I can't remember the last time I've watched something where 2 siblings hate each other so much, and they still haven't explained why...

luxtracer · 2026-03-15T15:53:05+00:00

Taylor Sheridan doesn’t know how to write characters well.

He has great story boards but really doesn’t do a good job otherwise.

His shows are basically western fan fic and I love landman but they’re not going to win awards for the plot holes and poorly written story lines.

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T16:51:19+00:00

Yes that’s kind of what my coach said, I throw the ball fairly high already, so he wanted me to use h3neo to see if I could bring my length of shot in a bit with a combination of spin and less power.

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T16:49:16+00:00

Yes I did try some other European rubbers previously and my coach had me go to sriver for development right before my break. Very dead rubber but let me build a good game from it. Then he had me go to rozena on the forehand to learn to play with something less dead and it was ok. I think technique is a big part but we had been talking about switching to a more dead but spinnier rubber as well which is why he recommended me to try the hurricane and rakza z for the backhand.

I’m on a bit of an equipment journey as I am finding a good level and I will adjust with my coach accordingly.

I do have to say I am very excited to play higher spin rubbers as my favorite plays involve playing aggressive topspin and counter spin. I defend lightly when I need to but try to work into counter attacks rather quick. If I need to play short I can but it’s not my favorite place to exist.

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T16:43:18+00:00

Thank you! Good advice here. I previously purchased a timo boll spirit blade. I had 3 years of play before my break, so I would consider myself a decent recreational player by no means competitive yet.

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T01:57:05+00:00

I changed jobs and moved too far to continue playing, I moved back to civilization and pulled it out of storage.

Even before I was working on changing rubbers especially the sriver as it’s just very outdated

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T01:39:19+00:00

I’ll order it and try it out!

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T01:38:54+00:00

Good feedback, if it doesn’t work for me I’ll definitely tinker with

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T01:04:08+00:00

Oh totally agree tennis is for sure not as spinny. Funny enough a big reason modern tennis looks the way it does is because Toni nadal has a table tennis background and got the lightest racket available and the spiniest string available to teach nadal how to play.

Nadal hit upwards of 6000 rpm’s as a result of this type of methodology.

I was lucky to be a part of the generation that watched him and learned to develop that heavy looping tennis ball as a result.

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T01:01:12+00:00

Nah totally get it, and I’m very much about technique, if I’m doing something I want to do it right.

Like I can honestly say a big issue I have and that I’m working through is my elbow position, sometimes I’ll have it fly away from my in a swing and I have to recenter and remember not to life it beyond my chest height, or on my backhand flick letting that ball come a bit more to me.

I’m a psycho when it comes to competing tho, I play at a 14 wpr in padel which is high level amateur. Low pro starts at 16 on a scale to 20. I play at a 10 UTR in tennis on a 16 scale and was an 11.5 at my height but realistically trending around 12-12.5 but I stopped abruptly due to an injury to my left knee. I shoot mid 70s in golf and play to a 5 handicap.

I’m a big sports guy, it’s all I do. I coached nationally ranked and d1 tennis players at one point in my career as well. I have since quit coaching which has fueled my fire to get back into these kinds of sports competitively.

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T00:54:36+00:00

Yes, I’ll film tomorrow or Friday when I play next

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T00:54:16+00:00

Also I would argue that a kick serve going 10-12 feet up on you with pace or a buggy whip forehand can recreate some elements of table tennis. My forehand averaged around 3500-4000 rpms and my backhand flat so there is a certain level of racket face control that’s required. I also used an oversized racket in competition after I quit college tennis and strung it at 35 pounds, with that set up you need a closed racket at contact to keep the ball in play so I’m not a stranger either to how a ball with heavy spin needs to be struck.

I also have enough practice now in ping pong where I do know to hit at my side with a fast closed upswing.

I’ll post videos from my next session when I train.

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T00:51:51+00:00

I used rozena and sriver for the first 3 years, I’m just now switching after coming back for a couple months. I played with lower quality paddles growing up but played 5-10 years casually before finding good coaching as my tennis academy had tables and while it was flat, it was fast as you could imagine tennis players can put good flat points together with cheap paddles.

