Yet another critique my serve thread. Help! *Videos*

[sheets]

I know my serve has issues. excessive back bend i don't snap out of that looses me height, lack of explosion upward. The list is long and dreary fellow talk tennisers. But as always all comments, critiques, criticisms, blatant put downs and (hopefully a few) compliments are appreciated.

Behind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTPybeQqSkI

Side View:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdc5p4cuzL0

Please is there hope for me?

[plowmanjoe]

the most obvious thing you need to work on is going up to your serve. you seem to be falling into your serve. use your legs more and focus on

[Orly?yarly!nowai!]

you are not hitting the ball anywhere close to the top of the toss, maybe shorten the toss and jump up a bit more? not sure if those are first or second serves, If they are second server, try and imagine jumping strait up when hitting the ball and LANDING back on the baseline, it really helps with adding more spin!

[sheets]

They're a mixture of first and second serves.

[StuckInMalibu]

Please is there hope for me?

Your serve looks fine.

The serve at 2:10 for the serve behind video was the best one. Not trying to disparage you. At 2:10 you looked very relaxed, your body is straight, you tossed in line with your head instead of behind, and you still hit a good 2nd serve with decent pace. If you build on the serve from 2:10 I think you'll enjoy great results with less effort.

Compare that serve to 1:45 where you toss waaayyy over to your left. You are doing a side stretch at contact. I think a toss in line with your head for 2nd serves just like at 2:10 will solve the back bending, and tossing further to the right for first serves should help even more.

Where are you playing btw? The court and surrounding area looks very nice.

[LeeD]

Hope yes... but.
You are extremely lazy and not putting out any energy on those serves.
Your takeback is way too high, robbing you of ball speed. You are NOT MartinaNavritilova, so don't try to serve like a right handed version of her. You should concentrate on a trophy position with your rackethand much lower, so you have to explode UP into the ball with legs and torso.
Look at MENS pro players and copy any one of them. All have more deliberate motions, all use lower takebacks, all use more legs and explosion, and all move into the court quicker.
When you serve, it looks like you are just using the exact same amount of energy walking to the ball AND serving....no difference!
Serve like you mean to END THE POINT on THAT serve.....not just start a rally.

[sheets]

I have the fortune in playing in a tennis loving family so we all pooled money together and built a court at my ranch Malibu.
Thanks for advice LeeD, and everyone else. i can't decide to shorten up the motion a la Roddick, or lengthen it like Sampras.

[LeeD]

Either short or long, really try to STOP before each serve, concentrate on an explosion of QUICK energy, then go into the motion with a lower rackethand.
Watch vids of pros serving, then go back to your high takeback, lack of trophy position, long flowing endurance energy as opposed to quick, SPRINT energy used the the good players.