade to, I was getting some recommendations for Sriver, and Sonic, but I'm not really sure."
Answer: Hi Jonnathan,
Your current rubber choices are VERY grippy. These are not your best choices for looping. Any rubber in the Sriver family will give you a nice grip but not too much.
If you plan on re-looping a lot of incoming loops then I would strongly suggest you try some Bryce. It is truly fantastic for relooping topspin.
Best of luck, Mark Nordby |
Name: Michael
Current Blade: N/A
Current Forehand: N/A
Current Backhand: N/A
Question: "What role can a robot play in developing your game? Who should get a robot and why?"
Answer: Hi Michael,
As a coach, I use a robot a great deal in my coaching programs. It is a great tool but like all tools the better you learn to use the robot the more effective it is. Table tennis skills are developed through the use of a great many drills. Most players in the U.S. have limited access to training facilities and training partners. Often clubs are only open once or twice a week and many clubs do not have high level players to train with. In these cases a robot can really be a major help in developing your game. It is important that you consult a coach about the best drills for you to be using when working on a robot.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Mark
Current Blade: Petr Korbel FL
Current Forehand: Bryce 2.1mm
Current Backhand: Speedy-P.O. 1.9mm
Question: "Hello, I have been playing Table Tennis casually for many years. I just got back into playing after about a year of not playing at all. I used to be an aggressor hence my choice in paddle and rubbers. Upon my return a few weeks back I have found that I am more of a looping defensive player now with strength to his back hand side (I tend to try and use that side strictly) and wanted to know if the rubbers I have now are fine or if I should find something else. Also, the Korbel paddle is meant for offense more so... so I was wondering what sort of paddle I should be looking for."
Answer: Hi Mark,
If you desire to play a more defensive topspin game then you will probably need to change your rubbers. You may want to try one of our Super Spin Rubbers such as Tackifire. It will offer you more control and spin for your looping game and you will still have plenty of power to finish the point. The Korbel is a very popular blade for almost any type of topspin game and should be fine for you. I would suggest changing your rubber first and then evaluating your blade choice at a later date.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Sunil
Current Blade: Combi Flared Handle
Current Forehand: Sriver
Current Backhand: Sriver
Question: "I wish to change my racket - as this is an old racket. Which one should I buy.
Style of play:
- play at the club - not tournament play
Forehand:
- like to top spin a lot - and fairly aggressive play
- normally play close to the table
- like to play from the left corner of the table - to protect a weaker backhand
Backhand:
- fairly defensive - chops mainly
- a little looped top spin once in a while"
Answer: Hi Sunil,
To me this is part of what makes table tennis so cool ... the many choices available.
Now to your specific questions:
For medium speed blades I really like the Jonyer. For your FH rubber I would suggest you stay with the familiar Sriver you already use. It gets fun when we discuss your BH options. For regular play you should try Flextra 1.7. If you want to get adventurous, you should consider long pips or anti-spin. Now when you are just protecting your BH, you will still be making what your opponents see there much more confusing to deal with. This presents much more trouble for opponents when they do not get a normal weak play from your BH. If you decide to experiment some, you do want to get a bigger blade such as Defence II.
Best wishes, Mark Nordby |
Name: Andres
Current Blade: Zhang Yining
Current Forehand: Bryce Speed FX
Current Backhand: Bryce Speed FX
Question: "What is the difference between High Tune Rubber and the Bryce Speed rubbers?"
Answer: Hello Andres,
Butterfly’s Bryce High Tune Rubber is the second generation of a sponge technology that produces the same playing characteristics of freshly glued Bryce Rubber. If you are happy with how speed glued Bryce plays, then Bryce High Tune should work well for you.
Bryce Speed is actually a new product featuring the second generation of our High Tension Technology. Bryce speed offers even more speed and spin than does Bryce High Tune.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Martin
Current Blade: Hao Shuai Champion Carbon
Current Forehand: Sriver G2 FX
Current Backhand: Solcion
Question: "Hi...I was using Water Chack, but it is not the same as the other glues, I feel my racket very slow and doesn´t sound. Basically is not the same... what kind of glue do you recommend me?"
Answer: Hello Martin,
Water Chack is a VOC free glue that has been developed to meet the new ITTF rules regarding glues. It is not speed glue and will not add speed or the sound you are use to hearing. My suggestion is to use the Butterfly Speed Optimizer to treat your rubbers before attaching them with the Water Chack.
Best wishes,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
Name: Kent
Current Blade: Preassembled Butterfly Senkoh S-100
Current Forehand: Butterfly Pan Asia
Current Backhand: Friendship 755 Long Pips
Question: "I am a chinese penholder. Twelve years ago, I was a promising youth playing competitively and was using Tackiness D and 755. I am planning to get back my game. My strengths are forehand spin and chop. Should I upgrade my blade?"
Answer: Hello Kent,
It sounds like you are using one of our recreational line of rackets. So I would suggest you upgrade to a blade from the pro-line catalog. There is a world of difference between recreational rackets and pro-line rackets. If you come from a competitive background in the sport you will tell the difference the first time you hit a ball with a top-line racket.
Best of luck,
Richard McAfee, USATT National Coach and Hall of Fame Member |
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