Equipment doesn't matter like you think it does

Something I had to get off my chest, and hopefully a worthwhile read for online equipment discussion.

We see a lot of threads here about the "best" equipment and endless reviews with the underlying assumption that a good choice is key to the game, but let's take a step back and analyze a bit just how much difference rubbers or blades make.

It's somewhat known that reasonably well rounded players can use a clipboard (A4/letter) to play and only drop maybe 200 rating points with some familiarity, or even less if they're afforded a less comically sized one (A5/half-letter) and more practice. Now let's assume such a great player uses Tenergy + Viscaria as usual bat and consider the effect of a swap to "lesser" stuff like Sriver + ALL blade. Would anyone argue that the latter functions halfway between "pro equip" and a clipboard? OR even if we exaggerate with Pan-Asia prefab bat? If not, then by basic math it's clear that a supposedly massive diff in equipment matters way less than 100 rating points.

Furthermore, let's compare in more detail the difference between pro and "lesser" setups above. The fundamental point of the game is to put the ball on the opposite side of the table one more time than the opponent. So one basic way of looking at it is that better players simply place (ie. control) the ball better at least once more than weaker ones. Stepping back a bit, detractors to this philosophy might cry that the modern game has changed to favor the attacker who kills the ball (they'd be wrong, but it's at least arguable), but at the amateur level the majority of point outcomes still ride on unforced errors. It's hard to control a small fast spinning ball and people just miss for no other reason than they messed up. Give them another chance at the same shot their less than ideal practice regime failed them and they'll probably make it (eg never serve the same twice). Now of the two setups, which one is more conducive to messing up?

Finally, as to why IMO equipment does matter: it's fun! We're all recreation/amateur players who do this as a hobby, and it's not our job to compete/win. There's always going to be plenty people we win and lose to, so there's nothing to playing per se the except the joy of the journey. A part of that ride is improving, sure, but part of it is also trying/discovering new things. That could mean new styles/techniques, new strategies, and even new toys. Of all the difference hobbies someone can choose, this one gives plenty of toys to pick AND an engaging sport to use them in. So enjoy it for what it is, not some magical elixir we all wish it it be.

beeray1 wrote: All I can say at this moment, is you're lucky you didn't catch the thread about Ma Long losing to 2200 players if he simply switched to off the shelf H3 NEO and a 'regular' blade. You might have died of either laughter, or of an overwhelming IQ drop/stupidity overload.  I'd like to contribute more to the discussion when I'm not at work :)

It was only a "poll".  94.83% respondents believe Ma Long will win. (As for me, I think Ma Long can beat a US 2200 player easily with a Walmart paddle.)   http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=55829&PN=2&title=ma-long-uses-sriver-h3-rubber-vs-2200-usatt-player

Given a couple of weeks to practice, Ma Long can beat a 2200 player with a shovel instead of a bat.

For technically good players, equipment is less important, because they will produce good shots with any equipment, using body.

DHSHurricane wrote: Agreed, sometimes I wish that this forum is more about coaching and technique than equipment

Haha, this situation seems to be the case for many of us. As a member of MyTT forum and several other table tennis forums, I can't remember when was the last time that I visit the "coaching" or "technique" section.

Probably because of that, not still...

Equipment only matters if you are good enough to make it matter .

I like the gist of this tread but you can't realy say a person looses 200 rating points using a clipboard and therefor if they use sriver they loose 100 rating points, thats all just make believe

Pondus wrote: I've made this point before, but I'll make it again: buying and trying new equipment is a part of what is fun about table tennis to a lot of people. But the ones that actually believe that all these somewhat slight differences in equipment is going to have any significant impact on their level of play... well, they're just a bit looney.

