Update Your BACKHAND SERVE - eBaTT |Tutorial #21

Summary

In this instructional video, Ellie Bharati offers valuable tips to enhance the backhand serve in table tennis, particularly for backhand-dominant players. She emphasizes the importance of a substantial backswing to generate energy and spin, introduces techniques to vary spins by changing contact points on the ball, and stresses the necessity of a consistent serve disguise to confuse opponents. Additionally, Bharati provides a bonus tip on utilizing wrist movement for extra spin, ensuring a high-quality serve that can give players an edge in matches.

Takeaways

• 🏓 The backhand serve is crucial at the domestic level and can offer significant benefits if executed correctly.
• 🤔 Players often lack sufficient backswing or stand too square on when performing the backhand serve, which reduces its effectiveness.
• 💪 Emphasizes the importance of a full backswing to generate energy for the serve, suggesting crossing the arms or standing off-square to achieve this.
• 👉 Advises using the legs effectively by transferring weight from the back leg to the front to enhance the serve's power.
• 🔄 Demonstrates the difference between a serve with little backswing and one with plenty, showing how the latter generates more spin.
• 🎾 Highlights the need for variation in spin during the backhand serve by varying the contact point on the ball to create backspin, side spin, or a mix of both.
• 📏 Explains the importance of bat angle in achieving different spins: an 85-degree angle for backspin, 60 degrees for a mix, and 45 degrees for side spin.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Stresses the value of disguising the type of spin in the serve to make it difficult for the opponent to anticipate the ball's behavior.
• 🎭 Provides a visual diagram to help understand the different contact points on the ball for various spins and emphasizes maintaining a consistent serve motion regardless of spin type.
• 🤝 Suggests using the wrist in addition to the shoulder during the serve to generate more spin, with a relaxed grip that tightens at the point of contact.
• 👏 Offers an extra tip on the importance of implementing a 'rest' in the serve, which involves using the wrist for an extra kick of spin.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Ellie Bharati's video?

The main topic of Ellie Bharati's video is the backhand serve in table tennis, focusing on tips to improve it, especially for backhand dominant players and back-end servers.

Why is the backhand serve considered important, according to Ellie?

The backhand serve is considered important because it can have many benefits if executed correctly, and it is particularly valuable at the domestic level of play.

What is one common mistake Ellie mentions players make when executing the backhand serve?

A common mistake is that players either stand too square on or do not have enough backswing before the point of contact, which results in a serve that lacks impact.

What are two methods Ellie suggests to improve backswing in the backhand serve?

Ellie suggests crossing the arms or standing slightly off square to allow for a more significant backswing and energy generation during the serve.

How does Ellie demonstrate the difference between a serve with less backswing and one with more backswing?

Ellie demonstrates by showing the difference in spin generated; a serve with less backswing results in less spin, while more backswing allows for more spin.

What is the purpose of varying the contact point on the ball during the backhand serve?

Varying the contact point on the ball allows the player to create different spins, such as backspin, side spin, and side spin topspin, making the serve more unpredictable for the opponent.

How many different contact points on the ball does Ellie discuss for varying the spin in the backhand serve?

Ellie discusses three different contact points on the ball for varying the spin: underneath for backspin, around 4:30 for a mix of backspin and side spin, and at 3:00 for pure side spin.

What is the significance of the bat angle in relation to the type of spin generated during the backhand serve?

The bat angle is significant as it determines the type of spin; an 85-degree angle generates pure backspin, around 60 degrees generates a mix of backspin and side spin, and around 45 degrees generates pure side spin.

How does Ellie explain the concept of disguise in the backhand serve?

Disguise in the backhand serve refers to making all variations of spin look the same in the movement, making it difficult for the opponent to anticipate the type of spin.

What is the bonus tip Ellie provides at the end of the video?

The bonus tip is to use the wrist in addition to the shoulder when executing the backhand serve, which allows for generating more spin by squeezing the handle with the fingers at the point of contact.

What does Ellie suggest for improving the quality of the backhand serve?

Ellie suggests implementing a rest in the serve, which involves using the wrist and not just the shoulder, to generate higher quality serves with more spin.

