How to improve my toss

[Roddick_155mph]

My inconsistent toss has led me to fault 60% of the time or more. People who watch me play often comment my serves that do go in are "ace-quality" and that my form is great. They often say if only my toss was more consistent I would be one of the better servers at the club. I can't seem to get my head around it.

Most of the time I tend to throw the ball way to far up, thus ruining my timing. I believe I use the pinpoint stance(legs come together before jump, correct me if i'm wrong), and its really my my toss I find to be the hardest part of the serve. I have even tried toss completely vertically as some sources recommend(rather than a windmill, circular motion) but that is way too awkward a motion to get used to.

I'm looking for any ways to develop a good toss, AND make a habit out of it. My tosses also go too far infront of my face, or behind, to either side so much that I can't hope to compensate. And all to often it goes too high that is messes my timing. I also find when my toss is great, the rest of the motion is not as good because I concentrate too muchon the toss. I want to start tossing well and not have to even think about it. I try to control my toss but habit gets the best of me, any tips I can try?

 

[skyzoo]

My inconsistent toss has led me to fault 60% of the time or more. People who watch me play often comment my serves that do go in are "ace-quality" and that my form is great. They often say if only my toss was more consistent I would be one of the better servers at the club. I can't seem to get my head around it.

Most of the time I tend to throw the ball way to far up, thus ruining my timing. I believe I use the pinpoint stance(legs come together before jump, correct me if i'm wrong), and its really my my toss I find to be the hardest part of the serve. I have even tried toss completely vertically as some sources recommend(rather than a windmill, circular motion) but that is way too awkward a motion to get used to.

I'm looking for any ways to develop a good toss, AND make a habit out of it. My tosses also go too far infront of my face, or behind, to either side so much that I can't hope to compensate. And all to often it goes too high that is messes my timing. I also find when my toss is great, the rest of the motion is not as good because I concentrate too muchon the toss. I want to start tossing well and not have to even think about it. I try to control my toss but habit gets the best of me, any tips I can try?

Have you tried tossing with your fingertips? I had a lesson before where my coach put me infront of a trashcan for 30 minutes and had me toss it so the ball would land in the the can. It helped a lot. Keep practicing and focus on it because without a good toss your name will never fit your game.

 

[Vg12th]

I agree with Sky, do you toss with your fingertips? And tossing is one of the few practices we can do well without being on the court! So just practice when you're home and have your body remember how it feels.

Here is a link from FYB of Will showing a good practice for tossing. It's the same idea as the trashcan bit but with your own racket.
http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/video-tennis-lessons/serve/serve-progressions/toss/

I recommended my little brother try it whenever he has the time and improvements are being seen ie. much less wrong tosses and more time playing

 

[goran_ace]

My tosses also go too far infront of my face, or behind, to either side so much that I can't hope to compensate.

Why are you swinging at these tosses? Catch the ball or let it drop and start over. Yes, it gets annoying if you do it a lot in a match, so practice this a lot. Do not swing at bad tosses.

Don't really think of the toss as a 'toss'. Don't throw the ball up there. It should really just be lifting your arm up and letting go of the ball. Think about where you want to your racket to make contact with the ball and just put the ball there.

 

[drakulie]

Practice your toss.

Good luck.

 

[snowpuppy]

Most of the time I tend to throw the ball way to far up, thus ruining my timing. I believe I use the pinpoint stance(legs come together before jump, correct me if i'm wrong), and its really my my toss I find to be the hardest part of the serve. I have even tried toss completely vertically as some sources recommend(rather than a windmill, circular motion) but that is way too awkward a motion to get used to.

I'm looking for any ways to develop a good toss, AND make a habit out of it. My tosses also go too far infront of my face, or behind, to either side so much that I can't hope to compensate. And all to often it goes too high that is messes my timing. I also find when my toss is great, the rest of the motion is not as good because I concentrate too muchon the toss. I want to start tossing well and not have to even think about it. I try to control my toss but habit gets the best of me, any tips I can try?

Battling the same problem myself. First thing you should try is go through your normal service motion up to the toss and stop. Take note of where it lands. Do that a few times and you'll notice a pattern of what your fault is. Second thing to note is your body. Is it steady? Leaning towards one way? If it is leaning one way it probably is affecting your toss. One biggie is balancing and quieting the body. Consistent toss is priority number 1 even if it means taking a step back on your serve result. It is the foundation and without it you will continue to double fault.

 

[Roddick_155mph]

Thanks everyone for the input, i'm sure i've made a very basic mistake in tossing with my palm, but now I know. Thanks again, i'm booking a court now to go practice this for real.

