Footwork for Earthbound Serves

[TimothyO]

What are your recommendations for footwork for those of us with Earthbound serves? I've done the proper push thing (not jumping!) and the reduced weight on the feet and legs makes rotating the core and moving into the court easier, even if you don't push so hard that you completely leave the court. It's like you can flow into the court with the stroke.

But I have a bad left knee and know that my leg pushing days are limited. So I stopped doing that but find the Uncoiling motion during the serve and the post serve move into the court cumbersome with fully earth bound feet. I've also tried a more open stance (accuracy and power suffered) and slower uncoiling motion (power declined).

Is there a smooth stance or form of footwork that supports proper core rotation during a serve that does rely as heavily on significant leg push?

One additional consideration, with the advice of this forum I've been working on a top-slice for use in both first and second serves. I really enjoy it as with minor tweaks I can shade towards power or spin without feeling I'm completely changing stroke. Makes for greater confidence and consistency compared to switch between extremes such as flat and kick serves.

 

[fuzz nation]

I don't know whether I've offered this in any of your threads in the past, but you can check your heels when you swing up to the ball with your serve. If you can keep those heels up off the court, that can be a good way to keep from torquing on your knees too much with the rotational component of your motion. I'd expect this to be workable for either a pinpoint or platform sort of stance.

 

[TimothyO]

I don't know whether I've offered this in any of your threads in the past, but you can check your heels when you swing up to the ball with your serve. If you can keep those heels up off the court, that can be a good way to keep from torquing on your knees too much with the rotational component of your motion. I'd expect this to be workable for either a pinpoint or platform sort of stance.

I'll give it a try but in any case you nailed the problem perfectly: torquing the knees since they're planting firmly on the court via the feet while the torso rotates. And yes, I do get pain in my left knee from this!

Reducing the surface area of the feet in contact with the ground might help.

Or maybe a lazy-susan!

 

[fuzz nation]

Cool, hope that brings a measure of relief your way. That's honestly something I discovered on my own and once I figured it out, I was sort of surprised that I'd never even heard of it before. Keeping the heels up simply frees up my legs to pivot more easily, but I still get the lifting drive up to contact that I need.

Even with the problems you have in that left knee, I'm also curious about whether you do any other fitness work away from the courts. I've never been much of a fan of straight-up weight lifting for my legs, but I like them to be what I'd consider "solid", so my favorite thing to do is get on my bike a couple times a week.

I got away from riding for a while (and more in touch with that lazy-suzan), but now that I'm back in the saddle, I'm amazed with my night-and-day benefits all over again. Better endurance for sure and my knees stay happy and un-sore, even after sessions of hard work on the hard courts.

Now if I could just remember to keep my eye on the ball...

 

[TimothyO]

Even with the problems you have in that left knee, I'm also curious about whether you do any other fitness work away from the courts. I've never been much of a fan of straight-up weight lifting for my legs, but I like them to be what I'd consider "solid", so my favorite thing to do is get on my bike a couple times a week.

Oh yes, I also swim (seems most helpful), run, bike and fence.

Haven't done much weight training recently other than running with a 12# weighted vest (Japanese fencing armor weighs about 12#) and arm weights to stave off tennis/fencing-induced tendinitis.

I should probably spend more time in the pool. Last year pulled a calf muscle and simply hanging on the side of the pool and doing slow "bicycle kicks" worked wonders for healing.

 

[anchorage]

I had a torn miniscus in my left knee a little while ago; the serve suffered noticeably. It got to the stage where I had absolutely no confidence with the knee & so lost the normal knee bend, also inadvertently keeping more weight on the right leg! It became an 'earthbound serve'.

In the end, I moved from my normal platform to a pinpoint stance. Although that felt a little strange at first, it was definitely the best option as I could at least use the power of the right leg to help the serve & certainly rotation was much easier. With the pinpoint stance I could definitely get more momentum into the ball and, as noted above, you tend to at least get on your toes anyway.

(Now, after surgery, I'm back to a platform stance and proper knee bend; serve much better.)

 

[larry10s]

the old fashioned serving of bringing the right foot foward(for a righty)
when you couldnt jump might be helpful
dont laugh when you watch the video
watch the footwork of the servers up to sampras
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QL1sglyouU&feature=related

 

[TimothyO]

Thanks Larry, that is helpful! The Donald Budge serve looks especially useful.

The only thing disturbing in the video are the long pants and light tennis shirt Budge is wearing. I really hope it was cool out when that was filmed. I can't imagine wearing pants to play tennis during the summer in Atlanta!

 

[larry10s]

i think this one will help too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c06ToXPyJYA

 

[TimothyO]

Love his description of "effortless smooth and fluid". That's my problem in fact.

When I do the leg push and relax my arm is relaxed and I get excellent power and control. Everything works, at least for my low level.

When I get Earthbound the motion becomes rigid and makes everything else too tight.

Off to courts now to practice "up on the toes" in more of a pinpoint stance.

Thanks all!