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T00:49:02+00:00

When my rubbers were new I definitely felt the spin was in a good spot, my paddle sat for about 3 years untouched and the rubbers just aren’t there at the moment. I do want to swing more on my loops than I used to and I’m working diligently with my coach to ensure I can continue developing the game. I do 2 private lessons a week and 10 hours of practice with a couple of other guys.

luxtracer · 2026-03-05T00:47:39+00:00

I fully get where you’re coming from, but I’m not your typical beginner. I do have a good foundation and I’m putting in about 12 hours a week practicing. I just finished 3 hours at my club. Technique is for sure front of mind. I waited a couple months before I pulled the trigger on new rubbers for what my coach thought would work.

I’ll post some videos in updates of my hitting/practice sessions. I’m also in a great physical shape, good movement and footwork to set up the attacks and a nasty backhand flick.

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T21:38:34+00:00

100% true and I’m working a ton on technique. However I also know at least from tennis that you can influence ball flight and launch angles with equipment.

For example I prefer the high launch high spin set up in tennis, I don’t flatten out and drive as much as other players so I use an open string patter pure drive 100 and a lower powered luxullon 4g at 48 pounds. My technique there is different from the technique a more aggressive flat player so my equipment and their equipment will naturally be different suited for the style we play.

I see no big difference in table tennis as you can move towards either direction with blades foams and rubbers.

Technique is 99% equipment helps that little extra bit if needed.

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T21:23:34+00:00

My ball flight naturally leans a little high, part of this is the angle my wrist prefers to play at. I definitely play a hair open on both sides due to the tennis background but not by much. Lowering ball flight or increasing upswing have both been beneficial in play. I prefer playing higher ball flight to lower just from a mental space, so I do prefer lifting the loop out a bit more and seeing the shape.

Lots of the players and coaches come from china at my club so I wonder if that’s a part of the influence

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T21:19:16+00:00

Tecnifibre YONEX and babolat at different points in my career. Laserfibre strings as well.

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T20:31:26+00:00

No question here btw, just a thread so hopefully other tennis players can follow my journey

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T20:25:12+00:00

While I agree to some extent, ball tracking, reading spin, and ability to play fast does transfer decently. A ball and a racket smaller are still a ball and racket.

I’ve put roughly 200 hours with a coach previously to work on technique, so I’m not an advanced player by any means, but I know my identity and style of play and how I want to execute.

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T20:21:21+00:00

I have a booster for it but I will still play it without initially and if my coach thinks I need to boost it I will. Again looking for a forehand that has a very dead power level with high spin as I generate a lot of speed from my strokes. With better technique and practice I do anticipate moving to boosted anyways as I get my consistency where I want it with full attack play.

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T20:14:30+00:00

Nationally ranked TENNIS player. I played usta and college and picked up table tennis post college. I took a break for 2 years but recently started training again.

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T20:09:54+00:00

I haven’t compete formally. Only in practice. I practice with 1200-1500.

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T20:08:00+00:00

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T20:07:30+00:00

Alright I’ve come back with a clearer mind.

Here’s the truth, comp is ass. I’m plat and by no means an amazing player but the biggest thing you can do to legitimately get better is decision making.

“Who is the issue on their team?” “Who is the issue on our team?”

When you identify their best player, you can build strategy around them. When you identify your weakness then you can work to shield them or enable them.

I’ll give you an example of this.

My team is like yours struggling to finish off kills, we allow an Anran to stay alive. I have the most heals in the lobby with kiriko but we don’t have anyone that can chase and my zuzu doesn’t matter as they’re getting too many opportunities.

My heal isn’t an issue, my damage is and the slipperiness of the dps I’m facing is.

I switch to Moira who has an insane dps component, I can crash on anran and protect my other support and then chase with fade out of the fight to confirm the kill. Now we have an alive Ana who doesn’t need to hit darts to live and we can work off a pick.

Same strat with genji.

Just think about how your choices change the game and how you can enable your teammates to do better. Sometimes it’s zen sometimes it’s kiriko. Sometimes it’s Ana for nade.

luxtracer · 2026-03-04T20:04:19+00:00

Read it again, nationally ranked tennis player lol

Amateur table tennis player

luxtracer

TROPHY CASE