@snowpuppy, I don't think that there is anyting too odd about my form, I tend to be steady enough. I just seem to have made an amateur "palm toss" mistake, I hope it won't be too difficult to correct.

 

[Fedace]

Have you tried tossing with your fingertips? I had a lesson before where my coach put me infront of a trashcan for 30 minutes and had me toss it so the ball would land in the the can. It helped a lot. Keep practicing and focus on it because without a good toss your name will never fit your game.

toss with fingertips or with Palm sideways ?? someone told to toss with palm sideways?

 

[tennisdad65]

toss with fingertips or with Palm sideways ?? someone told to toss with palm sideways?

I toss normally (palm up) but palm sideways is a reliable method. It is good for folks who have the finger flicking problem where they constantly toss the ball behind their heads.

 

[wyutani]

everyday, after u wake up, take a tennis ball and toss it. duh!

 

[sureshs]

BJ King was asked by Tennis Channel a couple of days back why the women's serves were unraveling these days. She said girls should practise throwing a ball as soon as they are born. OK. But she also said:

Just throw it up and hit it.

With all due respect to her, the dinky serves of her era (wood racquets or not) don't cut it any more. One more example of old-timers talking down to the modern generation.

 

[darthpwner]

Toss with the thumb index and middle fingers only. Extend your arm fully just like a lay up in basketball. Keep the wrist locked so you can accurately place it all the time. Try to keep your arm up until slightly after contact so you keep your head up. Practice.

 

[Flyingpanda]

I just went out and tossed the ball for almost 45 minutes, not even at the court, just in my backyard. I already feel like my toss is improving a bit. I was doing the palm thing before too and it does all kinds of stuff to the ball. Using fingers and just opening up my hand has already made my toss better.

 

[Fedace]

everyday, after u wake up, take a tennis ball and toss it. duh!

What if you have a LOW ceiling in your house then it isn't such a good idea,,, is it ??

 

[wyutani]

What if you have a LOW ceiling in your house then it isn't such a good idea,,, is it ??

hmm, true, and when it hits the ceiling fan....disastorous.

 

[LeeD]

Suresh... BJK was barely 5'3" and served first topspinners at 90mph. That's good.
Rosie was closer to 5'1" and served bigger, occasionally some flats even, breaking 100.
BettyStove from Holland was 6' and served 120.
Don't think they had poor tosses leading to slow serves in the late '70's.

 

[Ripper014]

BJ King was asked by Tennis Channel a couple of days back why the women's serves were unraveling these days. She said girls should practise throwing a ball as soon as they are born. OK. But she also said:

Just throw it up and hit it.

With all due respect to her, the dinky serves of her era (wood racquets or not) don't cut it any more. One more example of old-timers talking down to the modern generation.

I think what BJK was getting at was the throwing motion used in the serve. As boys we grow up throwing sticks... stones... baseball... footballs... etc. Girls on the otherhand have less experience in thie arena.

As far as old-timers talking down to the modern generation, you need to give them (us) some respect... she has lived and watched how tennis has been played not only in her decade... but many decades between then and now. Do you really think you would know more about the game of womens tennis than her?

 

[papa]

Even when girls are brought up throwing balls, IMO its still a difficult (more difficult I should say) task because of upper body strength. However, women have come a long way in this sport as well as most others like hockey, rugby, softball, etc.

 

[southend]

Two things which seem to work:
1. Hold the ball with the palm sideways; like you are holding one of those triangular paper cone cups full of water.
2. Toss as if the ball is made of concrete --- seems to work for me.

 

[LeeD]

Just practice.
I've said before I used to play against a one armed B or 4.5 player. He'd start with the ball on the ground, bounce it up with his racket, bounce it again to toss location, and hit a normal strong 4.5 serve. He hardly ever aborted his motion due to bad tosses ..... :twisted::twisted:

 

[nabrug]

My inconsistent toss has led me to fault 60% of the time or more. People who watch me play often comment my serves that do go in are "ace-quality" and that my form is great. They often say if only my toss was more consistent I would be one of the better servers at the club. I can't seem to get my head around it.

Most of the time I tend to throw the ball way to far up, thus ruining my timing. I believe I use the pinpoint stance(legs come together before jump, correct me if i'm wrong), and its really my my toss I find to be the hardest part of the serve. I have even tried toss completely vertically as some sources recommend(rather than a windmill, circular motion) but that is way too awkward a motion to get used to.

I'm looking for any ways to develop a good toss, AND make a habit out of it. My tosses also go too far infront of my face, or behind, to either side so much that I can't hope to compensate. And all to often it goes too high that is messes my timing. I also find when my toss is great, the rest of the motion is not as good because I concentrate too muchon the toss. I want to start tossing well and not have to even think about it. I try to control my toss but habit gets the best of me, any tips I can try?

