Pendulum Serve
Serving
Patrick Abad Asked 13 years ago
Coaches,
How to do a pendulum and reverse pendulum serve.
Alois Rosario Answered 13 years ago
Hi Patrick,
There are some real basics that you need to follow with both of these serves. The first is the starting position of your feet. You need to be side on to the table with your left leg touching the backhand corner of the table. Then start with your elbow up really high for both. For the Pendulum have the forehand side of your racket facing away from you. For the Reverse Pendulum have it facing in towards you. Then brush the appropriate side of the ball.
This is difficult to show with words that is why we have made the Serving Secrets Revealed DVD which you can purchase through the website. This will show you in great detail these two serves and a lot more.
Recommended Video
The Kicker Serve
The kicker serve is one of our "must learn" serves. It's fast, fun, and has lots of topspin. It can be dangerous because if it's not fast enough and if you don't surprise your opponent then they may be able to attack it forcefully putting you on the defensive straight away. Used well though, and sparingly, it can be a great weapon. It can win you a point outright and it will stop your opponent from standing over the table waiting for your short serves since they need to be ready for anything.
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Patrick Abad Posted 13 years ago
thanks coach!
Gordon Hume Posted 13 years ago
Hi, Alois
How would you use, or adapt, the pendulum and reverse pendulum serves when playing doubles and, for instance, where's the best position for a right-hander to serve from when using these serves?
Many thanks
Hi Gordon,
In singles the right hander should do these serves from the extreme left hand side of the table, his backhand corner.
For doubles you can adapt it by serving from the forehand area but turning your body a little less so that your left shoulder is facing towards the target area.
Jericho Tupas Posted 13 years ago
Hey there Alois,
I really want to learn the Pendulum Serve from your DVD but I can't purchase it since I don't have a credit card. I live in the Philippines. Could you please just show me a short video on how to execute the Pendulum serve? This would really help me a lot in Table Tennis.
Thanks!
Hi Jericho,
The best thing to start with would be to watch the best players in the world doing the serve and try to copy what they are doing. Also search the Ask the Coach section questions and you will find a lot of explanations of the technique. This search feature will help you with a lot of things that you will need answers to. Try it out. Just go to the box at the top of the page and type in what you want to know. You will be surprised at the number f responses there are for a really wide range of topics including the Pendulum serve.
aishik das Posted 13 years ago
my pendulum serve does not spin at which angle should i toss the ad from where the brusing must occur
Hi Aishik,
You should throw the ball up straight. You can brush the ball whichever way you like. Depending on which way you brush it you will get different types of spin but the most important part is making the brushing the ball.