I have been using your serves for a couple of months and i see my friends and even higher level player struggle. It is really simple to execute and god damn effective. Now I’m trying to mixing those with the fast long serve. Thank for great tutorial
Great video - thanks. I want to try that grip change for the long side-spin serves. Almost changes from shake-hand to penhold-like grip. In the States we know of the alternate Seemiller grip - so I guess the UK now has the Lodziak grip. Keep the great videos coming. Stay safe and well.
Thanks David. And one thing I didn't mention in the video - when I finish the serve, I put my fingers back on the handle. So the grip change is just for the serve.
Great video. One question: after hitting side backspin serve, why don't you add fake motion to confuse your opponent because your side backspin serve motion looks like side topspin serve?
Thank you Tom. I find your videos a great learning session and impactful. I am trying to utilize them as much as possible which is improving my game very fast. Wonderful videos. Thank again for your effort in making these videos.
Thanks a million Tom! Recently after 25 years break I've got back to table tennis and amazingly big part of my skills which I learned as a kid stayed with me... I should say that mainly I was struggling with serves. Serving and returning. I've watched many of your videos and of course they're all amazing. This one tho is totally accurate for me as I do like fast game and the serves i normally do are backspin, slow, short and it actually sets the game the opposite way I like it. Now I only need to train, train, train! With your recommendation I've used Bribar shop recently to get a good bat. Thanks for your videos. It all help a lot. I started to share to it with my friends. All the best from Kriss. ✌️✌️✌️
Thanks for watching Kriss. I'm often surprised how effective long serves are at the amateur level. I think players should use them a bit more often. If you already have a decent short serve, all you need to do is use the same serve, but inject that extra pace. Hopefully it won't take you long to develop a deadly and consistent long serve.
Love these serves, and the simplicity and clarity of Tom's explanations. I''m about to return to TT after 25 years away. I played club TT in the 90s as a teenager, and was okay, we played in a lower adult division and I won about half my matches iirc, so not great but okay (and I loved it!). I'm hoping my skills, such as they were, will return. My question: - it seems to me the game has become 'spinnier' in rallies, with more looping, is that a fair assessment or am I wrong here?
Fantanstic tutorial for these two serves. And so deceptive with the little topspin very slight change on the stroke path. It's very very difficult to read that slight change frankly.
Thank you Tom, it is an excellent video, i love to know when i serve the ball, where should the first bounce be on my side to get my ball deep to my opponent's side. thank you. BTW i bought your book and it is super helpful, much appreication
The first bounce should be close to your end of the table. If the first bounce is too close to the net, it usually ends up in the net. I did record a section on this, but ended up cutting it, as the video was already too long. But good question. And thanks for reading the book.
I agree with Victor. Good advices, slow motion to see exactly the technique. Everything is wonderful. Message for Tom ---Just one thing : you should hire girl dancer for the end of your videos ;) (it's a joke of course).
Fascinating vid, Tom, really enjoyed you making Craig Bryant struggle! He's a great guy but is very difficult to win rallies agianst. My question is whether you think the long sidespin is more effective than the flat version? I have struggled with the long, flat one, since it's too easy to hit long. It seems the sidespin version is safer, more effective and easier mentally to hit hard as you're less afraid of giving away free points. There seems to be an almost ironclad rule never to serve long more than 20 percent, but one of your videos with Paul Drinkhall showed how he enjoys long serves also, so it can be effective at the highest level. What serves have you found to be the most effective along with long sidespin? Thanks.
Thanks for the great tutorial. I'm a penholder and find some youtube tutorials rather hard to 'translate'. This went from first principles really clearly.
Wonderful explanation of a very useful serve...especially the fact that one has six options with this serve. Most opponents at amateur level struggle against long fast serve that lands near the white line...thank you very much Tom...you are such a wonderful coach !
It's a very good demonstration Tom. Just one question: how do you speed up the bat when you're about to hit the ball? When I'm trying to brush the ball, it seems that I instinctively slow down the bat to get the timing right. How do you overcome that?
Just miss and remember the height of the ball when you start swing if you miss below the ball just hit ball when it is lower and if the ball falls too low and you miss then hit the ball higher this way you know what height the ball should be before hitting the ball to get it hit then simple fiddle with the angle to get it just over the net. Just find a landmark and go for it.
Tom, I've watched many of your vids, but this is the best; this one has answered a lot of my questions, and has given me guidance as to how I should move my game forward !! So VERY detailed. Cheers !!!