Maybe this is not what you are looking for. But there is scientific proove that if you visualize the starting point of the ball trajectory you want to make your placement improves with a significant portion of 15-30%.

 

[papa]

Maybe this is not what you are looking for. But there is scientific proove that if you visualize the starting point of the ball trajectory you want to make your placement improves with a significant portion of 15-30%.

Well, good point, visualization is one of the major keys here.

Here's something that you might want to try out, to test this point. Next time you practice serving, prior to the toss, look to the service box for a second or two and pick out where you want the serve to go. I like dividing the service box into thirds but whatever method you use is fine. After you have looked at that spot, try serving -- I think you'll be surprised how close you can come to that general area. Basically, you've given your brain the target and it (the brain) will make the necessary adjustments to deliver the ball there. Just try it, if it works for you fine, if it doesn't you haven't wasted anything - bet it works.

 

[LeeD]

You mean looking at your target?
But that is assuming your TOSS in good.
If you're looking for a target for the TOSS, better look up into the hitting side quadrant about 4' higher than your head and 14" inside the court.....

 

[sureshs]

Keep arm straight, line it up with front foot, and toss it straight up with the shoulder as the hinge. Hold the ball in your palm and when you release it, open up your fingers like the petals of a flower - this helps in avoiding any spin or sideways force on the ball.

 

[papa]

You mean looking at your target?
But that is assuming your TOSS in good.
If you're looking for a target for the TOSS, better look up into the hitting side quadrant about 4' higher than your head and 14" inside the court.....

Yes, the target. I think the toss should be accurate enough that you don't need a target. However, four feet above the head is close.

 

[spacediver]

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=xstf#p/u/16/inpebVSacJw

 

[nabrug]

Well, good point, visualization is one of the major keys here.

Here's something that you might want to try out, to test this point. Next time you practice serving, prior to the toss, look to the service box for a second or two and pick out where you want the serve to go. I like dividing the service box into thirds but whatever method you use is fine. After you have looked at that spot, try serving -- I think you'll be surprised how close you can come to that general area. Basically, you've given your brain the target and it (the brain) will make the necessary adjustments to deliver the ball there. Just try it, if it works for you fine, if it doesn't you haven't wasted anything - bet it works.

I am 100% against this kind of visualizing. THE important thing of actually serving is the beginning of the ball trajectory. Maybe just before when I made the decision I saw the trajectory itself. A serve is actually realised at the baseline where you are standing. The service box will not run away.

 

[spacediver]

I am 100% against this kind of visualizing. THE important thing of actually serving is the beginning of the ball trajectory. Maybe just before when I made the decision I saw the trajectory itself. A serve is actually realised at the baseline where you are standing. The service box will not run away.

Unclear what you're saying here.

Yes the ball trajectory is important, but so are a hundred other things.

I don't think there's anything wrong with visualizing your end goal. If your body has learned, through hours and hours of training and feedback, the relationship betwen all these factors, and the final outcome, then there is nothing to say it cannot reverse engineer the steps necessary to achieve a particular end goal.

 

[yemenmocha]

It's not "just practice." Bad practice makes it worse.

Like others have said, experiment with using fingers for the toss, or holding it like an ice cream cone.

Either way, focus on the arm movement from the deltoid. A lot of people use too much forearm and have too much elbow bend that results in inconsistent tosses.

Also, make sure the motion isn't circular in any significant way. Some people's arms take an arc path as the toss goes up and it makes the ball land either too far forward or to one side.

 

[papa]

Unclear what you're saying here.

Yes the ball trajectory is important, but so are a hundred other things.

I don't think there's anything wrong with visualizing your end goal. If your body has learned, through hours and hours of training and feedback, the relationship betwen all these factors, and the final outcome, then there is nothing to say it cannot reverse engineer the steps necessary to achieve a particular end goal.

Well, you said it better than I did. Rather than try some of these things, some want to just tell you it won't work. Maybe it won't for many but you should at least give it a try.

I happen to think/believe that the brain does exactly what you said.

 

[shwetty[tennis]balls]

Two things which seem to work:
1. Hold the ball with the palm sideways; like you are holding one of those triangular paper cone cups full of water.
2. Toss as if the ball is made of concrete --- seems to work for me.

This is excellent advice, particularly the first one. If you take a paper cup full of water, not for pretend but for real, do it in the back yard, practice tossing the cup straight up without spilling the water. It is with this exact motion that you want to toss a tennis ball. This will help you to pivot your toss mainly with your shoulder and not so much at the elbow. Notice Federer's toss- you could literally replace the ball with a cone-cup full of water. This will help to target a more accurate and graceful toss.

