How to Spin a Ping Pong Ball? Tips from Pro Players!

Ping pong is a great game to have friendly competition amongst your friends, play a sport inside the house, and practice your hand-eye coordination. Even if you only know the basics of the game, you can have fun for many hours. However, if you want to improve further in your ping pong skills, it is time to learn how to spin a ping pong ball. Once you learn these spins, you will have much more fun showing off to your friends and possibly joining a ping pong tournament.

Spin techniques

When you first start learning how to spin a ping pong ball, you have to be aware that there are many techniques that you can follow. Using the proper technique for each point of the game will help ensure your success. But first, you need to have a solid ping pong paddle. No one is going to be winning with the 20-year-old paddle that has been developing cracks and splinters. Get a ping pong table without breaking the bank by checking out some of the available paddles for under $50. The first step to playing well is to have the proper tools.

Backspin

If you are new to learning ping pong spins, you should start by learning the backspin. This one is one of the easiest spins to learn, so you are sure to master it in no time.

When you start a backspin serve, you should be on the left side of the table if you are right-handed and on the right side if you are left-handed. You will toss the ball up with an open hand and hit it with the paddle tangentially against the ball’s backside. With this motion, you will be driving the ball downwards towards the table.

Sidespin

The sidespin technique has many similarities to the backspin. You will want to prep your serve in the same way. However, instead of striking the ball down towards the ping pong table, you will be striking it tangentially on the ball’s side. This serve will let your ball curve to the side. If you strike it at its right, it will curve to the left and then vice versa. The sidespin is said to be very beneficial for left-handed players. If you want a spin technique that will catch your opponent off guard, you might enjoy using the sidespin. However, if you don’t have an opponent and still want to practice your spin techniques, you can get a robot opponent. You can find many great robot options online that will serve you a ball to practice your hits.

Cork spin

Now we get into some of the more complicated spins Trusted Source How to Hit a Topspin Forehand in Tennis - 2022 - MasterClass You can technically hit your groundstrokes with any grip, but certain ones are more advantageous than others. For instance, Semi-Western grips and Western grips are more popular choices for tennis players who want to hit with topspin. Players who opt to use an Eastern grip may have difficulty generating enough topspin. However, some professional players (like Roger Federer) will use an Eastern forehand grip while still managing to create spin. www.masterclass.com . The cork spin is a fancy move that is both hard to get down and highly rewarding in an epic competition. With the cork spin, the main attribute is that the ball will change direction as it bounces down the table. It might hit your side on the right and your opponent’s side on the left. That’s what makes this spin great, it serves to throw off your opponent, so they end up having a difficult time returning the ball.

Instead of hitting the ball straight at its back or side, you will be brushing the ball against its side. If the cork spin is a technique that you want to add to your ping pong skill set, we highly recommend watching videos demonstrating the move so you can see what angles you should be hitting.

Top spin

You now know that the main attribute of the backspin is hitting the ball in a downwards motion. The topspin is the opposite. Instead of hitting the ball down, you should hit the ball up. When the ball is coming at you, make sure that your paddle is a little bit below the ball. You want to be able to create enough momentum to drive the ball up and forward. Once you get this move down, you have a classic spin skill in your skillset. Every good ping pong table should have both the top spin and the backspin down.

No spin

When you first pick up a paddle and hit the ball, you are most likely sending it down the table without any spin. It’s a classic move, and it helps keep the momentum going between you and your opponent. Hit the ball straight on and avoid a curve. That keeps the ball from spinning as it flies through the air. Learning how to spin the ball while playing ping pong, or how to not spin it at all, relies on a basic understanding of physics Trusted Source The spin racket: Ping-pong champs are intuitive masters of fluid dynamics -- ScienceDaily Curve balls may help a pitcher strike out batters in baseball; and some nasty spin can make an opponent sweat to return a tennis serve. But more so than in any other ball game, in table tennis – where the ball is so light and so small –dedicated players must master the physics of spin. www.sciencedaily.com . That is how we get the ball to move as we play; we use physics to our advantage to catch the opponent off guard.

Spin basics

How to play against it?

Now that you know how to do the spins, you also need to know how to fight against them. Be observant throughout the games you play. This lets you learn what each kind of spin looks like as it’s coming towards you. Knowing what a spin looks like allows you to identify it. The best way to play against a spin is by throwing off its direction. If it’s coming at you from the left, hit the ball at its right. If you served a top spin, throw off your opponent by coming at them with a backspin.

How does your spin affect your play?

Learning different spins and using them in a match adds to the variables that your opponent has to watch out for. The more spins you know, the more chances that you have to throw off your opponent’s rhythm. Knowing spins also allows you to play against spins being used against you. If you want to go to a ping pong tournament and play, you will need to get a good grasp on a variety of spins. This will keep you in the game for a long time and, hopefully, win! If you want to play in tournaments, you also need to have a proper setup to practice. You need both a good net, which there are many online to choose from and a good paddle. We like the Dynasty Extra Penhold paddle because it gives you a high level of control and has a nice cover as well.

How to make it better?

If you want to get better at your spins and other ping pong techniques, you have to practice. Start with slow serves and work your way up to giving an epic top spin at insane speeds. Play against your friends, against others in your ping pong league, or against serving robots so you can get the hands-on experience that is required to improve your skills. Make sure you have a good setup, including having a high-quality net like the Comesee Kioos net that is collapsible. The combination of a good table, paddle, and net can simulate the quality you will have at a tournament. If you feel that you are ready, feel free to sign up for a tournament near you. Even if you don’t win, that experience will help you prepare for future tournaments that you compete in.

Final thoughts

Playing ping pong works your body and your mind. By learning how to spin a ping pong ball, you get a better understanding of the physics that are behind ping pong, along with developing your hand-eye coordination. Whether your ping pong goal is to win several tournaments and go to championship games or simply to best your friends with some friendly competition, go about it the right way by learning spins. You will even get to impress those around you by getting good at the cork spin and the slamming side spin. Just remember that practice makes perfect. It’s unlikely that you will succeed in learning a new skill in just a day. Start slow and work your way up so you can get a good feel for the foundation of each spin. Learning the basics is how you can learn complex skills and become a great player. Take your time and make sure you have a move down before moving on to the next. With time, you will become a pro.

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