Site Products
Coach Jeffrey Zeng

How to Train a Good Serve

Posted on

(by Coach Jeffrey Zeng)

There are many types of table tennis serves, each with its own characteristics. Let us look at the types of table tennis serves without considering the factors such as the soleplate, sponge, and rubber.

  • According to the clap hands
    1. Shoot with left hand – For opponents who shoot with the left hand, they can send the ball to the right triangle more often.
    2. Shoot with right hand – For opponents who shoot with the right hand, you can throw the ball back to the left small triangle more often.
  • By station
    1. Forehand position
    2. Backhand position
    3. Middle position
  • Divide by gesture
    1. Forehand
    2. Backhand
  • According to the beat surface
  • By rotation – 24 kinds of effective rotation and non-rotation. The rotating ball can be divided into the following 6 types according to the prominent main rotation:
    1. Upward rotation
    2. Downward rotation
    3. Left hand rotation
    4. Right hand rotation
    5. Clockwise rotation
    6. Reverse rotation
  • According to the length of the arc
    1. Long ball
    2. Short ball
    3. Half out billiards
  • According to the falling point (line)
    1. Left triangle
    2. Right triangle
    3. Left triangle
    4. Right triangle
    5. Left triangle
    6. Right triangle
    7. Network front area
    8. End line area (pursuit area)
    9. Central district
  • Score by throwing height
    1. Low throw
    2. Middle throwing
    3. High throwing
  • Comment on a good serve from five elements
    1. High speed
    2. Strong or soft power, with obvious contrast
    3. Strong or weak rotation or no rotation, with obvious contrast
    4. Low arc
    5. Precise or tricky landing point
  • Five serving strategies in the game
    1. Observe the opponent’s state and serve
    2. Serve according to their own state
    3. Change five elements
    4. Variable rhythm serve
    5. Key point serve

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.

Latest News

WAB CLUB FEATURE: San Antonio Table Tennis Club

April 5, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) The San Antonio Table Tennis Club is located on Lookout Run, just Northeast of downtown… Read More

PREVIEW: Central American & Caribbean Championships

April 5, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) The 2026 ITTF Americas Central American & Caribbean Championships gets underway Thursday in Santo Domingo,… Read More

World No. 1’s Claim Top Spots at World Cup

April 5, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) The world's best converged on Macao for the ITTF Men's & Women's World… Read More

Men’s World Cup: A Pair of Upsets and a Semis Rematch

April 4, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) The world's best converged on Macao for the ITTF Men's & Women's World… Read More

World Cup Women: Half Normal / Half Surprise

April 4, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) The world's best converged on Macao for the ITTF Men's & Women's World… Read More

Not Too Much Power

April 3, 2026
1 or 2 balls in Backhand and 1 or 2 balls in Forehand FETHOMANIA 25: Drill 2 https://youtube.com/shorts/LjjuJbIBVxQ… Read More

Butterfly Unveils Official 2026 Game Shirt for Japanese Men’s and Women’s National Teams

March 31, 2026
By Butterfly Global Japanese Men's and Women's National Teams to wear the new shirt starting March 30, 2026… Read More

Shashin Shodhan – National Ranking Tournament 2026

March 31, 2026
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Bowmar Sports Tournament Highlights, Shashin Shodhan is in action at the National Ranking… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.