The height is a crucial component of the short service. There can be as much backspin as possible – if the service is to high, a technically well trained player can use the incoming spin

for a fast flip. This is only possible, if the ball is hit clearly above the net. Therefore the short service has to be played as low as possible. It can be said: the lower the ball hits the surface

of the table on your own half, the lower the service becomes. Common mistake is, that the service player hits the ball to high. Many players stand to upright and could make a better

serve, if going down into their knees. To control the quality of the service we take the frame of a barrier and place it on a suitable object (box, bowl etc.), so that there is a gap of about 2 to 4 times the height of the ball between frame and net (depending on the level of the service player). Now all practiced services have to be played through this gap.