Trick your opponents with service deception (with Craig Bryant)

Summary

In this informative video, Tom Lesniak collaborates with top coach and pro player Craig Bryant to explore the art of service deception in table tennis. They emphasize the importance of disguising serves to confuse opponents about the ball's spin, thus enhancing one's service game. Techniques such as creating topspin with a backspin illusion and vice versa are discussed, along with the 'wiggly' or 'snake' serve. The video highlights the significance of realistic, subtle movements and avoiding patterns for effective deception. Viewers are encouraged to visit Craig's website for coaching services and the sponsor's site for table tennis equipment.

Takeaways

• 🎾 Deception in table tennis serves is crucial for creating an unpredictable and strong service game.
• 🏓 Mastery of basic serving elements is essential before attempting to add deceptive movements.
• 🕊️ The quick movement of the wrist and racket under the ball is key to creating the illusion of different spins.
• 🔄 The serve's effectiveness lies in the ability to mimic other spins, tricking the opponent with deceptive movements.
• 💥 For topspin serves, the illusion of backspin is created by a quick upward flick of the wrist after hitting the top part of the racket.
• 📉 Backspin serves involve contacting the bottom part of the racket and a quick upward movement to create a topspin illusion.
• 🐍 The 'Wiggly' or 'Snake' serve's effectiveness comes from the pendulum-like action followed by a quick movement in the opposite direction.
• 🔄 Consistency in creating different finishes for topspin and backspin serves prevents obvious patterns in play.
• 🎭 Overacting can be used deceptively in serves, with exaggerated movements after a backspin serve to confuse opponents.
• 🔍 Subtle movements are more effective for topspin serves, creating a realistic effect that is harder to read.
• 🏆 Craig Bryant shares his expertise on deceptive serves, emphasizing the importance of realistic and varied serving techniques.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video with Tom Lesniak and Craig Bryant?

The main focus of the video is on service deception in table tennis, which involves disguising the spin of the serve to confuse the opponent and gain an advantage.

Why is service deception important in table tennis?

Service deception is important because it can cause more problems for the opponent, making it harder for them to predict the spin and return the ball effectively, thus strengthening the server's game.

What is the role of the sponsor 'Bribe Our Table Tennis' in the video?

Bribe Our Table Tennis is the sponsor of the video, providing a range of table tennis equipment from various brands, and their website is mentioned for viewers interested in purchasing such items.

What are the basic elements of serving that should be mastered before attempting deception?

Before attempting deception, one should have consistent and high-quality basic elements of serving, such as the basic format and technique of hitting the ball.

How can a player create topspin deception in their serve?

To create topspin deception, a player should hit the top part of the racket and flick the wrist upwards to create spin, while quickly moving underneath the ball to give the illusion of backspin.

What is the key to making a backspin serve deceptive?

The key to a deceptive backspin serve is to contact the bottom part of the racket with a downward movement and then quickly move upwards to create an illusion of topspin.

What is the 'Wiggly' or 'Snake' serve and how does it create deception?

The 'Wiggly' or 'Snake' serve is a technique where the server creates a pendulum-like motion with a small action, and then quickly moves in the opposite direction to create deception, making it seem like a different type of spin.

Why is it important to vary the finish of the spin in deceptive serves?

Varying the finish of the spin helps to prevent obvious patterns in a player's serve, making it more difficult for the opponent to predict and counter the serve.

What is the significance of overacting in creating deceptive serves?

Overacting can be used to exaggerate the movement after serving, which can mislead the opponent into thinking the serve has a different spin than it actually does.

How can subtle movements contribute to the effectiveness of a deceptive serve?

Subtle movements can make a serve appear more realistic, which can be more deceptive because the opponent is less likely to suspect that the serve is disguised.

Where can viewers find more information about Craig Bryant's coaching services?

Viewers can find more information about Craig Bryant's coaching services on his website, which is mentioned in the video as 'top edge table tennis coach dot uk'.