Feedback/tips for serve

[Dimcorner]

So as my last post stated, I'm currently running up on 7ish months of playing about 3 times a week. I have a very strong badminton background so overheads and net are very comfortable for me to execute with the exception of reading spin and putting my left leg forward on the forehand volley (badminton is racquet leg forward for all shots in front and behind you).

I am still working on the toss and trying to figure out how much leg bend I'm comfortable with. I can do a flat serve ok but the spin ones feel a little weird still (how much side vs forward swing to put on the ball). Sometimes I slice too much and dumps into net, sometimes it's mostly a flat serve with minimal spin.

In the video I'm mostly trying to put some spin on the ball. I don't recall trying to hit a solid flat serve during that video.

Any feedback appreciated as always!

http://youtu.be/FCcJhsyE7IU

[Dimcorner]

BTW I'm playing at a 3.0 league if that helps.
And because I can't edit posts yet so +1 for the count!

[Dimcorner]

Also about the knee bend. How much of it is knee bend vs back bend? I tried to do a deeper knee bend but I see most videos kinda lean back A LOT as well with the bend. Maybe I'm doing it wrong but when I tried it my back was telling me that it doesn't feel too good...

OH, one more thing. I'm not tall (5'7") so are there any tricks or tips to have a more effective serve? (jump for serve? little spin?, wicked spin?)

[LeeD]

Nice nice, even for 4.0.
Lower your hitting hand and elbow at trophy will help you swing upwards more.
Swinging faster, of course.
Try to think of your wrist as a HINGE that allows the rackethead to catch up with the hand just before impact.
Nice nice serve.

[joesucks]

Who rated you at 3.0? looks like you are sandbagging for now. your serve is definitely better than most 3.5's or closer to 4.0

[LeeD]

If you want more pop, change your racket to something around Mid or mid+ sizing. It will allow you to swing much faster.
You're kinda going thru the motions in your vid. Stop, set, load, and then go into your motion.
Swing faster. Your swing speed seems really slow.
You seem tall enough to hit flat first serves. Learn them. And learn a true second serve, which takes about 25mph off the speed of your first serves, but the spin makes the ball go IN every single time.
Learn specific serves. Like slices towards your left corner, flats up the middle to handcuff the returner, and twists out far right corner.
Then learn to hit each serve to at least 2 of the 3 quadrants of your opponent's court, both first serves and second serves.

[Dimcorner]

Thanks!

I'm 5'7" and yeah I noticed the swing speed. I'm going to slowly up the speed on swing. Last time I tried a full out swing I almost took my shin out so I'm hesitant to go all out. It just feels like the racquet is so unwieldy compared to what I'm used to

I'm using a BLX Pro Open vs Yonex Nanospeed 9900 (86g)

I'll keep practicing and upping speed and will post a updated vid in a month or so to see if any progress is made.

[Dimcorner]

Originally Posted by joesucks

Who rated you at 3.0? looks like you are sandbagging for now. your serve is definitely better than most 3.5's or closer to 4.0

I'm self rated at 3.0 because I have only played tennis for about 8 months now and joined my first league back in Sept 2012. The reason I think the serve looks good (as well as my overheads and volleys) look good is because I play very competitive badminton (state and out of state level). The overhead and serve is almost the same motion as a smash and as for volleys well badminton shuttles come at you quite a bit faster (because of the shorter court) so I'm used to reacting and hitting in front of me.

Backhand is ok as well because most of your other shots in badminton are backhands.

Now my forehand... that is my weakest shot by FAR! That and I'm still used to reading and dishing out spin. Whenever I try to put spin the ball just gets in behind the net. Whenever I try to hit harder it flies out the back with no spin.

[luvforty]

nice serve!

OP you can get to 4.0 fast with your background.

my suggestion - forget about fh/bh.... hit everything like a volley and you get to the net asap !

you may need to work a little on the volleys as I don't think the motion is the same as anything in badminton...

but once you get that part, you are on fast track to 4.0 !

[Dimcorner]

BTW,

Here is a vid of me playing badminton in my last tournament. You can get a feel for it with just watching the first minute and a half or so. I'm in blue closest to the camera. My partner has 2 bad knees so I have to run and cover pretty much 3/4 of the court.

[Dimcorner]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o1aVd8vARw

forgot the link.

[luvforty]

link?..........

[Dimcorner]

Originally Posted by luvforty

nice serve!

OP you can get to 4.0 fast with your background.

my suggestion - forget about fh/bh.... hit everything like a volley and you get to the net asap !

you may need to work a little on the volleys as I don't think the motion is the same as anything in badminton...

but once you get that part, you are on fast track to 4.0 !

Yeah volleys are different (reading spin also) but the good thing is that I feel I have so much time to react that I can get the racquet ready and in front of me +90% of the time. I'm not used to the angles so I don't do a serve and volley yet (as well as getting better at placing serves) but I would definitely consider it.

[luvforty]

nice.... with that skill, you go fast track to 4.5 !!!

forget about topspin.... just learn the volleys... and you hit everything like a volley and you go in !

and with that kind of overhead skill, you can afford to get to 3ft to the net and opponents will still hesitate to lob you.

and forget about 3.0 for now.... you use the above strategy and do 3.5 right away, you will dominate and move to 4.0 in 1 year, dominate again and move to 4.5 in another year.

[LeeD]

Since you're 5'7", just watch vids of DavidFerrer serving and playing matches.
Very few short guys like you can succeed playing the net the majority of time, because of your lack of reach.

[jakeytennis]

nice serve. but if u want a more consistent 2nd serve. get more loop and spin.
do this by focusing more on hitting up on the ball, while the brushing motion spins it down. that's my advice
also toss the ball more above or behind your head to allow more brush

[luvforty]

on this one i strongly disagree with Lee.... i play baddie, i know what OP is up to... and he already said the ball looks SLOW lol.

think about Rod Laver, how tall was he?

speed makes up more than the lack of elevation.

[Dimcorner]

Originally Posted by jakeytennis

nice serve. but if u want a more consistent 2nd serve. get more loop and spin.
do this by focusing more on hitting up on the ball, while the brushing motion spins it down. that's my advice
also toss the ball more above or behind your head to allow more brush

I actually tried it and I sent a ball past the fence and almost to the next one!
That kick serve is one i'm trying to get my head around.

If you swing straight up, the ball goes into net. If you swing forward then it's flat. I guess I'm not understanding the angle of the face of the racquet at contact and the direction of that motion.

[Dimcorner]

Originally Posted by luvforty

on this one i strongly disagree with Lee.... i play baddie, i know what OP is up to... and he already said the ball looks SLOW lol.

think about Rod Laver, how tall was he?

speed makes up more than the lack of elevation.

Well, the ball looks slow to me, but that doesn't mean I can reach it in one step :\ I can see the ball and react VERY FAST to them, but some will still be out of reach or I'm just not in the optimal position (again, still getting used to hitting angles and court size). I do play head games (like in badminton) of baiting the opponent to hit open court and just before the swing closing the angle.

[Dimcorner]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Since you're 5'7", just watch vids of DavidFerrer serving and playing matches.
Very few short guys like you can succeed playing the net the majority of time, because of your lack of reach.

He is still taller than me too! :\
I mean I'm not aiming to be in the grand slam so I guess it's ok