The Unreturnable Table Tennis Serve | Tutorial

Summary

Learn how to execute an unreturnable table tennis serve, focusing on the side-spin toss serve. This serve relies on timing, placement, and speed. Start in your usual serving position, use a pinch grip for better wrist movement, and contact the ball with a swift forward and sideward flick. Proper placement, either diagonally or down the line, surprises your opponent, making the serve hard to return. Use this serve sparingly for maximum effectiveness. For more tips and a tutorial on the fastest table tennis serve, subscribe and stay tuned for more videos.

Takeaways

• 🎯 The UNR returnable table tennis serve is a sidespin toss spin serve that relies on timing, placement, and speed to surprise opponents.
• 🏓 Positioning is crucial; start in your usual serving position to keep the serve a surprise for your opponent.
• 👌 The grip should be a pinch grip, with the thumb on top and the rest of the fingers behind the bat, allowing for more wrist movement.
• ⚡ The contact involves a swift forward flicking motion to generate speed and sidespin. The key is to combine forward and sideways movement.
• 🎥 Use slow-motion clips to understand the correct arm movement and wrist flick needed to execute the serve effectively.
• 🕹️ Relax your wrist and only grip the bat harder at the moment of contact to enable a powerful flick.
• 🎯 Hit the ball in the middle of the bat to maximize power and spin.
• 🔀 Placement is key to making the serve unreturnable. Serve either diagonally or down the line to catch your opponent off guard.
• 📍 For diagonal placement, aim for the first bounce to be close to your side of the table to keep the serve fast and hard to return.
• 📍 Serving down the line is more surprising because it’s less common, especially with pace. Keep body movement minimal to avoid telegraphing the serve.

Q & A

What is the UNR returnable serve in table tennis?

The UNR returnable serve in table tennis is a side spin toss spin serve that surprises the opponent through its timing, placement, and speed.

Why is it important to maintain the same position at the table for this serve?

Maintaining the same position as other serves is crucial to keeping the serve a surprise for the opponent, making it more effective and harder to predict.

What grip should you use for the UNR returnable serve?

You should use a pinch grip on the bat, with the thumb on the top and the rest of the fingers behind, to allow more wrist movement and power.

What is the key motion required for making contact with the ball during this serve?

The key motion is a swift forward flicking motion combined with a side spin, created by moving the arm forward and across.

Why is wrist movement important in this serve?

Wrist movement is important because it generates the necessary speed and spin, making the serve faster and more surprising for the opponent.

How should you place the ball to make the serve UNR returnable?

The ball should be placed either diagonally or down the line to surprise the opponent, with the serve executed at high speed to reduce their reaction time.

What is the significance of the first bounce in the serve's placement?

The first bounce should be close to your side of the table to ensure the ball lands fast and just inside the opponent's side, making it harder to return.

How can you further confuse your opponent with this serve?

You can further confuse your opponent by keeping your body still and making sudden wrist flicks at the last moment to change the direction of the serve.

What is the reverse pendulum serve and how does it enhance the UNR returnable serve?

The reverse pendulum serve is an outward movement that puts opposite sidespin on the ball. Faking this serve and then quickly changing direction can surprise the opponent even more.

How often should you use the UNR returnable serve during a game?

You should use the UNR returnable serve sparingly, only once or twice during a game, to maintain its element of surprise.

Outlines

00:00

🏓 Mastering the UNR Returnable Table Tennis Serve

Learn how to execute the UNR returnable table tennis serve, a surprising and effective move. This serve, known as the side spin toss spin serve, relies on timing, placement, and speed to catch your opponent off guard. Position yourself as you normally would for any serve to maintain the element of surprise. Use a pinch grip on the bat, enabling wrist movement for power and speed. The key contact involves a forward and sideways flick of the wrist to add both side spin and speed. The serve should be fast and placed strategically, either diagonally or down the line, to make it difficult for your opponent to return.

05:02

🔄 Perfecting Serve Placement for Maximum Surprise

Placement is crucial in making the UNR returnable serve effective. Serve diagonally or down the line to keep your opponent guessing. A diagonal serve requires hitting the ball early to land close to the opponent's side, increasing speed and difficulty in returning. A down-the-line serve is even more surprising and involves a forward wrist flick for pace. Keep your body positioning consistent to prevent your opponent from reading the serve. For an added challenge, try the reverse pendulum serve, faking an outward movement before switching direction at the last moment. Use this serve sparingly to maintain its element of surprise and effectiveness.

