Reverse Backspin Pendulum serve vs Backspin pendulum serve

Stanley Wong Asked 11 years ago

Hi Pingskils, I would first like to thank you for all the table tennis you guys taught me, it helped me improve drastically!

Question: I am wondering what main differences are with the backspin reverse pendulum serve and a standard backspin pendulum serve (which is easier for almost everyone to do).

Alois Rosario Answered 11 years ago

Hi Stanley,

Thanks for your kind words.

I think the normal Pendulum is easier. The Reverse movement is difficult to get your arm and hand in the right position to make the serve. You need to get your elbow up really high and then bend you wrist forward to get the right angle.

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Thoughts on this question (4)

Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 11 years ago
Take a look at our Serving Secrets section for lessons on how to do both of these serves.

Stanley Wong Posted 11 years ago

Hi, thanks for the quick response! I really appreciate it

But I am wondering why would someone use the reverse backspin (harder one) over a regular backspin (easier)? Does it have something to do with deceiving your opponent?

I would like to work on this serve, but I want to know the positive outcome of this serve to see what I can further improve

Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 11 years ago
That is correct Stanley. Some players find receiving the reverse pendulum serve difficult. If you can master both then you have more options available when you play an opponent.

Jean Balthazar Posted 11 years ago

If I may weigh in, although the reverse pendulum serve is a rather crazy contortionist's work and makes it harder to put a lot of spin on the ball when compared to the regular pendulum serve, one of it's major merits to me is that its side spin tends to direct the return ball to your forehand side, which is most frequently your stronger side, whereas the regular pendulum tends to bring it back straight to your backhand corner, which makes harder for most to attack.

The same effect can of course be achieved by a much easier-to-execute and safer backhand serve, but there is less room for deception with that one.