5 ways to make your serves much stronger (with Craig Bryant)

Summary

In this instructional video, top coach and pro player Craig Bryant shares five essential tips to enhance your table tennis service game. He emphasizes the importance of keeping serves low for strategic advantage, creating spin for unpredictable bounces, and incorporating serve variations to disrupt opponents. Additionally, he highlights the significance of recovery post-service and the necessity of consistent practice with creative targets to improve accuracy and spin. Craig's insights, combined with his experience of transforming from an average player to representing his country, provide valuable guidance for aspiring table tennis players.

Takeaways

• 🏓 Keeping the serve low over the net is crucial to prevent opponents from hitting the ball with power and spin.
• 🤲 The contact point of the serve is essential; hitting the ball at net height can help keep the serve low.
• 🔄 Creating spin on the serve is effective as it results in different bounces and unpredictable ball movement.
• 💨 Brushing the ball with a light contact and using wrist speed can generate more spin, testing the opponent's control.
• 🎨 Variation in serve is key; changing serve location, speed, and spin can disrupt the opponent's rhythm.
• 🔄 Practicing different serve variations, such as pendulum serves to various areas of the table, can improve placement and spin.
• ⏱ Taking time away from the opponent by varying the serve can force them into making incorrect decisions.
• 🔄 Recovery after serving is important; being prepared for the next ball can give an advantage.
• 🎯 Anticipating the return after serving and adjusting recovery position accordingly can improve play.
• 🧘‍♂️ Practice is fundamental to improving serves; using targets can make practice more engaging and focused.
• 🌟 Serving is a unique opportunity for full control in table tennis, and mastering it can significantly elevate a player's game.

Q & A

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

The main focus of the video is to provide five tips for improving one's service game in table tennis.

Why is keeping the service low over the net considered important in table tennis?

Keeping the service low over the net is important because it prevents the opponent from hitting the ball back with power and spin, making it more difficult for them to attack.

What is the significance of the contact point when serving in table tennis?

The contact point is crucial as it determines the trajectory and bounce of the ball. Contacting the ball at net height and pushing it towards the table can help keep the ball low over the net.

How can creating more spin on the serve benefit a player?

Creating more spin on the serve is beneficial as it results in different bounces and movement directions for the ball, forcing the opponent to adjust their racket and potentially making it harder for them to control the ball.

What is the role of the wrist in creating spin on a serve?

The wrist plays a key role in creating spin by allowing for a light brush contact with the ball and then accelerating through it at a higher speed to generate more spin.

Why is variation important in a player's serve?

Variation is important because it keeps the opponent guessing and disrupts their rhythm. It can involve serving to different areas, using different spins, and employing various techniques.

How can a player use the concept of recovery to their advantage after serving?

A player can use recovery to their advantage by being prepared for the opponent's return based on the type of serve and spin used, allowing them to take control of the next shot.

What is one way to make serve practice more interesting and challenging?

One way to make serve practice more interesting is by using targets, such as baskets or cones, to aim for specific placements or to spin the ball through obstacles.

How does Craig suggest improving one's serve through observation?

Craig suggests observing other good servers, learning from their techniques, and incorporating different ideas into one's own serve to improve.

What was the impact of improving Craig's serve on his table tennis career?

Improving his serve significantly boosted Craig's level of play, allowing him to progress from an average player to representing his country.

Who sponsors the video featuring table tennis tips from Craig Bryant?

The video is sponsored by Dry Bar Table Tennis.

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

Viewers can find more information about Craig's coaching services on his website at topedgetabletenniss.com.

Outlines

00:00

🏓 Improving Serve Technique in Table Tennis

In this video, Tom Lesniak and Craig Bryan discuss tips to enhance table tennis serve skills. The focus is on keeping the serve low to prevent opponents from hitting with power and spin. The importance of the contact point with the ball is emphasized, with suggestions to hit at net height to achieve a low bounce. The video also covers creating spin by brushing the ball and using wrist action to generate more spin, which can test the opponent's control. Additionally, the video touches on the significance of service variation, such as serving to different areas of the table and using different spins, to disrupt the opponent's timing and decision-making.