Keywords

💡UNR returnable

The term 'UNR returnable' refers to a serve in table tennis that is extremely difficult or impossible for the opponent to return effectively. In the video, the focus is on executing such a serve by using surprise, speed, and placement to catch the opponent off guard.

💡side spin toss spin serve

This is a specific type of serve in table tennis where the ball is spun to the side as well as tossed. The video explains how this serve can be made unreturnable by combining side spin with top spin and delivering it with precise timing and placement.

💡positioning

Positioning refers to where the player stands when preparing to serve. The video emphasizes that the player should position themselves as they would for any other serve to maintain the element of surprise.

💡grip

The grip is how the player holds the paddle. For the side spin toss spin serve, the video instructs using a pinch grip with the thumb on top and fingers behind the paddle to allow for better wrist movement and a powerful flick.

💡contact

Contact refers to the moment the paddle hits the ball. The video describes the importance of a swift forward flicking motion to create speed and side spin, making the serve more difficult to return.

💡wrist movement

Wrist movement is crucial in executing the serve with the necessary speed and spin. The video explains that a relaxed wrist allows for a quick, powerful snap at the moment of contact, enhancing the serve's effectiveness.

💡momentum

Momentum in the context of the serve involves the movement of the arm and wrist to generate speed and spin. The video highlights the importance of building momentum before the flick to maximize the serve's impact.

💡placement

Placement is where the ball lands on the opponent's side of the table. The video details how strategic placement, either diagonally or down the line, can make the serve unreturnable by catching the opponent off guard.

💡diagonal serve

A diagonal serve aims to place the ball at an angle on the opponent's side. The video discusses how serving diagonally at high speed forces the opponent to move quickly and makes the serve harder to return.

💡down the line serve

A down the line serve targets the area straight down the line on the opponent's side. The video explains that this serve is particularly surprising because it is less common and can catch the opponent off guard due to its unexpected direction.

Highlights

UNR returnable table tennis serve can surprise your opponent and is a great serve to pull out during a game.

The serve being discussed is the side spin toss spin serve, which becomes UNR returnable due to timing, placement, and speed.

Step 1: Positioning at the table is crucial for making the serve a surprise for your opponent.

Start the serve in the same position as your other serves to maintain the element of surprise.

Step 2: Use a pinch grip on the bat to enable more wrist movement and power for the serve.

Step 3: The contact of the ball involves a swift forward flicking motion combined with side spin.

Ensure the contact is a joint movement forward and across to add both speed and spin to the ball.

Step 4: Placement of the serve is what makes it UNR returnable by surprising the opponent.

Two placement options: diagonally or down the line, both of which keep the opponent guessing.

The serve should be fast to reduce the opponent's reaction time.

To serve diagonally, ensure the first bounce is close to your side of the table for a fast serve.

Serving down the line is rare and surprising, making it harder for the opponent to return.

Minimize body movement to keep the opponent from reading the serve's direction.

Bonus tip: Use the reverse pendulum serve as a fake to add further surprise.

Use the UNR returnable serve sparingly to maintain its effectiveness.

