Initiate the serve motion

[dlam]

I notice many player use some sort of rocking motion to initiate their serve motion
Are there anyone who can suggest a non rocking method?
Also I notice some players like the front toe planted and point the front toe and some like the lift toe and leave the front heel on the ground
What's the diff?

[LeeD]

Why copy what most players do?
Why not make up your own motion, like blinking your eyes, or bouncing the ball 9 times?

[dlam]

I tried different ways to start up the serve so I can get proper weight transfer into the court
I find I can't just leap off the front foot I generally need to be on both feet toes to leap or hop

[LeeD]

Once again, since most good players use the rocking motion to initiate the service motion, why not try there first?

[Bagumbawalla]

Here is a "simplified" method that does not seem to involve rocking back. You can try it and see if it works for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixx-MCC7D88

[netguy]

I just stand straight and toss the ball from there. I get way more consistent tosses. Standing straight also makes it easier to flex my knees and control the swing of my racquet. I'm glad that I don't use the rocking motion to start serving anymore.

[LeeD]

I use about 3 rocks
I serve flat serves, dead flat, slices serves, top/slices, tops, twists, all with different toss locations.
In the past 4 years, I've been playing less than 40 days a year, about 4.0.
I have never caught even ONE of my tosses. Every 10 playing days, I might say "Bad toss", after I hit the ball.
As you rock, you visualize your toss location, which triggers your swing for the serve you are trying to do. Location is directed by the followthru direction.

[Coach Chad]

Just rock a few times 'till you feel ready to unleash that beast!

[dlam]

Originally Posted by Bagumbawalla

Here is a "simplified" method that does not seem to involve rocking back. You can try it and see if it works for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixx-MCC7D88

Thanks
This looks more like Roddick type
Tried this method this week but I don't seem to get as much momentum into my serve as shifting my weight by rocking
So I think I'll try to shift weight
I have now been able to have a one piece takeaway with both my arms in unisone
Now it's a matter of getting the rhythm and proper weight shift to personalize my serve motion

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

The rocking motion helps me with my timing, and it also helps me "commit" to the serve and not be hesitant about it.

[dlam]

One on the problems I been having is I like to set my weight on my right leg for all my shots from the baseline.
However for the serve , I find that I serve better if I can start my arms going back when my weight is on my left leg so I been incorporating the ball bounce that I see a lot of the pros do
This get my tempo and rhythm in synch
On the ad side I bounce the ball with the racket like Roddick then grab the ball with my left hand as I transfer my weight to my left leg
On the deuce side I bounce the ball with my left hand and set the weight over my left leg in a static rather than a dynamic way like I do in ad side. This works well for me.