Last newsletter, we introduced basic rules regarding the ping pong serve. Indeed, a whole book could be written on the many types of serves that are possible. In the next 4 Robo-Pong newsletters we will divide our discussion into four types of basic serves: 1) the backhand serve, 2) the forehand backspin serve, 3) the backhand right sidespin serve, and 4) the forehand left sidespin serve. These are the serves we have found to be the most effective and easily learned. When serving, remember, that you should primarily use a friction contact and most serves will use a wrist snap at contact to increase racket speed and spin.

Before beginning to serve, you should practice the ball toss. Place the ball in the open, stationary palm of your left hand. Your left forearm should be parallel to the floor, your wrist straight, and the left hand about 8-10 inches in front of the stomach (See photo to the left for the basic position from which all backhand serves will start). The racket is placed directly behind the ball on top of the left wrist. Now practice tossing the ball up so it stays in line with the center of your body and rises at least 6 inches. Let your left hand return to its starting position, and the ball should fall back down in your palm. Practice until you can do this without missing.

Once you can consistently toss the ball up straight and have it come back down into your hand, it's time to learn the backhand topspin serve. Position yourself in a slightly sideways stance facing to your left behind the left corner of the table as shown in the photo below. Now toss the ball up and after allowing it to begin descending from its peak, push your racket into the ball with your right forearm. Before impact close the racket angle enough to direct the ball down into the table near the left corner on your side. Stop when the tip of the racket is pointing forward. This short stroke can be seen in the the photo below. After you are proficient using this short stroke serve, you may use the entire motion shown in the photo below to increase the speed of the serve by taking a backswing and using a longer follow through.

Start slowly, serving the ball crosscourt and build up your speed. Practice serving to all parts of the table but emphasize a crosscourt serve that travels from your left corner and lands deep in the receiver's left corner. Keep the serve low over the net. To this end, it will help if you contact the ball just above the level of the table. The higher above the table you contact the ball, the higher it will bounce and the less speed you can apply to your serve.

Once you can execute the backhand topspin serve confidently, practice assuming the ready position immediately after you finish your serve follow through. In particular, be sure to pull your right leg back around to assume the ready position, instead of remaining in your left facing stance. You want to get into the proper ready position rapidly in order to cover your exposed forehand corner. Make returning to the ready position a part of your service motion. Practice until you can do 25 in a row without missing.

Notice the left facing stance, the bend of the upper body, and how the ball toss hand is lowered to get it out of the way of the racket coming forward. The stroke is performed mainly by rotating the forearm from left to right.

Images 1 & 2 (overlapping): End of backswing. From the basic starting position, the racket is taken back with the forearm until it barely touches the left upper arm.

Image 3: Just before ball contact. Forearm pushes racket forward and slightly closes the racket angle. The ball is contacted 6-8 inches above the level of the table.

Image 4: Follow through. Forearm continues forward, rotating at the elbow so the tip of the racket points forward.

Images 5 & 6: End of swing. Forearm continues to rotate at the elbow causing the racket tip to point to the right. Racket finishes at shoulder height. Notice how the upper arm and elbow have remained relatively still.

Next Time: The Forehand Backhand Serve

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