Setup-advice
Magique_Fonce asked 2 years ago
Hello coaches,
I have been playing table tennis regularly in a club for a couple of years, but only started noticing significant improvements these past few months (after I joined the academy). I have a much better control, confidence and feel of the ball on both FH and BH topspin and counter topspin.
I am currently using a Butterfly Maze Performance (recently renamed Maze Advance) with Rakza 7 soft 1.8 on both sides. It’s light and I enjoy very much the feeling of control on the ball, but I am struggling a bit to generate speed further from the table. I can do it, but it requires a lot of energy to do so.
I don’t know exactly what I need to change to preserve the control and feel while increasing the power away from the table.
1. Change to Rakza 7 soft 2.00 on both sides.
2. Change to Rakza 7 on FH.
3. Change blade to carbon (Thinking of Joola Rossi Emotion)
4. Change blade to faster all wood (any suggestion?)
5. Any combination of the above?
6. Any suggestion different from the above?
Thank you very much for your time and attention.
jefftberg answered 2 years ago
Starr with option 2, upgrade to Rakza 7 2.0. If that’s not enough consider an OFF- wood blade like Tibhar Stratus Power Wood or Stiga Offensive Classic.
Dan Academy Coach answered 2 years ago
Hey, firstly great to hear you’ve been finding the Academy helpful for your game!
I would definitely suggest keeping the same blade because this is what gives you the feeling and control, I would suggest as the member above have changing to Rakza 7 2.0 on forehand or even on both sides of you feel you need a bit more speed on the backhand too.
But definitely stick to the same blade, this is where many players go wrong early in, they change the balde and go for something different or too fast and the feeling isn’t the same which makes you change your shots.
The thicker sponge will give you a bit more speed and power away from the table but not change the feeling or control too much. So I’d say go for that.
Dan 🙂
Magique_FonceHello,
Thank you both for your kind reply. I will follow your advice, drop the “Soft” prefix on one or both sides, and go for 2.0 .
Dan, this is really a sound and precious advice, because I really thought the feeling and control came from the soft rubber, and that my blade slightly lacked power, and therefore was very much tempted to change the blade and keep the same rubbers. I am very glad I asked you here.
Looking forward to your next videos,
Thanks again.
