OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I am currently working on series of TT service vids. The aim of each vid is to show 3 or 4 different variations of each serve from different angles to show how to produce different spins and speeds from a similar action.

The first in the series looks at the 'tomahawk' type serve and over the next few weeks I will follow it up with vids on Pendulum, Reverse and Backhand (and anything else I can think of) serves.

Anyway, here is the first vid, see what you think.

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Fred 28

Video 2 - Pendulum Serves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs1XJ8Yygxw

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Fred 28

Regarding video 1...

If you have your back to the umpire, how can the umpire see your contact point as you almost have all your body between the table and the contact point?

I play the same serves, but in front of the body (and at head height - although I do bend my legs )

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Back to where I started...Stiga All Round Classic, FH Hurricane 2 1.5mm, BH Joola Express 2 2mm
I may be a better coach than a player, why? My son now tells me what is wrong with my game!

I don't get pulled for them, and the ball is always visible to my opponent. They are certainly no worse than most pro players who tend to be hiding the contact point behind their front shoulder at the moment. You do what you can get away with, and at no point in my service am I attempting to hide the ball from my opponent.

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Fred 28

That explains the reaction I get if I pull up a National League player in our local league - "I play National League and I've never been called for foul serving!"

I'm impressed with Fred's serving, a lot of 12 year olds I coach have trouble with it due to the lack of height.

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Back to where I started...Stiga All Round Classic, FH Hurricane 2 1.5mm, BH Joola Express 2 2mm
I may be a better coach than a player, why? My son now tells me what is wrong with my game!

The umpire only has to be satisfied that you are serving correctly. People on forums seem to interpret that to mean the umpire needs to see the ball at all times. If the umpire can see the ball has risen high enough and is satisfied that the arm or body does not obstruct your opponents sight of the ball, then to me, that is a good serve. It is up to the umpire to tell me if he is not happy and if he doesn't then I assume he has enough information to decide the serve is good. When I have been pulled up in the past, it has only ever been for cupping the ball and never for hiding the ball.
You can see in the vids, there is no intention of hiding the contact from the opponent.

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Fred 28

JKC - thanks for the videos! I'm always looking to add tweaks and nuances to my serves, so I appreciate videos like this. It also give me a look at other kinds of serves, and that helps me with my overall ability to read other people's serves. Keep them coming!

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USATT rating - 1999

Blade - Rendler Smart FH - Hurricane 8 hard black BH - Grass DTechs OX red
Blade - BBC 9/10/9 FH - Hurricane 8 black BH - Dragon Talon OX red
Blade - Hallmark Aurora FH - Hurricane 8 black BH - Joola Badman OX red

That's interesting technique. I always thought the tomahawk serve had to be hit out of a deep squat with ball contact around the same level as your chin.

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I agree, MNNB. It's not quite like the tomahawk serve that Dan Seemiller teaches in his video, or others that I have seen. It doesn't have that "start up high, violent cutting down across the ball motion", as well as lacking the other technical points you mentioned. But I guess I can see a kind of "tomahawk" motion in this serve. So, maybe we can call it a variation/modification of the tomahawk serve?

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USATT rating - 1999

Blade - Rendler Smart FH - Hurricane 8 hard black BH - Grass DTechs OX red
Blade - BBC 9/10/9 FH - Hurricane 8 black BH - Dragon Talon OX red
Blade - Hallmark Aurora FH - Hurricane 8 black BH - Joola Badman OX red

That is why I called it a 'Tomahawk type serve' which is really just a serve where the blade face is higher than the handle and the side contacting the ball faces you on contact.

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Fred 28

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlala5 ... rvis_sport


Thats my vid. Looks better than I tought...

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Blade: Xiom Feel AX ST
Rubber: Tenergy 80 FX

Those ARE excellent serves, TSuBaSa! I like to examine the serves of others, and try to read the spin, and also learn a bit about technique. For me, what would have made your video perfect and more of a tutorial is to have had a slow-motion replay of each serve. Still, a very good video. Thanks!

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USATT rating - 1999

Blade - Rendler Smart FH - Hurricane 8 hard black BH - Grass DTechs OX red
Blade - BBC 9/10/9 FH - Hurricane 8 black BH - Dragon Talon OX red
Blade - Hallmark Aurora FH - Hurricane 8 black BH - Joola Badman OX red

I like to watch other guys while serving , tons of fresh ideas, unique styles etc...
I can record a 60 fps vid and if I can find the correct software I'll post some slowmotion vids...

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Blade: Xiom Feel AX ST
Rubber: Tenergy 80 FX

Very impressive TSuBasa!

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
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S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
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