Power: Finding Balance
If you’re at the point as an amateur player where you can annihilate most of your friends, but suffer severe embarrassment against any decent player, it might have something to do with that awesome power serve you throw down.
To get power on a serve in table tennis, top spin becomes essential. However, top spin also has kick on the last bounce that pops the ball up into the air, making it easy for any above-average player to throw it back in your face before you’ve even finished your exaggerated follow-through.
The power is tempting, as everyone wants to be Andy Roddick on the mini court, but it can ultimately lead to your demise as pong master.
For starters, swallow the pride just for a second and try out an under spin serve. It hurts a little when you first see it casually bounce over the net and land short, but as soon as you see your opponent reach for the return and pop it up defensively, you will notice you have forced your foe to set you up for the confidence crushing smash.
To hit a decent under spin serve, flatten your paddle slightly face up, give yourself a decent toss, and punch down and out at the ball as it hits your paddle.
The idea is to deaden the ball on the other side of the net.
Picture your paddle grazing the back side and the bottom of the ball in one continuous motion. In other words, the exact opposite to your top spin stroke.
Hopefully, your less than successful results will turn around as well.
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