Outlines

00:00

🏸 Backhand Serve Technique and Tips

Ellie Bharati introduces the importance of the backhand serve in table tennis, especially for backhand dominant players and back-end servers. She emphasizes the need for ample backswing to generate energy and spin, suggesting players either cross their arms or stand slightly off-square to achieve this. Ellie demonstrates the difference between minimal and full backswing, comparing it to the mechanics of a punch. She also introduces the concept of varying spin by adjusting the contact point on the ball, explaining how hitting at different zones can produce backspin, side spin, or a combination.

05:04

🎾 Enhancing Serve Variation with Disguise

In this paragraph, Ellie discusses the art of disguising the type of spin on the backhand serve to confuse opponents. She explains how to achieve different spins by varying the contact point on the ball, while maintaining the same arm movement to keep the serve's appearance consistent. Ellie uses a diagram to illustrate the three distinct contact points for pure side spin, backspin-side spin, and pure backspin. She stresses the importance of a consistent follow-through to effectively disguise the serve, making it challenging for opponents to anticipate the spin.

10:06

🤚 Utilizing Wrist Movement for Extra Spin

Ellie provides a bonus tip on how to enhance the backhand serve by incorporating wrist movement. She advises players to start with a relaxed grip and then squeeze the handle with the fingers at the point of contact to generate additional spin. Ellie demonstrates the contrast between a locked wrist and a relaxed one, showing how a softer grip allows for more spin. She encourages viewers to practice this technique to improve the quality of their serves and thanks them for their support, inviting them to engage with her content.

Keywords

💡Backhand Serve

The backhand serve is a fundamental skill in table tennis, where the player uses the back of their hand to strike the ball. In the video, it is emphasized as an important technique, especially for backhand dominant players or those who serve from the back end of the table. The video aims to provide tips to improve this skill, making it a central theme of the content.

💡Backswing

Backswing refers to the backward motion of the arm before making contact with the ball, which is crucial for generating energy and spin. The video script highlights the importance of having a sufficient backswing to enhance the effectiveness of the backhand serve, using the analogy of a punch to illustrate the concept.

💡Contact Point

The contact point is the exact location on the ball where it is struck during a serve. Variation in the contact point is a key concept in the video, as it allows the player to generate different types of spin, such as backspin, side spin, or a combination of both, making the serve more challenging for the opponent.

💡Spin

Spin is the rotational force applied to the ball during a serve or hit, affecting its trajectory and bounce. The video discusses generating different types of spin with the backhand serve, such as backspin, side spin, and side spin topspin, which are essential for making the serve more deceptive and difficult to return.

💡Disguise

Disguise in table tennis refers to making different types of serves appear identical to the opponent until the moment of contact. The video emphasizes the importance of a consistent serving motion to hide the spin variation, making it harder for the opponent to predict the serve's nature.

💡Variation

Variation in table tennis is the ability to alter the speed, spin, or placement of the ball to confuse the opponent. The script discusses varying the spin of the backhand serve by changing the contact point and bat angle, which is vital for keeping the opponent off balance.

💡Bat Angle

Bat angle is the orientation of the paddle's face in relation to the ball during contact. The video explains how adjusting the bat angle can produce different spins, such as backspin at an 85-degree angle or side spin at a 45-degree angle, which is crucial for executing varied serves.

💡Energy

Energy in the context of the video refers to the kinetic energy generated by the player's body movement, particularly the backswing, which is transferred to the ball to create spin. The script uses the analogy of a punch to explain how a larger backswing results in more energy and spin.

💡Wrist

The wrist's role in the serve is to add finesse and extra spin to the ball. The video includes a bonus tip about using the wrist effectively by relaxing and then squeezing the handle at the point of contact, which generates additional spin and makes the serve more potent.

💡Rest

Rest in the context of serving refers to the preparatory phase where the player is relaxed before the serve. The video script mentions the importance of not locking the wrist and using the wrist's flexibility to enhance the serve's quality, which is a critical aspect of the serving technique.

Highlights

The backhand serve is crucial, especially at the domestic level, and has benefits if executed correctly.

Tip 1: Players should have a significant backswing before point of contact for energy generation.

Crossing arms or standing off-square can help with backswing and energy generation.

Using legs and transferring weight can enhance the backhand serve's power.

Demonstration of the difference between less backswing and lots of backswing in serving.

