Ask The Experts No. 368: Brian Pace Butterfly Table Tennis

Ask The Experts No. 368: Brian Pace

November 28, 2020 Butterfly Table Tennis Question and Answer Question: Hello, may I get a comparison between Tenergy 64 and Dignics 64? I changed my backhand rubber from Tenergy 64 to Tenergy 80 due to the change from the celluloid ball to the plastic ball because the Tenergy 64 just did not have enough spin and the throw angle is too low. I mainly block and counter close to the table and occasionally loop from mid distance when I get the chance. I would like to know if the Dignics 64 has the same controlled blocking, spin insensitive nature that the Tenergy 64 had. Is it easier to flick with the Dignics 64, and is the throw angle a little higher? My final concern is if Dignics 64 still has the same ease of use as the Tenergy 64 as the new Dignics series has a harder sponge, and will it be too bouncy on a Viscaria? Thank you very much for your time. Answer: Your Ask the Experts question was answered by Brian Pace. Coach Pace is National Level Table Tennis Coach with Dynamic Table Tennis and his response is as follows:

Jonathan, Thanks for your question, I appreciate you being so detailed in laying out your experience, as well as your issues. Tenergy 64 vs Dignics 64 Both of these have similar characteristics with regards to how they perform. The throw angles are almost identical, which gives the ball the longest distance, but the lowest trajectory. Where they are different is the Dignics 64 produces a higher degree of spin. Also, the Dignics 64 is going to need a more aggressive effort put into the stroke to create that higher degree of spin. Control with Dignics 64 The Dignics 64 will have as much as control as the Tenergy 64 with regards to range of each shot, but the Dignics will carry your return with more spin than the Tenergy 64. So if you are overly sensitive to spin, then the Tenergy 64 is a better choice. Ease of Use The ease of use issue for both of these rubbers is the fact that it has a low trajectory. The issue is amplified for the Dignics 64 if you aren’t able to swing hard enough to open up the full potential of the rubber that gives it a higher trajectory. If you are a low effort attacker, then a large amount of your attacks are going to clip the top of the net, or go into the net if you are using the Dignics 64. My Suggestion: Tenergy 80FX My suggestion is to use Tenergy 80FX, and the reason is it avoids some potential issues. The first issue that it fixes is the Tenergy 80FX has a higher throw angle, so your shots will clear the net easier. And because the landing spot for the Tenergy 80FX is the middle of the table, you don’t have to worry about the ball going deep like with the Tenergy 64. The second issues that it fixes is the increased touch that is gained with the Tenergy 80FX. The FX stands for more flexible sponge, and this will provide you with the extra touch that is needed that will be missing from the Dignics rubber that has a way more dense sponge. The last issue that it fixes is not having to do a high swing effort to open up the full potential of the rubber that is needed for the Dignics 64. Compromising Choice: If you absolutely feel like you want the sharp spin that the Dignics creates, then Dignics 80 will give you the high trajectory that is missing with the Dignics 64. I hope this helps you make as educated a decision that you can make to improve your game. Good luck with your training and improvement. Coach Pace