 

[nabrug]

Unclear what you're saying here.

Yes the ball trajectory is important, but so are a hundred other things.

I don't think there's anything wrong with visualizing your end goal. If your body has learned, through hours and hours of training and feedback, the relationship betwen all these factors, and the final outcome, then there is nothing to say it cannot reverse engineer the steps necessary to achieve a particular end goal.

Before you serve you take a decision based upon a lot of things, direction, technique etc.. Than I visualize the trajectory ending with visualizing the beginpoint/contact point. So when I actually serve I only see this point. The serve is actually created there. If you do it like this you have a chance to improve your toss with 15-30%. The trajectory itself is extra information you do not need while actually executing the stroke. Besides that, I know it is a huge advantage mentally to do it like this. That does not mean you are wrong. If you have trained it for years and you have success with it than it's your thing. I am a GBA coach. If somebody, like in this thread, has trouble with it I start giving this advice. It has never failed.

 

[spacediver]

Before you serve you take a decision based upon a lot of things, direction, technique etc.. Than I visualize the trajectory ending with visualizing the beginpoint/contact point. So when I actually serve I only see this point. The serve is actually created there. If you do it like this you have a chance to improve your toss with 15-30%. The trajectory itself is extra information you do not need while actually executing the stroke. Besides that, I know it is a huge advantage mentally to do it like this. That does not mean you are wrong. If you have trained it for years and you have success with it than it's your thing. I am a GBA coach. If somebody, like in this thread, has trouble with it I start giving this advice. It has never failed.

Ok so maybe what you mean to say is that visualizing the toss is also something that, when paid attention to, can yield good results.

Fair enough.

But when you imagine a particular toss, you are presumably doing so in relation to a particular target in the service box.

Papa's "technique" doesn't mean it can't incorporate toss visualization - it just means that visualizing the end target can help facilitate appropriate preparatory steps, including an appropriate toss trajectory.

 

[LeeD]

" HOW TO IMPROVE MY TOSS ".....
I won't tell OP how to pick up tennis balls or how to sweep the court...:twisted:

 

[RafaBrain]

My inconsistent toss has led me to fault 60% of the time or more. People who watch me play often comment my serves that do go in are "ace-quality" and that my form is great. They often say if only my toss was more consistent I would be one of the better servers at the club. I can't seem to get my head around it.

Most of the time I tend to throw the ball way to far up, thus ruining my timing. I believe I use the pinpoint stance(legs come together before jump, correct me if i'm wrong), and its really my my toss I find to be the hardest part of the serve. I have even tried toss completely vertically as some sources recommend(rather than a windmill, circular motion) but that is way too awkward a motion to get used to.

I'm looking for any ways to develop a good toss, AND make a habit out of it. My tosses also go too far infront of my face, or behind, to either side so much that I can't hope to compensate. And all to often it goes too high that is messes my timing. I also find when my toss is great, the rest of the motion is not as good because I concentrate too muchon the toss. I want to start tossing well and not have to even think about it. I try to control my toss but habit gets the best of me, any tips I can try?

..
I read a book which tells me to practice toss along a wall corner lines. it works for me.

 

[snoopy]

Try this too:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/tennis/skills/newsid_3717000/3717132.stm

 

[BLX]

toss with fingertips or with Palm sideways ?? someone told to toss with palm sideways?

 

[snoopy]

That looks like a drawing of this guy:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...mwrestler-shows-single-Popeye-esque-limb.html

 

[snvplayer]

I used to have real tough time with toss as well.

One thing that really helped me was to toss as your kind of step down on your left foot.

In other words, toss as you stretch out and forward your left hip. This will automatically generate slight knee bend.

This is very clear on Sampras' serve. He would lift up his left toe up and as he puts it down, his tossing up goes upward while his left hip stretches up and knee bends.

Tossing consistently becomes really difficult when you make it all arm and shoulder action.

 

[papa]

Tossing consistently becomes really difficult when you make it all arm and shoulder action.

Well, I hear what your saying but the shoulder is the important element here. Although the arm plays a significant role, IMO it should be straight and merely lift the ball into place - bent arm style just is not going to cut it here and you'll find too much inconsistency.

Sorry, just reread you post and that's what you said - sorry. Fingers got ahead of my brain which is not that unusual these days.

 

[LeeD]

Possibly, the word LIFTING THE BALL might be the key here.
Bad toss's I see, the player jerks the ball up, like they thought the ball weighed 5 lbs., then when they start, it weighs 3 oz.
Maybe slow start and smooth accelerate on the toss.
NO WRISTS, NOT FINGERS, NO FLIPS