my serve video - please comment!

Jonny S&V

Jonny S&V

Hall of Fame
Grapto said:
This is my first time uploading my video on the web. I am not so good at converting video formats but I managed to make the movie 10 times slower than real. I am open to any suggestions, comments, etc. Thanks all in advance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmyi4EbPeK0
Click to expand...

1. Work on hitting at full extension, you're waiting too long on the toss.

2. Your toss is to far in front. If you want to spend the time and better your serve, toss it a smidge farther back and switch to a continental grip.

3. Make sure you have your feet underneath you and your balance it good through-out.

4. Watch your feet, you seem like the type to have trouble with foot-faulting.

Nice job keeping your left arm up, but these four things are must-fixes if you have the time.
 
Grapto

Grapto

New User
Larrysümmers said:
Come across your body on the follow through and your landing on your right foot.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comment. I noticed I was not finishing the follow swing as I was already preparing for the next serve (i.e. I was going back to the baseline). I will practice a complete serve motion each time when I go out next time. Thanks!
 
Grapto

Grapto

New User
Jonny S&V said:
1. Work on hitting at full extension, you're waiting too long on the toss.

2. Your toss is to far in front. If you want to spend the time and better your serve, toss it a smidge farther back and switch to a continental grip.

3. Make sure you have your feet underneath you and your balance it good through-out.

4. Watch your feet, you seem like the type to have trouble with foot-faulting.

Nice job keeping your left arm up, but these four things are must-fixes if you have the time.
Click to expand...

Wow. Thanks a lot for your analysis and comments! I will keep in mind those things. That day was very windy so my toss was a bit lower than other days.
I think I use continental grip for slice serve and a little toward backhand grip for kick serve and a little toward eastern grip for down the T flat serve. I don't know why I like using 'toward eastern grip' from normal continental grip for this serve but I just feel it comfortable and I feel that it works better for DDT flat serves. Should I keep doing so or should I change it to continental grip?
Yes. I learned that I tend to foot fault by watching this video and slightly adjusted it (it was taken back in October) by starting a few inches back from the baseline and reducing the drag of right foot, i.e. not too far from where it was. Thanks!!!
 
W

W Cats

Rookie
You are serving with a very closed stance, meaning piror to your toss you have a good amount of your back facing the service box that you will be serving into - nothing wrong with that. But what happens when you are at your trophy pose at .23 is that your right foot not only comes too far forward but quite far to right as well causing you to over rotate from the ground up and the result is at .30 where by you land with your right foot well forward of your left. You should land on you left foot with it being forward of your right.

Couldn't see your toss so I am not sure if you are chasing a toss that was too far to the right or not which may or may not be the cause of this issue.

check out this vid of Sampras serving , who also servs with a closed stance, and look for elements that were mentioned above as well as what Jonny S&V mentioned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABB0s2cT75g

Hope this helps.:):)
 
Last edited:
Jonny S&V

Jonny S&V

Hall of Fame
Grapto said:
Should I keep doing so or should I change it to continental grip?
Click to expand...

I would at least learn to hit a flat serve with a continental, contrary to other posters I don't think the continental grip is "god" to the serve, but if you don't like it you can always go back. The advantage you would get with the continental is the ability to really snap down on the serve (not a conscious wrist snap, but a snap none the less) and get some easier angles. Again, at least try it out, and go back if it isn't working for you.
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
One thing not mentioned yet was your late pronation, causing a slower moving ball than you are capable of.
You should consciously try to slow down the elbow just before impact so you get the "whip" effect, pronation with a high elbow on the followthru immediately after the strikepoint. Then you can allow the whole arm to finish the follow thru.
That little bit has really helped speed up my old man's serves, so they're respectable again.
 
Grapto

Grapto

New User
W Cats said:
You are serving with a very closed stance, meaning piror to your toss you have a good amount of your back facing the service box that you will be serving into - nothing wrong with that. But what happens when you are at your trophy pose at .23 is that your right foot not only comes too far forward but quite far to right as well causing you to over rotate from the ground up and the result is at .30 where by you land with your right foot well forward of your left. You should land on you left foot with it being forward of your right.

Couldn't see your toss so I am not sure if you are chasing a toss that was too far to the right or not which may or may not be the cause of this issue.

check out this vid of Sampras serving , who also servs with a closed stance, and look for elements that were mentioned above as well as what Jonny S&V mentioned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABB0s2cT75g

Hope this helps.:):)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the comment. I never thought about these things. This is truly eye opening advice!
 
Grapto

Grapto

New User
Jonny S&V said:
I would at least learn to hit a flat serve with a continental, contrary to other posters I don't think the continental grip is "god" to the serve, but if you don't like it you can always go back. The advantage you would get with the continental is the ability to really snap down on the serve (not a conscious wrist snap, but a snap none the less) and get some easier angles. Again, at least try it out, and go back if it isn't working for you.
Click to expand...

Now I can feel the 'snap' you are talking about when I use continental grip. The problem is it is not always 'on'. If it's not on, my serve goes over the service line. It feels like I am not snapping the ball down enough. I understand that it should be done unconsciously but I think I still somehow need to do it on purpose until my muscle get used to it. Thanks!
 
Grapto

Grapto

New User
LeeD said:
One thing not mentioned yet was your late pronation, causing a slower moving ball than you are capable of.
You should consciously try to slow down the elbow just before impact so you get the "whip" effect, pronation with a high elbow on the followthru immediately after the strikepoint. Then you can allow the whole arm to finish the follow thru.
That little bit has really helped speed up my old man's serves, so they're respectable again.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comment but I am not really sure if I understand it. Did you mean to improve the racquet head speed by slowing down (or pausing?) before starting to pull my elbow up? I guess that would lead to late pronation? I'd really appreciate if you can explain this again. Thanks!!
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
The slowing down of the elbow is just before you strike the ball, to increase the rackethead speed. Just before you strike the ball, as in your whole arm is moving forwards and up, then just as the racket gets to horizontal, a millesecond before impact, the elbow slows down...it's done it's work already, and you slow it down to WHIP, like a bull whip, to get the rackethead, not the rackethandle, to move fast.
I think one of the first responders mentioned how far into the court you hit the ball. I agree, you seem to toss too far into the court so you can't use the pronation/whip effect at all. It's OK to toss that far into the court, IF your upper body is also that far into the court.
 
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