05:03

🎾 Enhancing Serve Recovery and Practice Techniques

The second paragraph delves into the importance of recovery after serving in table tennis, highlighting that a good server is also adept at capitalizing on the next ball. The video suggests that understanding the type of serve and spin used can help prepare for the opponent's return. Furthermore, the paragraph discusses the value of practice in improving serve skills, recommending the use of targets to make practice more engaging and to work on specific aspects like placement and spin. The video concludes with a testimonial from Tom on how experimenting with and observing other players' serves helped him improve, ultimately leading to a significant jump in his playing level and representing his country.

Keywords

💡Service game

The 'service game' in table tennis refers to the skill and strategy employed when serving the ball to start a rally. It's a crucial aspect of the sport as it sets the tone for the point and can be used to gain an advantage over the opponent. In the video, Craig emphasizes the importance of developing a strong service game to improve overall performance in table tennis.

💡Contact point

The 'contact point' is the location on the ball where the racket makes contact during a serve or hit. It's essential for controlling the spin, speed, and trajectory of the ball. In the script, Craig explains that changing the contact point can help keep the serve low over the net, which is a strategic move to prevent the opponent from hitting with power.

💡Spin

In table tennis, 'spin' is the rotation of the ball imparted by the racket during contact, which affects how the ball bounces and moves. Spin serves are highlighted in the video as a way to create unpredictable bounces and force the opponent to adjust their racket movement, thereby testing their control.

💡Variation

'Variation' in the context of serving refers to the diversity in the type, speed, spin, and placement of the serve. Craig discusses the importance of using different serves to keep the opponent guessing and to take away reaction time, which can be advantageous in dictating the play.

💡Recovery

'Recovery' pertains to the player's ability to quickly return to a ready position after serving to prepare for the opponent's return shot. The video mentions that a good server should also be adept at recovering to capitalize on the serve, anticipating the likely response and being ready to attack.

💡Pace

The term 'pace' in table tennis describes the speed at which the ball travels. In the script, Craig suggests keeping the serve low to prevent the opponent from hitting the ball with power and pace, thus gaining an upper hand in the rally.

💡Racket

A 'racket' is the equipment used to strike the ball in table tennis. The video script mentions the use of an 'open racket' to push the ball at net height to achieve a desired bounce, illustrating the importance of racket angle and technique in serving.

💡Bounce

'Bounce' refers to the behavior of the ball when it hits a surface and rebounds. Craig explains how manipulating the contact point and the use of spin can alter the bounce of the ball during a serve, which is a key tactic for controlling the play.

💡Placement

The 'placement' of a serve is where the ball lands on the opponent's side of the table. In the video, Craig talks about using different placements as a strategy to disrupt the opponent's rhythm and to make it more challenging for them to return the serve effectively.

💡Practice

'Practice' is the act of repeatedly performing a skill to improve proficiency. The video encourages the use of practice as a means to enhance serving skills, suggesting the use of targets for focused training on placement and spin.

💡Backhand serve

A 'backhand serve' is a type of serve executed with the back of the hand facing the ball, typically generating backspin. Craig uses this term in the script to illustrate how the type of serve and spin used can influence the anticipated return from the opponent, which is crucial for effective recovery.

Highlights

Craig provides 5 tips to improve your table tennis serve.

Keeping the serve low over the net makes it harder for opponents to hit with power and spin.

Contact point after ball toss is crucial for controlling serve height.

Adjusting contact point to net height helps replicate desired bounce.

More spin on serves creates different bounces and forces opponents to adjust.

Brushing the ball and using wrist speed generates more spin.

Variation in serve location, speed, and spin confuses opponents.

Moving the ball around and changing spin takes time away from opponents.

Recovery after serving is key to capitalizing on the serve.

Anticipating return type based on serve helps with recovery.

Practicing serves with targets improves accuracy and spin.

Serving is the only time you have full control in table tennis.

Craig improved his serve by experimenting and watching other good servers.

Craig's serve improvement helped him progress from an average player to representing his country.

The video is sponsored by Dry Bar Table Tennis and brought to you in partnership with Bribe RTT.

Craig Bryant's coaching services can be found at topedgetabletennis.co.uk.

The video provides useful tips for improving table tennis serves.

