Advice with my serve? (With videos)

WildVolley

WildVolley

Legend
It would be nice to also see video of your serve shot from the side and your serve in slow motion.

I definitely don't like your takeback with the elbow so close to the body, but that's mostly a style issue. Unlike a lot of the people who post here, you are hitting the proper position at trophy (elbow away and at proper angle) and look like you have decent mechanics from there. Hitting bigger and better for you is going to be a matter of working out your balance and making small changes to your kinetic chain and motion.

I have an impression that you could be going forward more on your serve, but I'd need to see the serve from the side. Someone with a more discerning eye than I have might pick something up, but your foundation seems solid.
 
BHiC

BHiC

Rookie
Overall, your motion looks really solid. The only major suggestion that I have is to bring your right elbow up more. That right arm stays down for an extended period of time and then you bring it up quickly in the end, and this could make the serve a little harder to time. During your loaded phase, your right arm should be up and your elbow should be on nearly the same plane as your shoulder, if that makes sense.
 
Lukhas

Lukhas

Legend
Very desynchronized motion and not really smooth, but it looks really solid. Maybe you should work a bit on your fluidity, you look a bit stiff sometimes. You block your body when you land; no harm at training, but let it flow. If you're interested, there's this video discussing about desynchronized and synchronized motions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBBO1YAWuiw
 
Fintft

Fintft

G.O.A.T.
Lukhas said:
Very desynchronized motion and not really smooth, but it looks really solid. Maybe you should work a bit on your fluidity, you look a bit stiff sometimes. You block your body when you land; no harm at training, but let it flow. If you're interested, there's this video discussing about desynchronized and synchronized motions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBBO1YAWuiw
Click to expand...

Hey Lukhas, the video you've linked is about lagging (with your racket arm) or not, is this the one you wanted?

Myself, I prefer the lagging version of the toss lately, aka Berdich, it allows me to easier do the throwing motion.
 
Tight Lines

Tight Lines

Professional
Very nice looking serves.

To my untrained eyes, I don't see anything wrong with your serving motion and there is no issue with your elbow being too close to your body.

The only thing I notice is that your wrist looks a bit stiff. It could be the video quality. But, if not, you may want to loosen your wrist by taking the last two fingers off the racket when practicing. If you feel too unstable, you may want to bring your heel pad (the bony part of your wrist) closer to the top (flat) bevel - true conti) for more support. JMHO. Good luck.

Harry
 
Lukhas

Lukhas

Legend
Fintft said:
Hey Lukhas, the video you've linked is about lagging (with your racket arm) or not, is this the one you wanted?
Click to expand...
Yes, it's the one I wanted considering in this instance lagging and desynchronizing are similar. However the OP isn't as smooth as any of these players. Not many people are (haha), but I'd suggest to relax a bit during the serve.
 
Last edited:
Tight Lines

Tight Lines

Professional
%tennis said:
Thanks, I think as someone already posted it is mainly timing and using the kinetic chain better.

Can any of the technical guys find out the speed of my last serve of the first video maybe?
Click to expand...

I counted 14 frames. That means the serve speed is 103 mph.

Harry
 
S

shindemac

Hall of Fame
Work on your disguise. Kinetic chain is off, esp. with incorporating the legs. This will come with more practice. Balance could be better too. Easy to correct and will add instant mph to your serve.

Outside of technique, work on aggressively hitting the lines. I would focus more on placement now rather than trying to up the mph. Your first serve looked like it was 1 foot from the T. Second serve was maybe 3 feet from the T, which would be in their strike zone. Third serve was somewhere in the middle. You're basically spraying the ball too much for your level.
 
%

%tennis

Banned
True. I struggle at times with slice to the tee from advantage side. Much better hitting wide (my 3 wide kicks were all well placed).
 
Fintft

Fintft

G.O.A.T.
%tennis said:
True. I struggle at times with slice to the tee from advantage side. Much better hitting wide (my 3 wide kicks were all well placed).
Click to expand...

Yeah I had that slice over the last few weeks, but I've kinda lost it in matches, momentarily (also due to an injury). I'm talking doing the slice from the same position (as you) from where we serve our wide serves, from the add side to the opponent's bh.

But that's a good weapon to be able to hit both lines, from the same starting position...At least vary it often enough + jamming the opponent.
 
Lukhas

Lukhas

Legend
^95-100mph with good spin and placement can trouble lots of people. Now 100mph flat in the middle of the box... yeah, not gonna be a problem at higher levels.
 
Ballinbob

Ballinbob

Hall of Fame
Yeah if your flat serve is 100mph you'd have to really hit your spots to make it effective.

Nice serves, I see things you can work on but I'll leave the experts to that.
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Nothing wrong with your motion, doesn't Isner also drop low and then raise the hand, Roddick?
If you want more of a serve, change your racket! Seriously.
Change to a 95/98, a APD or Dunlop 500, or ANYTHING smaller.
 
%

%tennis

Banned
LeeD said:
Nothing wrong with your motion, doesn't Isner also drop low and then raise the hand, Roddick?
If you want more of a serve, change your racket! Seriously.
Change to a 95/98, a APD or Dunlop 500, or ANYTHING smaller.
Click to expand...

Im using a 98 inch. Head youtek prestige MP. I actually try to use Isners motion as a model. Very simple and efficient.
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
OK, your racket is good enough.
Have you tried a high hand, high elbow finish AFTER you hit the ball, while the racket is pointed straight down at the ground, ala Sampras?
That long followthru to your opposite side, the left, is one indicator of a swing that doesn't get complete until AFTER you hit the ball.
You get this by swinging fast, but barely slow down the hand before impact, allowing the racketHEAD to catch up and past your hand to accelerate up to hit's fullest speed.
 
S

sureshs

Bionic Poster
LeeD said:
You get this by swinging fast, but barely slow down the hand before impact, allowing the racketHEAD to catch up and past your hand to accelerate up to hit's fullest speed.
Click to expand...

Is this correct? Do pros slow down the hand before impact on the serve?

Stoli, what do your videos show?
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Suresh, you HAVE tried a whip, haven't you?
It's not a reverse movement, and not an attempt to stop the hand, but a conscious relaxation of the hand that ALLOWS the rackethead to accelerate past the hand/arm to create extra RHS, something Sampras seems to do well.
The acceleration is coupled with the moment of pronation, like a HINGE in your wrist that allows the trebouchet effect.
 
T

Topslice

Guest
Ballinbob said:
Yeah if your flat serve is 100mph you'd have to really hit your spots to make it effective.

Nice serves, I see things you can work on but I'll leave the experts to that.
Click to expand...

Is it a 5.0 serve Bob? ;)
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
That serve is good enough for 6.0, if the player can retrieve, move it around, hit it strong every time, and legs/lungs are top notch.
That serve can do justice for any 4.5.
That serve is too good for most 4.0 level play.
 
C

Chas Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Your camera would do better if viewing from behind in bright sunlight.

I've posted many times on that camera issue and the angles of your serve that can be compared to high level servers.

Search this thread: camera behind Chas Tennis

Search also: Ellenbecker video serve

The Ellenbecker video has some recommendations on your upper body shoulder orientation to minimize the risk of impingement.
 
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