How do you serve?

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Noctis

New User
I've started seeing a lot more people who while serving they would toss their ball and then slide their foot up. And I was just wondering why? Not that it's weird or anything but the way I've been taught is to keep your feet spread apart.

I personally tried the whole sliding your feet thing and I was just thrown off balance completely(didn't feel natural). Are there any actual pros or cons to the two service motions or is it just personal preference?

And also say why you serve the way you do ie. the way you were taught, felt natural etc. ^_^
 
I slide my back foot up behind my front one as part of my service motion. Always done it, no explanation. My serve is probably the best part of my game so I don't want to mess with it :)
 
I tried the slide to pin point, I couldn't get as much power because instead of jumping off two feet I'm jumping off one.

Platform also forces the nice shoulder turn...I'm still working on that part lol
 
Noctis said:
Hmm one of my friends who does the whole sliding motion says he gets a lot more spin on it but then my captain who does a serve without the slide has a much better kick/topspin/slice serve than my friend so.... xD
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yeah. john mcenroe is well known for his serve and he doesn't slide his feet either, so i think we are ok :)
 
Sliding the back foot up is known as a pinpoint stance. If you keep your feet apart, then you are using a platform stance. One is not more correct than (or superior to) the other. Use the one that suits you best -- it's a matter of personal preference. There are elite servers in both camps.

I can use either stance. There are some players who will use one stance on 1st serves and the other stance on second serves (but I don't recall any pros that do that). Note that Roddick is something of a serving anomaly. His stance is something in between -- a narrow platform or wide pinpoint (but no sliding).
 
SystemicAnomaly said:
Sliding the back foot up is known as a pinpoint stance. If you keep your feet apart, then you are using a platform stance. One is not more correct than (or superior to) the other. Use the one that suits you best -- it's a matter of personal preference. There are elite servers in both camps.

I can use either stance. There are some players who will use one stance on 1st serves and the other stance on second serves (but I don't recall any pros that do that). Note that Roddick is something of a serving anomaly. His stance is something in between -- a narrow platform or wide pinpoint (but no sliding).
Click to expand...

Ohh so there's no real difference? Good to know! ^_^

But you can use both? Do you use certain stances for certain serves? Do you feel any benefit from either?
 
I started with a pinpoint stance and move to a platform 10 years later as I thought it put less preasure on my front knee. I have always felt like the pinpoint stance made it easier to propel myself forward into the court. Seems like lots of (though not all) Serve and volleyers prefer the pinpoint stance over the platform.

Personally I dont think either way makes a huge difference. I just always look for simpler ways to produce strokes with less wear and tear on the body. I plan on playing this game as long as I can walk and the less is more approach is a good one in this reguard.

Oh, That McEnroe service motion is tuff. I have never been able to effectivly mimmick it. Such a nice rythem to McEnroes motion..... A really beautiful stroke.
 
I used to serve like a right handed McEnroe (well, hardly, I meant the action!) up until I was about 17 but it put a lot fo pressure on my back so I switched to pinpoint. I can still do the 'McEnroe' and I bring it out occasionally to freak people out. I am probably close to 80% with it and it generates huge slice and pace. Sadly, I can only do one serve with it, and it still hurts my back, so it is a party trick only these days...
 
I use a narrow platform usually. Although on some kick serves, if I am really going after the ball, I will widen the platform to give me more leverage as I swing up to the ball.
 
I pinpoint because I'm a skinny weak guy who insists on serving the flat first serves. If I was bigger and stronger, I'd platform for control and replicability. But I'm not.
 
Timbo's hopeless slice said:
I used to serve like a right handed McEnroe (well, hardly, I meant the action!) up until I was about 17 but it put a lot fo pressure on my back so I switched to pinpoint. I can still do the 'McEnroe' and I bring it out occasionally to freak people out. I am probably close to 80% with it and it generates huge slice and pace. Sadly, I can only do one serve with it, and it still hurts my back, so it is a party trick only these days...
Click to expand...

Yeah that was kinda my experience as well. I can do it but not the full stance as he does. My body just doesnt bend like that. I do have my back towards the net at a point in my service motion but nothing like Macs. I always looked at Petes serve as a model. Easy on the body, smooth, very little wasted energy. I dont have anywhere near the shoulder flexibility Pete has though. That guys shoulders are like gumby.

My favorite service motion is Rafters. So unique. Looked like he was praying to the tennis gods everytime he hit the serve. Its hard on the back though as there is a lot of excessive of hyperextension and flexion going on there with less shoulder rotation.

Macs serve always looked like the big and little hands on a clock to me in the loading phase of his motion.
 
Guy who slide their feet are guaranteed to foot fault almost every time...

One good reason why not to use the slide.
 
Noctis said:
Ohh so there's no real difference? Good to know! ^_^

But you can use both? Do you use certain stances for certain serves? Do you feel any benefit from either?
Click to expand...

In general, there are some differences but they are relatively minor. However, on a individual basis, many players feel that one offers more advantages than the other. A lot of this has to do with the individual's anatomy and athletic skill set. When I teach the serve, I let the student develop their motion with either stance -- whichever they feel most comfortable with. Some find the platform more stable, while others prefer the pinpoint.

Lately, I've been primarily using a version of the pinpoint stance. It is a variation of the Serve Doctor's (Pat Dougherty's) spring-loaded serve. It uses an abbreviated takeback with a modified pinpoint stance. I find that I can generate power or spin a bit more easily with this type of serve motion. Check YouTube for a video of this if you are interested.
 
gameboy said:
Guy who slide their feet are guaranteed to foot fault almost every time...

One good reason why not to use the slide.
Click to expand...

This is nonsense. While pinpointers might foot fault a bit more often than platformers, not all pinpoint servers will FF. OTOH, I've seen plenty of platformers who FF.
 
To defense of Gameboy....
Maybe he meant sliding the FRONT foot, or pivoting on the heel of the FRONT foot, swinging the forefoot over the baseline during the service motion. Guys who serve with the rocking front foot like Sampras sometimes FF when they go for slice serves wide.
 
LeeD said:
To defense of Gameboy....
Maybe he meant sliding the FRONT foot, or pivoting on the heel of the FRONT foot, swinging the forefoot over the baseline during the service motion. Guys who serve with the rocking front foot like Sampras sometimes FF when they go for slice serves wide.
Click to expand...

oh, i admit I hadn't thought of that, I was thinking of the back foot as that is how I serve.

(cue Andy Roddick on the front foot thing..lol)
 
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