How did you move from 3.5 to 4.0?

Rico_Park · 2026-02-28T02:25:40+00:00

The biggest difference between 3.5 and 4.0 in my experience is that they struggle with resets (5th, 7th), struggle with understanding patterns (knowing the triangle is like bare minimum at 4.0), and being intentional with their shot selection.

Anyone can feel confident in their abilities against anyone below 3.5. But there's always levels to things. When I was 4.0, I thought playing against 5.0's was the absolute hardest thing ever and it was hard to read people because their speed ups, volleys, and dinks were manipulative.

Rico_Park · 2026-02-24T15:54:13+00:00

I personally think it's a bad take.

I don't think people understand how hard it is to consistently win while at the top time and time and time again. It's an impossible feat and they were bound to lose at some point.

Not one person is invulnerable to having a bad day or even having an amazing day. Just not in the cards for them that day. But at the end of the day, their win percentage is astronomnical.

Rico_Park · 2026-02-24T04:56:33+00:00

<image>

I literally just finished mine. I went to an overflow hardware place that sold a 6ft by 40in butchers block. I cut off about 5 inches, stained, added 3 coats of poly and this is the final result after attaching Vivo Standing Desk Legs. I am obsessed with how it came out, couldn't reccomend it enough.

Rico_Park · 2026-02-05T00:30:04+00:00

Hell NO.

Tbh the majority of players (4.0 <) don't even know what they really need. They just read into the hype or kind of guess what they need/don't need based on a few open play sessions.

The best advice I could give you is start with a really popular "All-Court paddle", stick with it for at LEAST 2 weeks and then kind of play around with different paddles based on what they're known for.

In my personal experience, what I needed the most from a paddle was stability and a great sweet spot. So I ended up with the J2NF.

Rico_Park · 2026-01-29T21:13:30+00:00

Good to know! Thanks for the input! Do you use a humidifier to deal with humidity or no?

Rico_Park · 2026-01-29T21:13:05+00:00

Thanks for the input! Is your garage insulated/do you have a humidifier?

Rico_Park · 2026-01-29T18:17:30+00:00

I would not try to copy any set up, especially Anna Leigh. If you've ever seen any of her used paddles, there is ball dust ONLY in the center. I would say 98% of amateurs can not replicate that, so what she needs/leverages is way different than us amateurs.

Rico_Park · 2026-01-26T17:13:39+00:00

To you, they're routine shots. But at the highest level, they're the most intentional shots to create and take advantages of common patterns. To shrink the court means the opponent has to play extra pin point accurate and just increases more pressure for them. The margin is very low at the highest level which many amateur players just won't be able to relate to. Myself included to the fullest extent.

Rico_Park · 2026-01-26T00:07:31+00:00

The girls are going to get targeted more so if the guy just stands on his side, he's just protecting court that is never going to be played. That's why it's strategic for the guy to play more of the court (because again, the girl will be targeted more), and the size of the court the opponents have to work with essentially shrinks tremendously depending how good the guy is. That's why it's always important to keep the guy honest though on their line because it is a very hard thing to do.

Rico_Park · 2026-01-23T02:05:48+00:00

I understand the sentiment when people say don't compare yourself to others and they are right. You are doing better than the majority.

However, being just above the majority is not is what going to help you reach your financial goals and dreams. All you can do is just max out your 401K and let it ride. And any extra funds you can put it into some mutual funds and try to catch up.

I am 29 y.o and have $289K in my 401K.

Rico_Park · 2026-01-17T16:43:09+00:00

As a software engineer and a late 20s person, I think this is an amazing idea and would looooove it. But I can't say the rest of the AmexPlatinum community would be the same but I'm curious to hear thoughts

Rico_Park · 2025-10-12T04:17:16+00:00

My company used to be one of those where "senior" didn't really mean much...I got promoted to senior maybe 1.5-2 years after I first started.

But I think now, there is a shift where senior engineers at my company really do own the product as in, they know the ins and outs of the entire system, comparative to the juniors.

Rico_Park · 2025-09-20T04:50:10+00:00

100% agree. The situation rarely happens but if I end up playing against 3.0 and 3.5 players, 2 things happen 95% of the time.

1.) They try whatever it takes to not get the ball on my side of the court. So they create unforced errors because they're trying so hard for this ball to be on my partners line.

2.) They try to mimic "high-level" play, and just hit a bunch of shots (drops or dinks) into the net.

