FYB serve question

raiden031

Legend
I was watching the FYB videos the other day to refresh my technique and noticed the emphasis on the palm facing down during the racquet takeback for the serve (I don't remember this before when I watched them months ago). I noticed this was one of those things I never thought about and my palm would usually face forward during the takeback.

Anyways I watched some pro videos and noticed alot of them don't follow this (Roddick), but others such as Federer do.

I always wanted to have a Federer-like motion and it seems the video definitely promotes his style of serve as Will even said in the video that your serve will look like Federers. Sure enough that was the missing ingredient of my serve and now I feel like I have the Federer serve.

What is the importance of this aspect of the takeback?
 

larry10s

Hall of Fame
if you have a circular or pendulum type backswing opening up your palm can lead to problems getting into a good trophy position or "the slot".(you would opening the racquet face then have to close it. the palm foward still keeps a closed racquet face. palm up opens it and can lead to disaster) only macenroe was able tp open his palm so much and get away with it.
 

raiden031

Legend
if you have a circular or pendulum type backswing opening up your palm can lead to problems getting into a good trophy position or "the slot".(you would opening the racquet face then have to close it. the palm foward still keeps a closed racquet face. palm up opens it and can lead to disaster) only macenroe was able tp open his palm so much and get away with it.

If I understand you correctly, then I think I used to open up my palm during the takeback (palm always facing the net) and while my serve was usually decent, I felt it was hard to repeat my best serves consistently and often times there would be times my technique feels way off. Ever since I switched to what Will recommends in the video, my serve feels more repeatable, but its too early to say whether there is permanent improvement in it yet.
 

zapvor

G.O.A.T.
i think closing the palm down forces you to get into the position so makes it easier not to drop the racket before you start moving forward. a lot of pros hold it so the racket face is close to the top of the head, which is somewhat influenced by the palm facing down. hope this makes sense.
 
Yeah, it made the trophy pose much easier for me. The hand just rises naturally into the correct position if your palm is facing the ground like that, or at least in my case.

Matt
 

wihamilton

Hall of Fame
Keeping the palm down puts your wrist in the correct position for the rest of the motion. You want to be holding the racket like a hammer and keeping the palm down gets you to do this. It also helps prevent "waiter's grip," which is a common problem where the player looks like he is holding a tray above his head in the trophy pose. In other words, the wrist is laid back (props to Dave Smith -- TennisMastery -- who I learned this term from).
 

DavisI

New User
I read this post and watched the videos and went out and played 3 sets tonite. I focused especially on the palm down take back and striking the ball above my right shoulder and the difference for me was dramatic and instant. I've always had a pretty consistent serve, but don't usually get a lot of free points. Big change tonight - much more action on my serves, much more speed, good placement and yet I was still very consistent.

I didn't know it, but I was one of those "waiter grip" guys. I'm amazed such a simple change could make such a big difference.

Thanks for the post.
 

wihamilton

Hall of Fame
I read this post and watched the videos and went out and played 3 sets tonite. I focused especially on the palm down take back and striking the ball above my right shoulder and the difference for me was dramatic and instant. I've always had a pretty consistent serve, but don't usually get a lot of free points. Big change tonight - much more action on my serves, much more speed, good placement and yet I was still very consistent.

I didn't know it, but I was one of those "waiter grip" guys. I'm amazed such a simple change could make such a big difference.

Thanks for the post.

No prob. I'd like to take credit for the tip but, as I said above, I learned it from Dave Smith.
 
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