How To Put Spin On A Ping Pong Ball

Every new table tennis player out there wants to know how to put spin on a ping pong ball. The ping pong ball is a 2.7-gram, 40-mm diameter ball that makes multiple bounces within seconds. When you put spin on a ping pong ball, you're messing with the laws of physics in a way that will produce a trick your opponent won't expect. So take a ping pong ball, get your table set up, grab a friend and get ready for some spin!

1. Set up. You should have a partner willing to try to put spin on a ping pong ball with you. Not only that, you'll need a free table, two paddles ("rackets"), your handy dandy ball and a net.
2. Have your partner hit the ball to you. The ping pong ball should be flying towards you. Get a few rounds going and wait for the perfect exchange to make your move. Don't force the ball to come to you, wait for it to get real comfortable for you.
3. Hit at an angle. There are three variations of ping pong ball spins: the backspin, the sidespin and the topspin. This article won't be worrying about what type you are going to produce, just the basic mechanisms of spin in table tennis. When the ball makes that perfect rebound towards your paddle, you can tilt your racket (at whichever angle is more comfortable for you) to spin the ball.
4. Alternate, practice and alternate. You won't put spin on a ping pong ball immediately (or that well if you manage to strike it just right): practice makes perfect. Your partner will get used to your same old, same old topspin after a while, so don't feed him the usual nonsense over and over. Give the ball a good spin every once and a while, but focus on the "normal" blunt hits for the most part.
5. Mix it up. If you are comfortable with the top spin, tilt your paddle in the opposite direction to get a new variation. After a while, you will find the ping pong ball spin that is most comfortable and applicable to you. Besides, it will make you more agile when a real tournament game comes along!

It's hard for a novice player to put spin on a ping pong ball, but it can be done through trial and error. By angling your paddle, the ping pong ball won't be nearly as fast as the normal blunt hit. Nonetheless, the ping pong ball spin can produce unpredictable effects for your opponent, leading to a lead in the long-term.