[Path to Improvement] Techniques That Make You Want to Play! A Summary of Table Tennis Skills [Techniques]
Table tennis is a sport so fast-paced it leaves you holding your breath—“blink and you’ll miss it” fits perfectly.
It’s beloved as a school club activity, of course, and it’s also hugely popular as an Olympic sport.
Many of you are probably keeping an eye on Japanese players who battle rivals from around the world day in and day out! In this article, we’ll be introducing table tennis techniques—a collection of skills! From the basics to the signature moves of famous players, we’ll cover a wide range.
If you’re about to start playing table tennis or want to get better, this should be a helpful reference!
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The Road to Improvement: Techniques That Make You Want to Play! Table Tennis Skill Summary [Techniques] (11–20)
YG serve
Let me introduce the YG serve, which can be considered an enhanced version of the pendulum serve.
In a standard pendulum serve, you generate spin by wrapping your wrist inward.
In contrast, with the YG serve you pre-bend your wrist, then generate spin by returning it from that position.
Comparing the two, the YG serve is said to make it easier to produce stronger spin.
However, because it requires a distinctive stance, the pendulum serve is generally easier to use on the spur of the moment.
By the way, “YG” stands for “Young Generation.”
back serve
Here’s a serve that’s guaranteed to be useful if you remember it: the backhand serve.
As the name suggests, it’s a serve hit with the backhand.
It puts a strong left sidespin on the ball, making it hard for your opponent to return it as they intend.
Plus, since not many players use the backhand serve, you’ll likely face opponents who’ve never returned one before.
The key to this serve is to hit it from a position close to the table.
It depends on how the match is unfolding, but give it a try.
Flick
If you want to boost your attacking power, learn the flick.
“Flick” originally means to snap or tap something lightly.
You’ve probably heard of flick input on smartphones—that basic motion is a good reference.
When your opponent serves or plays a short ball, meet it over the table and gently flick it back.
This makes it harder for your opponent to respond.
Of course, if you hit too hard, you’ll lose control.
Rather than swinging the racket, try moving it with an upward, lifting sensation.
Lobbying
Lobbing is a technique that comes in handy in matches between advanced players.
A lob is a return hit from a distance that travels in a high arc.
It’s used to return powerful serves.
In Japan, Jun Mizutani is well known for his proficiency with this shot.
When you lob, your opponent will likely respond with another powerful shot.
That often leads you into a loop where you answer again with a lob.
Be sure to practice it—including what to do when your opponent uses it against you.
billiards
It’s not a technique you’ll use in actual play, but I recommend ball bouncing.
Ball bouncing is that thing where you gently bounce a large ball on your racket.
Many of you have probably tried it at some point.
In fact, ball bouncing has real value.
First, regular bouncing helps you practice striking the ball with the center of the racket.
If you toss it higher and catch it on the racket, it also trains you to absorb the ball’s momentum.
You can do it even in a small space, so try repeating it regularly.
In conclusion
Did you find any techniques that make you feel like giving them a try? Rather than just practicing a single technique over and over, it might be easier to internalize them by checking how pro players use them in different situations during matches. Here’s to getting better and better at table tennis!