busy feet on toss

[Lobbie]

I have a bad habit of lifting and dropping my heels for a micro second when I BEGIN my toss, causing a slight bounce. I taped it, saw it, and the next time out practicing I tried correcting it. I consciously kept my feet planted as I began my toss. Looked at the video, and there it was... less, but still there. The rest of the serve is ok, but this bounce must be throwing off my rhythm and balance. I don't get it. I can't even tell when I'm doing it! Any suggestions?

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

I have a bad habit of lifting and dropping my heels for a micro second when I BEGIN my toss, causing a slight bounce. I taped it, saw it, and the next time out practicing I tried correcting it. I consciously kept my feet planted as I began my toss. Looked at the video, and there it was... less, but still there. The rest of the serve is ok, but this bounce must be throwing off my rhythm and balance. I don't get it. I can't even tell when I'm doing it! Any suggestions?

Do a progression [video everything]:
- With no ball and no racquet, do a shadow toss
- Add the ball but no racquet
- Add the racquet; toss but don't serve
- Do everything

What I find for my "Footloose" issue [i slide my opposite/front foot forward as the toss goes up] is that the problem manifests itself between step 3 and 4. As long as I don't actually have to serve, my feet are fine.

I saw a device in a tennis ad: it's a circular disk that you step on and if your foot comes off, it makes a noise. The ad was to correct weight distribution on a GS but you could probably adapt it to your situation.

Either that or pay someone to insult you every time you lift your heel. Or you promise to put a dollar in the kitty jar for every violation.

 

[Lobbie]

thanks. Sounds like an exercise really worth trying. Obviously I can’t count on my senses to alert me when my heel is lifting up off the court. Probably throwing my toss off as well. As for paying someone to insult me, I do a good enough job for free. Lol

 

[Goof]

When I was a teenager, coaches would have me stand in a standard sized ball hopper and hit serves. It didn't work though, and I still move my feet and fall to my left like Tsitsipas. I have odd hip anatomy though, so the ball hopper drill might be helpful to you and others with normal hips.

 

[Lobbie]

When I was a teenager, coaches would have me stand in a standard sized ball hopper and hit serves. It didn't work though, and I still move my feet and fall to my left like Tsitsipas. I have odd hip anatomy though, so the ball hopper drill might be helpful to you and others with normal hips.

I often fall to my left after the serve. I figured it had something to do with my toss. If the hitch in the beginning of my serve motion affects my toss, I may be able to tackle both problems. Thanks for your response.

 

[Pumpkin]

If you are lifting and dropping your heels before the toss I don't see an issue. I'd just put it down to an idiosyncrasy.

 

[Lobbie]

A good point. No two player's form looks exactly alike. I always felt that Millman's form looks awkward at times. Bottom line, if one's serve is consistently going in who cares what it looks like. Thank you for your feedback.

 

[Pumpkin]

Oh I see, you are worried about it looking funny. Don't worry. If you make it to number one, all the kids will be copying you.

 

[Lobbie]

Oh I see, you are worried about it looking funny. Don't worry. If you make it to number one, all the kids will be copying you.

lol. Looking at my video I realized I look a little bit too much like the hunchback of Notre Dame hitting a piñata

 

[nyta2]

I have a bad habit of lifting and dropping my heels for a micro second when I BEGIN my toss, causing a slight bounce. I taped it, saw it, and the next time out practicing I tried correcting it. I consciously kept my feet planted as I began my toss. Looked at the video, and there it was... less, but still there. The rest of the serve is ok, but this bounce must be throwing off my rhythm and balance. I don't get it. I can't even tell when I'm doing it! Any suggestions?

hehe, i was literally going through that with my daughter this morning...
basically she sees me going on my tippeetoes, and subconsciously she's trying to emulate,, goes onto her toes immediately, but then the racquet swinging down, brings her back to the ground... or she thinks that going on her toes somehow helps with her toss.
i just had her go through the tossing motion slower... pretend like the tossing arm is lever, connected to the hips... as the arm goes higher, the hips "stick out", and as it reaches vertical, she needs to bend her knees and eventually go on her toes, because it helps "stick out the hip" more.
when she's thinking about it, it works, but under stress, or when rushing, she forgets, and goes back to the "hop to her toes" move again

 

[Bagumbawalla]

A good point. No two player's form looks exactly alike. I always felt that Millman's form looks awkward at times. Bottom line, if one's serve is consistently going in who cares what it looks like. Thank you for your feedback.

Yes, if you watch random pros feet while they are serving, you will see all kinds of unconscious
movements. The most common is probably a motion that looks like they are putting out a cigarette- they kind of rotate the ball of the foot. Another involves rocking back on the heel so the toes incline about fifty degrees. Others rotate the foot
Around the heel, pointing it nearer the service line, almost foot-faulting. Anyway, these if mannerisms don't
affect the service motion or cause a foot-fault, then it's not worth thinking about.