Tip 2: Varying the contact point on the ball allows for different spins - backspin, side spin, and side spin topspin.

The bat angle varies with the type of spin - 85 degrees for backspin, 60 degrees for less backspin, and 45 degrees for side spin.

A diagram is provided to illustrate the different contact points for various spins.

Tip 3: Disguise is key in serving; the serve's appearance should remain consistent regardless of spin variation.

Maintaining the same follow-through for all serves makes it difficult for opponents to anticipate the spin.

The importance of a relaxed wrist for generating extra spin during the serve.

Using the wrist in conjunction with the shoulder and squeezing the handle at contact point enhances spin.

Bonus tip: The serve's quality can be improved by incorporating rest and not locking the wrist.

Gripping the handle softly before locking at contact point creates more spin.

The video demonstrates the importance of disguise by showing identical movements for different spins.

The difficulty for opponents to discern the type of spin from the serve's appearance.

Encouragement for viewers to subscribe, like, and support the channel for more content.

Transcripts

hey guys it's Ellie Bharati and today

I'm gonna be talking about the backhand

serve the backhand serve is very very

important especially at the domestic

level I think it's lost its value at the

top-end plus such as Demetria Shore

still uses it a little bit even though

he has resorted to the pendulum serve

nevertheless the backhand serve can have

lots of benefits if you get it right so

I'm going to try and give you a few

little tips to upscale your backhand

serve especially if your backhand

dominant player and especially if you're

a back-end server hopefully you can gain

some extra tips to help you with your

game okay so tip number one a lot of

players when they do the backhand serve

they either spend two square on or they

don't have enough backswing the four

point of contact so because they stand

square on they start here they kind of

just dink the ball into play it doesn't

have a lot of effect so what you want to

try and do is have plenty of back

swinging before point of contact

therefore you have to swing the arm back

here to allow you to generate lots of

energy so there's a couple of ways of

doing it number one I kind of tell my

players to cross the arms like this some

players like to star on top underneath

however you feel comfortable secondly

you can stand slightly off square and

you'll see a lot of female players they

stand really off square here and that

allows them to have plenty of backswing

and then generate lots of energy even

using their legs putting the weight onto

the right leg for me as a left-hander

and transferring the weight forward onto

the other leg so that's a nice little

tip for you to really try and focus on

just have plenty of backswing so here's

a demonstration for you to look at the

difference between both the less

backswing and lots of backswing which

allows me to generate more spin so not a

lot of backswing

and then plenty your backswing which

then allows me to generate a lots more

spin you'll notice before point of

contact my best swings right back and

then I'm able to generate a lot more

spin

lots more huh I'm able to generate a

lots more spin because my arm has back

swing and then I can really make the

movement very fast but if I don't have

lots of back swing then I can't generate

lots of energy so a little bit like a

punch not that you would ever punch

anyone but if you're punching something

from there let's say like a jab you

don't get a lot of energy but if you

bring the arm back then you get lots

more energy it's the same with the

movement here little back swing little

energy big back swing lots of energy and

like I said you can change your position

to generate more spin if you wish tip

number two is variation and the best way

for me to explain to you how to vary

your spins with the backhand serve is to

vary the contact point on the ball so if

I contact the ball there with the swing

so I'm here I'm cutting contacting the

ball underneath i generate backspin side

spin if I contact the ball a little bit

more in this zone which let's say that's

six o'clock if I contact it in between

six and three which makes it about four

thirty then I get a little bit of

backspin side spin but not as much

backspin as the one when I'm where I'm

contacting the ball at six o'clock and

the last one is trying to contact the

ball at three o'clock and if I'm

contacting the ball at three o'clock

I'm getting pure side spin so I'm

getting three different variations from

three different contact points on the

ball and I also need to be aware of the

angle of my bat so for the pure backspin

my bat angle is more around 85 degree

angle and then it lifts upwards towards

around 60 and then lifts up again

towards around 45 degrees to get that

pure side spin

so for you you want to try and learn the

three different contact points and that

will enable you to upscale the backhand

serve from just one pure site and surf

I'm gonna upscale it a little bit for

you to show to you on the diagram so you

can hopefully help you understand in

more detail exactly as to what I'm

talking about with the contact okay so

I've got this little diagram for you to

try and help you out with the contact

