Best blade for a beginner

IanMcg wrote: Re1Mu2R3 wrote: STIGA Tube Aluminum, Butterfly Schlager, Butterfly Sardius, STIGA Crystal Carbon. Could you tell me the reasoning behind your suggestion of using too-fast blades?

For rubbers, he should use Joola Timeless both sides.

Go to Wal-Mart and get a cheap inverted like rubber non tacky sponge like surface. Spin doesn't affect the rubber so it is easier to use. It plays almost like anti but with a little more friction. It especially works good on a slick table top surfaces (where spin stays on ball) used at a lot of recreation centers for durability. I borrowed someone's paddle the other day on a slick table and I could hit everything. It blocks heavy normal inverted spin loops very well with the proper technique.

toolie wrote: Hey, guys. My friend is looking to start playing table tennis. He's never owned a decent blade/rubbers before -- I've recommended Mark V rubbers, and I'm just needing a good recommendation for a blade. Any suggestions? Cheers, Mike

Some cheap pre-made hobby bats. (And no, I'm not kidding around or being a wise ass)

I've seen a beginner that looped like hell on his third lesson. And he started literally from zero.

Actually there is a body of thought (e.g. Stellan Bengtsson, but others too) that says beginners should learn to play with something in the same general ballpark of what they will use later on and just learn to play with it.  A lot of this depends on what you mean by beginner, though. 

I honestly don't think new players should start with any sort of tensioned rubber.

I agree with Beeray1, equipment is not that important long-term.  Just get anything decent to start, then try other people's paddles and find one you like.  Personally I love the Nittaku Latika.  But equipment is far less important than practice and coaching.  

For under $100, I would recommend this.
http://www.paddlepalace.com/Pro-Special-Xiom-Allround-S-with-Vega-Europe-rubber/productinfo/ZZSXALS297/

beeray1 wrote: this is a silly thread....  people who are using composite hyper blades that aren't that good, players that stand by the "slow blades are all you need" crap because it makes them feel superior for some stupid reason..

Here's the thing. A good ALL blade is not slow. It's only "slow" because of ridiculous new EJ fodder. Recall an OFF blade is designed for player with the skill to sustain attacks, not people piddling around at well under 2k which is the vast majority of players in the US. The average usatt rating (and most amateurs don't even play sanctioned tournaments regularly) is only 1400.

who cares? A blade is just a blade. Any blade you use is fine. Sure some are gonna damage development if they are absurdly fast, but who out of us is seriously developing and becoming a professional or top level player. But come on, you can't really think that players stuck in the mid range of under 2000 are there because of the fast blade they use. The same dudes are gonna be stuck there regardless because they don't get a chance to play enough, not because of their equipment. People who tote the slow blades or you're a chump campaign are no better than EJ's.

They are stuck at low level because they can't put the ball on the table with any regularity. Of course fast blades they can't even swing with are hindering their process. It's like they're not even playing table tennis but some "sport" where you try your hardest to attack caress the ball so it has less than 50% chance of flying off randomly.

It's like to be considered good by these guys you have to be an all around player like the last great white people of the sport. Yeah, you have to learn to earn the point if you are a serious developing player, and in that case, please use a slower blade with regular rubber. Any other case, an offensive player at 1600 is no fun to watch, but it's still a playing style. It wont change with an allaround classic. It's their playing style. Getting better is only on practice, that's it. Just like someone who blocks at the same level. Sure, the points are longer. But those guys can still get beat by a guy who can only play a few balls in a row really hard. It just depends. But becoming an all-around player doesn't automatically mean you're a superior player. It's just a different point of view.

ALL blade does not imply all-round play, it just means you can put the ball on the table reliably enough to develop a game. I can guarantee that 1600 blocker is much less skilled than the 1600 attacker who often actually has a decent enough loop in practice, but shitty footwork and a touchy racket so never gets much of a chance to use it. At that point you're just wasting time developing "skills" that are useless, so the whole point of the slow racket crowd is to at least give you a chance to apply that aggression.

this is a silly thread.... 

I wouldn't take much advice from people using fast blades that have never progressed past beginner levels. There are three groups of people using the TBS.

Professionals, high level highly trained juniors and the perennial hopeless.
That's it, everyone else that plays over us2000 long term uses all wood blades in the all to -off range. Table tennis is more enjoyable the more skill you have so you really want to do yourself a favour and not hamper your development with the wrong blade

personally i think the Mark V is a slightly outdated rubber for beginners starting up now. reason being is that the "built in speed glue" rubbers on the market can produce better spin, speed and in some aspect control as well. 

A tried and true formula has always been medium speed blades with medium speed/spin rubbers for beginners. Donic Allplay is a great beginners blade and can function well into medium levels.

Maybe it's because I play at a high level club. Everyone will tell you you can't play with a slow blade. Tell someone at my club TBS is fast. Ha. What blade exactly on this green earth has better control than TBS? All these kids that the coaches around are teaching.. David has IF ZLC, Michael has Xiom Zetro Quad.. all the kids learn the game with fast blades. TBS is never on the list of fast blades.

and I know.. I know this one guy.. who can do back flips.. and he can eat 10 sausages in 2 minutes.. and... and.. I know.. this guy who came from Shaolin.. and he uses this donic allplay..