7 most effective table tennis serves (with Ferenc Horvath)

Summary

In this informative video, Tom Nodziak introduces seven highly effective table tennis serves utilized by top players, from amateurs to professionals. Coach Forensics from Paragon Table Tennis demonstrates these serves, emphasizing a clean, efficient service action with optimal wrist and body usage. The video covers various serves, including the forehand pendulum, reverse pendulum, and no-spin serve, highlighting the importance of grip, wrist action, and body rotation for disguising spin and controlling serve length. It's an excellent resource for players looking to enhance their serving skills and repertoire.

Takeaways

• 🏓 The video features seven effective table tennis serves used by top players, which can be incorporated into one's game to improve serve variety and effectiveness.
• 👨‍🏫 The demonstration and tips are provided by coach Forensic, who is known for a clean and efficient service action with minimal wasted movement.
• 🤲 The forehand pendulum serve involves a combination of wrist, forearm, and body rotation, with an emphasis on accuracy and setting up the next shot.
• 🔄 The reverse pendulum serve requires a relaxed grip and exaggerated wrist action to maximize spin efficiency, with less reliance on body rotation.
• 👐 Changing the grip slightly can provide more control over the serve, especially for the backhand side, allowing for a more forceful release of the bat.
• 🔽 The underspin serve involves going underneath the ball to generate backspin, with the bat and elbow kept close to the body for momentum and control.
• 🔼 The no-spin serve mimics the backspin action but involves a forearm rotation instead of a wrist whip, creating disguise without affecting the serve's spin.
• 📏 Keeping the serve short is crucial, achieved by limiting power with the upper body and rotating the body slowly during execution.
• 💥 The hook serve's key is a tilted bat angle for far-side topspin, with a flick of the wrist and body rotation creating a curving effect away from right-handed opponents.
• 🏹 The tomahawk serve involves a lower contact point close to the table and can generate side backspin, side spin, or side topspin, depending on the angle.
• 🤚 The backhand sidespin serve is useful for curving the ball away from right-handed opponents, with an emphasis on a short action and pulling the ball towards the server's right side.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the video?

The primary focus of the video is to demonstrate the seven most effective table tennis serves used by top amateur and professional players.

Who provides the demonstration and tips in the video?

The demonstration and tips in the video are provided by Coach Ferenc from Paragon Table Tennis.

What are the key elements of the forehand pendulum serve?

The key elements of the forehand pendulum serve include taking a balanced stance, keeping the bat and ball close to the body, using a combination of wrist and forearm action, and incorporating body rotation to set up the next shot.

How does the reverse pendulum serve differ from the forehand pendulum serve?

The reverse pendulum serve involves a different grip and exaggerated wrist action. The wrist is pulled back towards the armpit and released forward and downwards, with less body rotation compared to the forehand pendulum serve.

What is the importance of grip adjustment in serving?

Adjusting the grip, such as covering the backhand side with fingers, allows for maximum wrist movement and a more forceful serve. It helps in creating different spin variations and adding power to the serve.

What technique is used to generate backspin in serves?

To generate backspin, the bat must go underneath the ball, and the elbow should be close to the body. The combination of wrist action, forearm rotation, and body rotation creates enough momentum for an effective backspin serve.

How can a no-spin serve be disguised?

A no-spin serve can be disguised by making it look similar to a backspin serve. Instead of using a wrist whip action, the forearm is rotated to create a hit on the ball. The follow-through rotation of the forearm after contact helps in imitating a backspin serve.

What is crucial for a good hook serve?

A good hook serve requires a tilted bat angle, contact on the far side of the ball, and a combination of wrist flick and body rotation. The direction of the bat can vary the spin, but maintaining the tilted bat angle is essential for creating topspin.

What technique is involved in the Tomahawk serve?

The Tomahawk serve involves creating contact on the far side of the ball, using a lower position close to the table, withdrawing the wrist towards the right shoulder, and releasing it towards the opponent. The key is a fast elbow wrist action to generate speed.

How is the popular backhand serve executed effectively?

The popular backhand serve is executed by curving the ball away from right-handed opponents, using a short action to keep the serve short, and employing a right-side swing from the elbow and wrist to create spin. Adjusting the elbow and wrist positions can enhance the serve's effectiveness.