Transcripts

hello I'm Tom Lesniak today I'm here

with top coach and pro player Craig

Bryan now in this video

Craig's going to give five really good

tips to help you make your service game

a lot better so service massively

important in table tennis important that

you can develop a very strong service

game so if you want to get better at

serving then keep watching this video is

brought to you in partnership with bribe

our table tennis visit bribe RTT co uk

today for a wide range of rubbers blade

bats balls and clothing from all your

favorite table tennis brands

okay so going to look at five different

ways of improving your serve the first

one we're going to look at is how to

keep your serve nice and low over the

net so we're trying to keep the serve

nice and low to stop your opponent

hitting the ball at you with power pace

spin you know makes it much more

difficult for you if you're able to keep

the ball low over the net then they're

gonna have to flip the ball upwards or

push the ball upwards and that gives you

a chance to come forward with your

attack okay the contact point once

you've thrown the ball up is incredibly

crucial in this okay so we've thrown the

ball up if we contact the ball up here

we're hitting the ball down it's that

that creates that high bounce okay so by

changing where we make contact throw the

ball up if we contact a round net height

and we push that bounce a little bit up

the table half way two-thirds with an

open racket then we should be

replicating the bounce that we've made

with this contact and that should help

keep the ball nice and low over the net

if you still find it's popping up a

little bit just let it drop a little bit

further see if that helps keep the ball

even lower

so the second way to make your serves

better is to create more spin-spin Serbs

are effective because you're creating

different bounces and the balls going to

move in different directions if I'm

hitting the left side of the ball then

on my opponents side is going to move

off at different directions therefore

you're you're forcing your opponent to

move their racket around based on the

different spins that are coming at them

also rubbers are very grippy and when

spin goes into them the ball wants to

jump off so the more spin you can create

you're you're starting to then test the

control of your opponent as well and if

they can't quite control it that's the

ball that pops up or comes a little bit

longer and then you're able to take

advantage of that so we're going to try

and create more spin first of all by

brushing the ball we want that nice

light contact on the ball that's that's

how we're going to first of all create

spin once you've got that nice light

brush then we need to add in the use of

that wrist and then if we can move that

wrist at higher speed and really

accelerate through it then we're going

to create more spin and you'll get more

effect on your serves

so the third way to improve your serves

is variation there are lots of different

variations you can serve in two

different areas you can move the ball

over inch by inch you can use the sides

of the table you can serve long and fast

you can keep the serve short you can use

different techniques so the variation is

huge that you can use so we need to take

advantage of that the easiest way to

change things to begin with is to move

the ball around can you get your

pendulum serve short into the forehand

can you get it short into the middle can

you get it moving off the side can you

do it fast into all these different

areas can you start to change the spin

of your pendulum serve all of these

different variations start to take time

away from your opponent and if you take

time away then they're struggling to

make the correct decision

and again you can start to take

advantage of that

the fourth way to improve our serves is

recovery we need to improve our speed of

our recovery a good server is not just

good at serving they're able to take

advantage of that next ball as well so

recovery is going to be based on where

you're serving what type of spin you've

used and that will help you take

advantage of the serve that you've

delivered for example if I've used my

backhand serve and I've served a topspin

ball short in to the forehand then

there's a good chance it doesn't

guarantee it but there's a good chance

that the ball's going to come back into

this half with a flick if I've got that

in mind then I'm really able to take

advantage of the serve that I've

delivered

because in the fifth way to make your

serves better is to simply practice

sometimes when you've got a box of balls

and it's just you serving it can be

quite boring at times so one way to make

it interesting or to make it more

challenging is to use targets if you

want to improve your placement you might

have some little baskets on the table

and you're just simply just trying to

serve into the various targets that

you've set up if you're trying to

improve your spin you might put some

cups or some cones or something where

you're trying to spin the ball through

the cones and it just helps set a task

it keeps things interesting and that's

another way of trying to improve your

serves

so serving is such a massive part of the

game it's a bit cliche but it's the only

time that you out you have full control

of what you want to happen but we really

need to take advantage of that

I enjoyed serving so it was quite easy

for me to stand with a box of balls and

an experiment and try different things

how I made my serves much better was by

one experiment in to watching other

really good servers and stealing

different ideas from people once my

serve started to come together my level

really jumped and I went from an average

player to two moving on and playing for

my country okay thanks very much for

watching I hope you found it useful and

a big thank you to Craig Bryant for

sharing his table tennis tips if you

want to find out more about crazy

coaching services go to his website at

top edge table tennis

dr. co2 UK and a big thank you also to

dry bar table tennis for sponsoring this

video if you found this video useful

then please subscribe I have more videos

coming soon

so I'll see you then bye bye