Transcripts

here's how to do the UNR returnable

table tennis serve when executed

correctly it can surprise your opponent

and it's a great serve to have and pull

out during a game here's how to do it

this serve is the sides spin toss spin

serve now you might be wondering how is

this serve going to be UNR returnable

well it's all about the timing and the

placement and the speed of the serve as

always I'll break this serve down into

multiple steps starting with step one

positioning at the table for this serve

it's crucial that it's a surprise for

your opponent so you want your position

to be like every other serve so they

don't see it coming and you can actually

surprise your opponent and it can be a

really effective serve so you want to

start basically where you always start

which for me is like this at one side of

the table bending down like this ready

to throw the ball up I don't want to

start somewhere else cuz then your

opponent will see it coming you want to

keep it as a surprise so start where you

normally start for your other serves for

me it's like this I throw up I'm facing

horizontal the table and from this

position I can do pretty much any other

serve I want I can do a back spin serve

s spin so your opponent has no idea what

serve you're going to do step two is the

grip you want to have a pinch grip on

the bat like most of your serves thumb

on the top and the rest of your fingers

behind the back held up like so this

enables more wrist movement more a flick

of the wrist and a snap of the wrist

which ultimately gets the most power and

speed which is crucial for the sides

been toss and serve okay step three is

the contact of the ball this is the most

important part for this serve so you're

in the position that you are for most of

your serves you got the grip pinch grip

now you're ready for the contact you

throw the ball up and this is crucial

the contact is a swift forward flicking

motion so while you're pushing forward

to create the speed on the ball you're

also adding side spin as well so it's a

joint movement forward and across

forward

across this way you're putting on TOS

spin you're putting on Pace on the ball

to make it really fast

hence the surprise and you're also

adding top um Sid spin so you're making

a contact then you're adding Sid Spin

and Top Spin I'll show a few slowmo

Clips so you want to bring your arm

around throw

up just move your arm around your body

so you got a little bit of momentum

before you hit the ball but the majority

of the speed comes from your wrist throw

it up move your arm around come down

wait for the ball to get low to the

table so it's a low bouncing ball just

over the net

and that's a swift flick

forward whilst going slightly sideways

to create the side spin as

well forward bang so all of the speed

comes from that last flick with your

wrist forward it's really a snap you

don't want to grip the bat too hard

though and strain your arm you want to

be relaxed and then the last moment

flick your wrist and grip hard so you

don't want to be stressed like this you

want to be kind of loose in the wrist so

you can enable that flick at the end of

the

contact you also want to make sure that

you're hitting the ball pretty much in

the middle of the bat you don't hit on

this end don't hit on the sides you want

to hit the middle The Sweet Spot so you

get the most power and the most spin on

the surf key things are use your wrist

to get that momentum and the power flick

your wrist don't grip the bat too hard

you might be going oh I need to hit it

really fast and hard so you're gripping

the bat you don't want to do that relax

your wrist and then at the last moment

grip it harder and then flick the third

most important thing is that momentum

forward and across to create the Top

Spin side spin step four is placement

this is where the serve becomes UNR

returnable because you're placing it

where they don't expect you're

surprising the opponent and that's how

they can't return it and you win the

point you pretty much serving in this

position allows you to have two options

you can serve diagonally or you can

serve down the line that's where it

becomes UNR returnable cuz you're using

these angles you're using surprise and

they w't say here coming so the first

placement is diagonal you're in this

position remember your opponent doesn't

know where you're going to serve you

they could serve in the middle

anywhere all they know is I'm about to

serve probably Back Spin or SID spin

with this position they definitely won't

expect it to be fast and they won't

expect it down the line or diagonally

they're probably going to expect it in

the middle of the table somewhere the

key thing is ensuring the serve is fast

so they even have less time to

react your opponent will probably be

standing here here that's their diagonal

so if you Ser it fast to the diagonal

they're going to have to go all the way

over here and move so you want to keep

it fast so they don't have time and

that's how it becomes un returnable to

make sure it lands in the right spot

diagonally you want to hit the ball

immediately down onto the table because

it has Pace you want to get that first

bounce in early if you have that first

bounce here second bounce will be well

over the table so you want to get that

first bounce close to your side of the

table and then it'll just hit inside

their table you want it to bounce around

here very close to their side that means

it'll be even faster and even harder to

return the next placement is down the

line this is even more surprising for

your opponent because it's very rare for

someone to serve down the line with

Pace especially from this position so

it's the same lead up except instead of

angling your about that way you're just

going to angle you about this way with

this serve down the line you have less

Sid Spin and it's more of just that

flick forward with your wrist to get the

pace on the

ball to make this placement even more

confusing for your opponent you want to

barely move your body positioning so

they can't read the serve before you've

done it a lot of serves it's quite easy

to tell what spin they going to do

before they even hit it just by the way

your body's placed so if you keep your

body still and then suddenly at the last

minute flick your WR it goes down the

line they won't expect it you'll

surprise them and the serve will become

UNR returnable I have one more bonus tip

if you're interested in making the serve

even more UNR returnable listen to this

you have the reverse pendulum serve so

you can fake to do the reverse and then

cut back in at the last moment and go

diagonal I've done this I've pulled this

out in a few games and it's worked

really well do a couple serves with the

reverse pendulum which is an outwards

movement which puts opposite sides been

on the ball do the same setup come in

and at the last minute flick your wrist

the opposite direction they'll have no

idea it's going to go in that way cuz

they're going to expect reverse to curve

that

way you're going to instantly go

diagonally and it'll work even better a

key thing to remember though guys for

this serve is you only want to pull it

out very rarely maybe once or twice

during a game this is what makes it the

UNR returnable serve because you got to

use surprise so if you do it every serve

your opponent's going to expect it and

it's not going to

work round

one round

two okay guys I hope you've enjoyed this

video if you want to watch a tutorial on

the fastest table tenis serve it's a

really fun serve click right here if not

please subscribe I'll be posting more

videos and if you have a tutorial idea

comment below see you guys in the next

one