Edited by jt99sf - 07/26/2013 at 4:53pm

DHSHurricane wrote: Agreed, sometimes I wish that this forum is more about coaching and technique than equipment

I wish for all the EJ'ing there was some actually interesting exploration. For example, I'm almost a style junky, ie SJ. I've played it all, single side PH pips, inverted, SH inverted, RPB two wing, back to SH, modern defense in that order over years. But there's very little info out there for people who switch, even in terms of equipment. I had the hardest time finding what I should be looking out for in turns of rubber speeds for chopping relative to looping and had to learn much the hard way. So for all the equipment threads, the amount of space they move within is very limited. If all the EJ's got actual different setups and learned some new skills, it'd prolly be worth it over which model (or lol, weight) of viscaria BS.

coaching one-on-one is much more constructive than online.

AgentHEX wrote: smackman wrote: I like the gist of this tread but you can't realy say a person looses 200 rating points using a clipboard and therefor if they use sriver they loose 100 rating points, thats all just make believe  I have seen good or even average players using clipboards to play and it's fun to see but to quantify a high level player what new ratings a person would be is pie in the sky People have actually played serious clipboard matches w/ ranked players, so we know how much of quantitative detriment they are. The point is a somewhat different inverted is WAY LESS DIFF (ie. well under 100 points) than halfway to clipboard. The closest think prolly to halfway is hardbat, where you don't even have a sponge nevermind trick topsheet, and guess what 100points is about average drop w/ hardbat disadvantage long term. Morale of the story: choice of general inverted equipment matters so little to actual level that it's even worth mentioning "better" play. The only way to kind of screw yourself over (esp. in the short run) is oddball combos that make you loose confident in many strokes, and the only way to achieve this is the experimental builds EJs do. I avoid it myself by always having a stable setup for real play, and play w/ whatever else on the side. Sometimes I learn something new, but "new" doesn't necessarily mean better.

yes yes but you are just making amounts up (there is no 200 rating drop) if a 2500 level player uses a clipboard there is only a probable drop but no particular 200 drop

I recent changed setups.  From BTY 7 ply to a DHS 7 ply.  The BTY 7 ply had DHS H2 NEo and Donic Bluefire.  The DHS has DHS H3 Neo and 728-5.

Tinykin wrote: You are a fully paid up member of the EJ club. You are even worse than most as you also experiment with styles. Go on admit it you love to EJ don't you. Seriously, most EJs have experimented with  most styles over the years. I've tried up to table block with inverted/anti and even good old Neubauer original. I've done the modern defence thing, 2-wing looper, 2-wing smasher with SP even RPB. Tonight I started allround defensive with Reflectoid/999 on Bty Power def. Later I switched to 2-wing looper with T05/T05 on Nittaku. Time ran out before I could end it with my 1956 Barna. It was a fun night.

Guilty as charged, but from what I've seen "EJs" who experiment with many styles are the minority. And to be fair, equipment does kind of matter more when you're trying to chop down modern loop drives, because something even moderately too fast will not work at all unless superhuman. Most EJs are hoping that $200 ZJKALC or ZLKAC will make them loop like the real deal.

"EQUIPMENT DOES NOT MATTER AS MUCH..."
A WORD OF WISDOM, CERTAINLY.


Some famous facts to sustain:
--Vlady Samsonov is known to be stuck to his old Mazunov blade, as long as for 20 years.   He changed to a new one just quite recently, after being faulted by an umpire.

--The top Chinese are known to be able to accelerate the ball upto a cosmic velocity with the HURRICANE dumb hard sponge.

TOP MORAL The first-rate table tennis Masters do need no "advanced" materials to better perform the game.
To do so, they're all possessing a great variety of technical skills and physical fitness in plenty.

Again, it was once proved by a German professor-engeneer Tiefenbacher Konrad that:
--Contrary to common player's believe there is no dramatic difference in playing characteristics between the most used rubbers and blades present now on market. The actual difference is just minor and it can be always compensated by applying more muscular exertion.

That is to say Tenergy rubber is not a "magic stick" at all. You can well make a great upswing in the rating even if with Mark-V non glued, through having some particular boxing trainings with the sand bag.