So, how "improper" is the technique that I have described here? Is the style really so "funky"?
A '
technique' is a set of motions that have biomechanical significance for a tennis stroke. '
Types' of serve are flat, slice, kick, top spin. '
Style' serves are not too well defined. For the serve the ball is
tossed up. The
toss is part of the service motion. A practice for learning the serve is to
throw the ball in a certain way.
My son, for instance, has learnt to serve throwing his ball up in the air a bit in front of him, so that he could make his move forward when swinging. He's strictly instructed by me to swing fast, move his right shoulder (he's right-handed) fast forward, and, of course end up with his tennis racket low at his left foot to allow the appropriate trajectory. As he ends up about 5 feet into the court, he has the choice to charge the net instantly or quickly return back over the baseline to get a shot at the returned service. This is a borderline style as the server steps over the baseline (at the right time) but the aggressive service may be faster although lower than the top spin with all the bending and bowing etc. Well, I hope I have explained this one ok to you.
Now, I sense this above style of service may be suitable for the reason that it takes the pressure off the player's elbow. The ball is thrown a bit in front which is why the impact on one's elbow is reduced and the swing (and the shoulder/body) takes more of a charge there. Players, who like going to the net, may love this style too. Then, players that have had issues with their elbows before may save themselves further troubles as well. In a nutshell, the approach to the service allows the player an alternative to be considered.
Throwing the ball overhead with all the bending and bowing, my son's 3-day professional coach may have hurt my boy's elbow as with such a service for the top spin the arm bending creates a sort of stress to the joint (elbow) there. My boy told the coach what he has been used to but was ignored and suggested another style instead. This is something that I am worried about in the professional world of tennis where flexibility may not be so common with some coaches.
The joint motion that is very important for the high level serve is
internal shoulder rotation (ISR). It is not easy to change from a Waiter's Tray serve to a high level serve.
Your son may be injured and it may be related to an unknown serving technique or other causes.?
There is no hurry.
I don't know the percentage of tennis instructors worldwide that understand internal shoulder rotation. I believe that most don't. You should study the issue so that you understand. In the US coaches of successful junior tennis players develop reputations and are in demand. Lessons are usually costly.
This publication is a review paper by a tennis researcher that did important work on ISR and the serve.
Biomechanics and Tennis, 2006, B. Elliott
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2577481/
I have posted on ISR in this forum. There are pictures, videos and many references.
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...rnal+shoulder+rotation+serve+Chas&o=relevance
Serve showing ISR.
Look only at the elbow as it spins like a top. ISR involves the upper arm bone at the shoulder joint spinning around its long axis ( through the center of the humerus bone).
To do single frame on Vimeo, go full screen, hold down the SHIFT KEY and use the ARROW KEYS.
This video pauses at certain points with labels. Stop the video when it pauses to read the labels.
The elbow is near straight when much of the ISR occurs.
I once gave myself a Golfer's Elbow injury doing ISR with a bent elbow, about 90 d. bent, during a bad experimental volleying technique. ? There was sudden pain. Be careful with elbow angle on a serve with ISR. Know what technique is used with high speed video.