my best serve tip - throw a right hook!

[Ross K]

Noticed a sudden rush of threads lately with serve tips and interesting visual aids ('up the mountain', 'beat the rug', etc), and just wanted to touch on a very simple visual reference that helped me a lot...

'Throwing a right hook', or put in more technical language, learning to correctly incorporate loading/firing from the shoulder into the rest of my serve motion really added some MPH to my relatively weak serve - and on occasions a LOT more MPH (as in unreturnable rocket!) And I really can't stress enough that, for someone like myself who's serve has never carried big speed, to be able to just totally boom that ball in with a zip and trajectory like an advanced level player... and okay, I haven't got it down consistently and it appears fleetingly, but none the less though... to know this is achievable and to actually feel yourself do this (and what a beautiful, effortless, fluid and even transcendent feeling it is too?!)... well, it was certainly one of my absolute recent tennis highlights, and justifies too much time spent on these boards!

So then... here's what I mean:

the takeback is more like the one when you apply a right hook in boxing. You should feel a "sideway" stretch around the juncture between the collarbone and shoulder joint. As with normal service technique, don't try to "guide" the takeback with your hand. Simply let the windup stretch the shoulder.

I would add to this advice (originally imparted to me courtesy of tricky... who else?!), that when you do this right what happens is the 'shoulder over shoulder' or 'cartwheel motion' is perfectly executed. And to return to the subject of how it feels, the sensation is akin to your frame just detonating the ball off your racquet!... Basically, the concept and accompanying visualizing re opening up that chest, stretching out that upper right collarbone/back area etc, and just throwing a right hook as if you're Muhammad Ali!... it's the best tip I've had re serving in a very long time.

BTW, here's another tricky quote I kind of like!

Yeah, you're experiencing strong pronation (collarbone stretches upper pectoral/chest = loaded for strong pronation), and you might notice a snappy feel. It also looks kinda cool.

Anyhow. I hope this might maybe be of assistance and interest to some people (and, yes, this is aimed at lower/intermediate level players)... and remember... while you're 'going up the mountain' or 'beating the rug' and all the rest of them - why not try 'throwing a right hook'!

R.

 

[crosscourt]

I really do agree about the importance of getting your shoulder moving in serving. So many people teach all sorts of things but without that simple requirement being met it is very hard to consistently produce a good serve.

cc

 

[5263]

are you sure you mean a hook???

 

[tricky]

are you sure you mean a hook???

it was with an abbreviated serve in mind. The original thread Ross was asking about abbreviated motions.

 

[VaBeachTennis]

are you sure you mean a hook???

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, being that a hook (boxing) is on a horizontal plane, yes there is a "shovel hook" and that's approx 45 degrees from low to high. I'd think that maybe an overhand right or left (dependent on what your dominant arm is) may be a better description if you pretend that your opponent is 7ft tall, if you had to use that analogy.

 

[35ft6]

I think it's more like throwing a baseball straight up into the air.

 

[5263]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, being that a hook (boxing) is on a horizontal plane, yes there is a "shovel hook" and that's approx 45 degrees from low to high. I'd think that maybe an overhand right or left (dependent on what your dominant arm is) may be a better description if you pretend that your opponent is 7ft tall, if you had to use that analogy.

My thoughts to the word. Kind of scary actually.

 

[VaBeachTennis]

My thoughts to the word. Kind of scary actually.

Great minds think alike.

 

[Ross K]

VaBeachTennis, 5263,

Okay, maybe I've phrased this a tad wrong in my OP... not sure... hmm...

the takeback is more like the one when you apply a right hook in boxing. You should feel a "sideway" stretch around the juncture between the collarbone and shoulder joint. As with normal service technique, don't try to "guide" the takeback with your hand. Simply let the windup stretch the shoulder.

Well, it's maybe worth noting tricky's precise wording in the piece I quoted in my OP: "the takeback is more like the one when you're throwing a right hook"...

Plus also, as tricky has mentioned above, his quote was originally on a thread re the abbreviated serve motion. My mistake. That should have been said perhaps on OP.

All of which raises the Q, does this analogy therefore not apply to more traditional serve/takebacks?... tricky, are you out there?!... (Sorry to have to haul you in to this t :roll: )

Lastly, I really do hope some of you can appreciate the value of the advice I was given. As crosscourt refers to above, so many ppl don't seem to employ the shoulder area correctly (even when they think they are), and are actually utilizing too much arm. I know this to be true because, as I said, the increased MPH doesn't lie!

R.

 

[tricky]

All of which raises the Q, does this analogy therefore not apply to more traditional serve/takebacks?... tricky, are you out there?!... (Sorry to have to haul you in to this t )

It doesn't apply. That's why people find it confusing for a traditional takeback.

When it comes to the traditional takeback, a lot of beginners/intermediates treat the trophy pose as the "touchdown!" pose (in other words, they shape their traditional takeback into a tilted touchdown gesture.) And so working with the sock-in-ball drill gets them to a more natural takeback.

It's really important that the person get down the shoulder-over-shoulder motion. That itself is unique compared to most other throwing and pitching motions. But once you have it, then the rest of the serve is much easier to learn.

 

[Ross K]

Thanks t ^

 

[5263]

It doesn't apply. That's why people find it confusing for a traditional takeback.

When it comes to the traditional takeback, a lot of beginners/intermediates treat the trophy pose as the "touchdown!" pose (in other words, they shape their traditional takeback into a tilted touchdown gesture.) And so working with the sock-in-ball drill gets them to a more natural takeback.

It's really important that the person get down the shoulder-over-shoulder motion. That itself is unique compared to most other throwing and pitching motions. But once you have it, then the rest of the serve is much easier to learn.

My son's pitching coach uses the shoulder over shoulder motion.
So maybe not sooo unique as we might have thought.

 

[tricky]

My son's pitching coach uses the shoulder over shoulder motion.

Ahh, good point. I should have said cartwheel motion, which encompasses both the shoulder-over-shoulder and trunk tilt.

 

[crosscourt]

By the time that you have trunk tilt and shoulder over shoulder, don't you have something like a hook in boxing? I feel that if I serve well I am doing something like hitting a high forehand -- I have just tilted my body so that I can use that technique to hit a ball that is much higher up. I feel that a high forehand is something like a hook.

cc

 

[ti286]

I discovered this on accident. I sort of swung at my serve like throwing a curve ball, with extra shoulder turn.

I do have to toss it into the 1 or 2 o'clock position, and it does have some side spin, but it feels effortless and just explodes off my racket.