point so you're going to pretend that

this is you and you're doing your

backhand serve like that and this is the

ball so where you're hitting the ball so

you're there and you're serving so if

you're contacting the ball in this zone

over here that's for the pure side spin

so you're going across the ball that way

pure side spin if you're right-handed

it's the other way around you're going

there

pure side spin the next one oh that's it

the next one is cited in backspin again

similar movements but the contact point

has changed it's gone lower on the ball

lower lower down on the ball and the

last one is in this zone over here

underneath the ball so trying to hit it

anywhere there whether you're

left-handed or right-handed you're

contacting under the ball and that

creates the pure backspin side spin

where this one creates maximum sides

been more with less backspin and that

one creates just pure side spin whether

it's left or right depending on whether

you're left-handed or right-handed so I

hope that helps you and if you learn to

adjust those new contact points it's a

very small adjustment which is difficult

for the opponent to pick up on and

hopefully you'll gain little extra

benefits by them receiving the serve at

a more of a weak return rather than good

smash past you or a good heavy dig or

good short touch so I think that will

really upscale your serve and we'll move

on to the number 3 tip from now tip

number 3 actually I want you to try and

figure this one out

did you see a difference hopefully it

didn't because if you did it means my

disguise wasn't very good and that is

exactly what it's all about the disguise

tip number three is disguise did you see

the difference between the movements and

did you see what I tried to implement to

do the variations of spins if not

hopefully you'll understand it now so

what I did was I tried to make this

serve look exactly the same whether I

put heavy backspin side spin pure side

spin or side spin tops min so how do I

do it the first thing I do is like we

spoke about before I have three

different contact points although the

contact points change a little bit the

pure backspin I touch here the pure side

spin I touch a number six like we spoke

about before but the site's been topspin

I actually started from under the ball

and I touched the ball there so instead

of six o'clock instead of four thirty

this time we're moving towards the other

side of the clock and I'm touching the

ball around at 7:30

so six o'clock 7:30 for me is that 7:30

for you I hope so

so I'm hitting the ball there and that

allows me to generate side spin topspin

so how exactly do I disguise it at the

end with the exact same follow-through

for every single serve so I do the all

the elements that I described before

with the movement with the technique and

once I contact the ball I finish with my

elbow up for every single serve

hopefully when you look at the at the

video a little bit before you'll see

that almost every single serve ended

with me finishing in and around this

position which then makes it very

difficult for the opponent to see where

and water exactly I have done with the

surf so that's a really really good tip

for hopefully for you guys to to

implement instead of doing things like

this I see a lot of players go like this

they do that obviously that is pure

backspin or they do this

pure side spin they finish in a side

spin position and they finish in a back

spin position or they do that and they

finish in a topspin position where I do

all three but I finished with the same

movement for all three have a look back

spin side spin looks like and side spin

tops me again so hopefully you can see

all three look almost identical but all

three are very much different which

makes it very difficult for my opponent

to receive myself okay so I hope those

three tips really help you out as always

I like to be that one little extra bonus

tip and this is where we refer to the

rest almost every single serve that you

do if you want high quality you need to

implement the rest a lot of players with

the backhand serve they don't implement

the rest they lock the wrist and just

use the shoulder but in fact you should

be looking to use your wrist as well and

that allows you to generate that lot at

that extra amount of spin so you're just

doing this and you're squeezing the

handle with these three fingers so

you're loose at the beginning and then

you're squeezing like that at the point

of contact so relaxed and loose

something like this and as I hit I

squeeze those fingers which then gives

me that extra kick so it's having a

quick look if I just unlocked that's me

being locked and this is me being a bit

more relaxed I can feel my grip on the

on the blade is a little bit softer

then I lock just that contact which then

generates a lot more spin so hopefully

that's a nice little bonus tip for you

guys and as always thanks for watching

thanks for subscribing and please hit

the like hit that was that thing the

Bell thing and you know please Kevin

supporting me I really appreciate it

people are really coming up to me now

and saying I really enjoy your videos

leaving some very nice comments as well

so really appreciate all the support or

like I keep on saying I want to carry on

growing and with your help hopefully I

can succeed so thanks again and I'll see

you on the next video