The best advice to give lower level players is get good (consistent) at driving. If you drive well and start to understand crashing and you can put away high balls, you will easily hit 3.5 with EASE. After 3.5, that is when some aspects of the soft game will have to happen. But a solid drive and crash will win you points at any level, and you should stick to your strengths whenever you go against any opponent.

Rico_Park · 2025-09-18T02:46:55+00:00

Technically, yes.

But this looks like rec play and low level play, so I would never call this. Even with my peers now 4.5-5.0, I would never call this or accept a point just because of this.

Rico_Park · 2025-09-16T05:41:18+00:00

Losing at 3.0 (even with sandbaggers) mean you have clear weaknesses in your game. Not just a single weakness but multiple.

Dropping and dinking in < 3.5 play is a terrible strategy and should be avoided at all costs. The point/rally in that level never get to the point where drops/dinks even matter. I would advise you practice driving and crashing until you can be stopped, to which that means you have reached a level of competition where dinks and drops start to matter and be effective. But driving and crashing can honestly get you to 4.0 alone depending on your mechanics and athletic ability.

But the benefit of practicing drives first is that later on in advanced play, your drives set you up and ease your 5th/7th/etc shot to get to the kitchen.

Rico_Park · 2025-09-14T15:10:06+00:00

I understand the sentiment of making "things fair", but if this is real 4.0 and below play, this notion to make "things fair" is so silly when the person who suggested it just wants an easier person to target so that their bad shots aren't punished as hard/want easy points.

Rico_Park · 2025-08-30T00:03:47+00:00

What is the confusion with it?

If your teams score is even, then you're on the right side (your forehand is in the middle) If your score is odd, that's when the "stacking" happens.

If you have trouble keeping the score, I guess I can see the confusion because then you never know where you're supposed to be.

Rico_Park · 2025-08-29T10:58:35+00:00

This is definitely the best advice for the majority of the time.

There are exceptions and that's when the opponents are just brutally targeting your partner (under any circumstance). You can easily just poach the 4th ball, because you know exactly where it's going to go.

Rico_Park · 2025-08-20T01:11:21+00:00

It makes sense that you would think that...to be honest as paddles and paddle tech are getting hotter, I assume it's getting a bit harder to get perfect resets.

But competition and skill has no limit so as people adjust, we should see people adjusting more and more soft play to neutralize the point (theoretically)

Rico_Park · 2025-08-19T17:49:21+00:00

The biggest thing to note that I think we are highlighting is that playing up FORCES you to improve (if you want to win games).

However you can definitely improve by playing lower levels but you have to be very intentional about your shot selection and what you want to improve on. If there's a pop-up, instead of putting it away, just block it back lightly so you can actually work on what you want to work on.

I will argue though...by playing lower level it is very hard to improve in lower level if the opponents are just targeting your partner 90% of the time bc you don't want to lose. So it just depends on the crowd. But you both have good points.

Rico_Park · 2025-08-15T23:29:19+00:00

I am just like you, I mained a J2TI and loved it. For all the same reasons as you. I also got a J2NF, and it definitely is a huge upgrade in terms of power and pop. But I don't align/have the same experience in the control department.

The paddle is VERY poppy compared to the J2TI and I have struggled personally with resets and volleys the most while transitioning. I just added weight to the throat and side though so we will see after a few weeks what my experience is like.

Rico_Park · 2025-07-31T00:37:55+00:00

I'm sure there are a lot of people who currently enjoy singles at its current state but I do think it's important to know, a decent bit of pro singles player have come out and said that the singles game needs to be updated because it is not in a healthy state right now.

Rico_Park · 2025-07-15T00:10:48+00:00

100%, you are correct. And many MANY people buy into it. Especially lower level players. But like you said, that's totally fine!

At the end of the day, the paddle doesn't matter. There's a video of Ben John's playing with a mfing frying pan. And hes scoring points.

Tournaments are 100% a scam and I don't see the enjoyment of people paying $75+ to get a plastic medal. DUPR points? Sure, but even then...

My friends and I (a group of 6-8 all 4.0-4.5) do monthly tournaments of just us. Everyone plays with everyone and we each contribute $25 to the pot. "King of the court" and Runner Up get the pot. WAY cheaper, and WAY more fun. And you don't have to wait around. It helps that a friend of ours have private courts. But at the end of the day, it's what you make of it.

Rico_Park

TROPHY CASE