Footwork on the serve BB.......

[JohnThomas1]

I would love to know if there are benefits and disadvantages regarding certain placements of the back foot during the pinpoint stance on serve. In a lesson i had ages ago the coach put his racquet beside my front foot to stop my rear foot coming out too far along the baseline. He wanted me to bring it up to the rear of my front foot and go from there. Not to the side of it. I see Flipper pretty much does as he wanted but most others bring it right alongside the front foot. Any idea's?

 

[Mahboob Khan]

Well, in a pinpoint stance, there are two disadvantages if the back foot crosses the line of the front foot:

1. It may be a foot fault because in this case the back foot may be touching the baseline!

2. You loose the upper body torque prematurely and the resultant loss of power.

The best course with the pinpoint stance would be:

-- slide the back foot up to the front foot (but slightly behind it);

-- and then as you strike the ball, you land in the court with the front foot, and kick back with the back foot (leg drive so to speak). Since at the point of impact you are airborne (natural propelling action of the serve), it is not a foot fault.

I am sure BB will tag behind and throw some light on this subject.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Yes all of what Mahboob said is correct. I use the pinpoint stance and slide my foot up to the arch area of my other foot. The inside of my my back foot sort of fits in the arch area of my front foot.

I like the pinpiont stance for 1st serves the most. I find when I move the backfoot up to my other foot, my timing to go upward is triggered once my feet touch. Both feet can push upward from the toes (sort of a spring) up to the ball at the same time.

Since learning about stored energy and kinetic energy, I get a lot of stored energy that releases quickly into my upper legs and so on.

When my stance is wider, I dont really feel like everything is in one place to send upward, I feel my power base is to spread out.

The pinpoint stance is a preference though - some people dont like it.

 

[znawfal]

Bill,

For the second serve, do you also use a pinpoint stance?

I find it easier for the second serve to use a spread stance, but it might be wrong...

However, because for a second kick serve, shouldn't the ball be left and over the shoulder. If i use a pinpoint stance, I tend to lean forward. That would set the ball way back.

Plus with a pinpoint stance, it is not easy to have a back lean (needed for a second serve)...

Please let me know where I went wrong.

Thanks.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Bill,

For the second serve, do you also use a pinpoint stance?

I find it easier for the second serve to use a spread stance, but it might be wrong...

However, because for a second kick serve, shouldn't the ball be left and over the shoulder. If i use a pinpoint stance, I tend to lean forward. That would set the ball way back.

Plus with a pinpoint stance, it is not easy to have a back lean (needed for a second serve)...

Please let me know where I went wrong.

Thanks.

Yes, I do use a pinpoint on the second at times. It depends if I want the second serve to come over with a lot of pace. Speaking only for myself, I have a lot of confidence in my serve. More than any other shot. So, I will go for my second serve when I think I can catch the person off guard. Usually I will risk the shot when the opponent thinks I will be conservative. I dont do it all the time, but I will when I sense things need to be shakened up.

On regular second serves I do have movement with my backfoot, maybe not as dramatic. But it does move forward. Afterall, that is my serve. I can hit spin serves very close to the same toss as my flat serve. Again, it all depends.

I just like the pinpoint stance a lot. I really dont feel a lot of power comes from it. But I do feel a good rhthym from it.

 

[JohnThomas1]

Thanks heaps guys, just one thing tho bill. Wouldn't the stored energy and kinetic energy be even better if one eased his back foot up beside the front AS LONG AS he kept the same coil? More elastic rebound? Thanks again

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Thanks heaps guys, just one thing tho bill. Wouldn't the stored energy and kinetic energy be even better if one eased his back foot up beside the front AS LONG AS he kept the same coil? More elastic rebound? Thanks again

I would think so, it would seem like your sort of consolidating the power by bringing up the foot as the coiling takes place and then it thrusts out and turns into kinetic energy. Maybe that is why I like the pinpoint, it is easy to uncoil over a narrow base, like a spinning top. Good point.

Hey, congrats on your Aussie swimmer Thrope. He is a great swimmer. I am watching it now and just watched Phelps (USA) win the gold on the 100 meter butterfly.

The Aussies are doing real well in medals in the Olympics.

 

[JohnThomas1]

Hey thanks again Bill, and thanks for noticing us Aussies. Thorpe is just an amazing swimmer, he's a freak. His win in the 400 was actually swam terribly by his standards. A gold is a gold tho i guess. I've heard of Phelps. What is the name of your new superfish? They were hoping he could win 7 gold or something?!!?!

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Hey thanks again Bill, and thanks for noticing us Aussies. Thorpe is just an amazing swimmer, he's a freak. His win in the 400 was actually swam terribly by his standards. A gold is a gold tho i guess. I've heard of Phelps. What is the name of your new superfish? They were hoping he could win 7 gold or something?!!?!

Phelps is he. Yeah I think he might do it. He needs to win eight medals (doesnt have to be all gold) to have the most ever, or tie with seven. I think that is how it is. I could be wrong. Anyway, I love swimming so it is always nice to see them go at it no matter what country they are from.

 

[JohnThomas1]

Ah tis him! I'll keep an eye out now. We go great in the swimming but totally disappear for the track n field lol

 

[vin]

Bill, Mahboob

If I don't focus on my pinpoint stance, I often lean too far into the court and my back foot becomes a crutch to keep balance rather than a controlled step used to create a base of support from both feet. When this happens, I usually bring the back foot too far forward and either foot fault or as Mahboob mentioned, maybe even uncoil prematurely.

Based on this, do you think I'd be better off going to a platform stance (which I have at one time used before), or working on improving my pinpoint stance by making a measured step forward rather than just letting it happen?

I've also thought about experimenting with the platform stance that Roddick uses where his feet are close enough together to use them both.