Thanks - I've just subscribed after lurking on your channel for quite a while! I think that was one of the best vids you've made - I really liked the match play sections. Now I'm going to alter my fast side-spin serve to prevent it getting constantly smashed back by the better players... Cheers.
Dear Tom Sir, your these two services are superb. You have explained it very nicely and clearly so that any layman can follow. Thank you very much. I am your great fan and following your videos. God Bless You.
Thanks Tom that was an awesome video. I cant wait for my table tennis partner to get here so i can try some of those serves! Also I wanted to tell You and everyone else , your video on gripping the paddle is by far the video that has improved my game play the Most! Thank You
Hi Please advise how you would control the speed and spin when serving If i put a target on the table how would you consistently hit the target say 10 out of 10 Would appreciate indepth breakdown if possible. Many thanks Sharad Naran
Really appreciate this detailed tutorial. Certainly it suits my playing style. One question! Can you make a video on how to use this serve effectively in doubles?
Hye tom just wanted to say before u get into the how to do the spin part please tell us how to hold the racket as some of us including me are new beginners who are looking to further enhance our skills.That said good video amazing explaination!
This is really a great serve but it's really risky you have to try many different serves on your opponent to see which is the one they struggle the most with.
It does massively matter what the service action is. As long as you can vary the spin and the serves cause your opponents problems, then you have an effective service game.
Your videos are part of my breakfast , true amazing teaching skills. I am beginner at age of 40, but really want to be among skilled TT player. Thanks for everything you are doing.
Hi Tom. I am not allowed to go for class, so I learn and practice my services at home. Thank u for uploading this video.It helped me a lot. I knew this serve, but somehow it didn't go well. I really appreciate this effort. Once again, thanks 🏓🏓🏓
Thank you Tom. Excellent Service technique. After watching your this video, I have implemented this service and I am getting many points in the service itself. Even better players are finding it difficult to return. I am your big fan. Your teaching style is excellent. I being an Indian, can easily follow your pronounciation. Daily watching your videos. God Bless you dear.
Love this video, want to implement this into my game. One thing however that has not been said, is for a long fast serve to succeed, normally the ball should first bounce within 10-15 cm on your side of the table, otherwise it usually goes over the table.
I feel that you could use an extra motion to disguise this serve. Even in the first minute of this video, I could tell whether the serve was topspin or backspin. Perhaps it looks much different when faced with it front-on, but from the camera position behind you, it was easy to tell.
Hi Tom, I play a lot of doubles and find this serve limiting as it seems to come back often, what serve would you suggest for beginner doubles players. We are all over 65 yrs olds, some over 90 yrs old?
Service in doubles is quite different to singles. You have to serve cross court, which makes it easier for the receiver. Plus you also need to consider your own doubles partner. He/she won't thank you for a poor serve which gets smashed back. So often in doubles, it may be better to do a backspin serve, as this is harder to attack. Your opponent still may be able to return a backspin serve, but it probably won't get smashed past your partner. And if you get lots and lots of backspin, your opponent may put the return into the net. In doubles, I mostly serve backspin and occasionally topspin.
More thoughts , I notice you're actually striking the ball at least a foot behind the table , would you gain a further advantage by hitting the ball perhaps a couple of inches off the table end giving less time for opponent to react ? ( I still expect to win with this :) .
I do a backspin serve with side spin at my place. As per my experience, staying one foot behind helps you keep the fast ball On the table when it reaches the other side
The reason I contact behind the table is so that I can get my first bounce close to the end of the table. This gives the ball more space to clear the net. If my contact was closer to the table, my first bounce would likely be middle of the table and then the ball wouldn't have enough space to clear the net.
Thank you Tom, especially the greater whip provided by the change of grip. Unfortunately my dining room table cannot cope with a fast long serve so it will have to wait apart from a few air shots. I have just checked and your league does have doubles. Would be very interested to see your thoughts on serving given that your partner will have to cope with the return if any. Keep Safe.
Hi David - doubles is a bit different. I don't often use this serve in doubles as it is less effective. My partner may not appreciate a fast return. In doubles I usually serve shorter to make it hard for my opponent to attack.
@@TomLodziak I wasn't anticipating this serve being used much in doubles, sorry I was really hinting at a separate video illustrating tactical serving and the most likely return of service it would generate for your partner to play. (I would have expected shorter services).
