My New Toss

[crystal_clear]

The tossing arm (left arm for righty) stretches out, palm open facing net once the ball leaves the hand... I feel it a more relaxed toss motion prevents the tossing arm from falling too early so I have time to accelerate the racket... I notice Djokovic, LI Na have the similar toss motion.

Does anyone have the same experience?

 

[charliefedererer]

It sounds like you've discovered the same principles that Brent Abel describes in the following video: Tennis Serve Tossing Motion Tempo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeZp90h-Ar8&feature=channel

And a lot of pros can be viewed with similarities in their toss from this video from tennisoxygen.com: Watch how Federer, Murray, Hass, Hewitt, Davydenko, Safin, Tsonga all make the same move when tossing the ball. Keys to a good toss: Upper body turn during the backswing, hang on to the ball by the finger tips, follow through after releasing the ball: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIF-UaRUd6k

 

[Cindysphinx]

That's interesting. I like to keep my palm facing skyward, fingers facing the net.

 

[Ash_Smith]

There are plenty of pro's who invert the hand on their ball toss and have the palm facing down the court. There is a school of thought which says that it makes it easier to keep the tossing arm up longer due to the position it rotates the shoulder into.

Cheers

Ash

 

[CDestroyer]

:smileoes this work

 

[Ash_Smith]

I find with players of mine who drop the shoulder/arm too early and thus collapse into the ball that inverting the hand can help keep the arm up, or at least make it more comfortable to keep the arm up longer.

Cheers

Ash

 

[larry10s]

There are plenty of pro's who invert the hand on their ball toss and have the palm facing down the court. There is a school of thought which says that it makes it easier to keep the tossing arm up longer due to the position it rotates the shoulder into.

Cheers

Ash

could you provide a link or give an example?

 

[Ash_Smith]

^^^ off the top of my head, Henman, Ferrer, Haas, Simon, Wawrinka and a couple of others go about half way (palm facing side fence). Would have to search to find more examples.

Cheers

Ash

 

[yellowoctopus]

^^^ off the top of my head, Henman, Ferrer, Haas, Simon, Wawrinka and a couple of others go about half way (palm facing side fence). Would have to search to find more examples.

Cheers

Ash

Henman

Ferrer: facing the net, but the photo appears to be after he started his swing.

Haas

 

[yellowoctopus]

The tossing arm (left arm for righty) stretches out, palm open facing net once the ball leaves the hand... I feel it a more relaxed toss motion prevents the tossing arm from falling too early so I have time to accelerate the racket... I notice Djokovic, LI Na have the similar toss motion.

Does anyone have the same experience?

Never tried it before but it resembles a beginning of a windmill or a cartwheel.

 

[Ash_Smith]

Cheers Octopus! glad I wasn't imagining them!!!

Ash

 

[crystal_clear]

Never tried it before but it resembles a beginning of a windmill or a cartwheel.

The tossing arms pronate thus it is hard to fold easily.

 

[GetBetterer]

crystal clear...what is with the yellow National Geographic Box around Djokovic's genitalia?

 

[larry10s]

There are plenty of pro's who invert the hand on their ball toss and have the palm facing down the court.

Cheers

Ash

palm facing down the court.


i thought meant the palm facing DOWN towards the court surface
not towards the net

crystal i thought you were describing roddicks position
could someone up load this pic please
http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/...nt=roddick-serve-lede-0907.jpg&sort=ascending

 

[larry10s]

most pics above have the palm more towards the side fence than the net
thats how i see it for most pros
for those who can post some trophy pics of pete and roger

 

[crystal_clear]

palm facing down the court.


i thought meant the palm facing DOWN towards the court surface
not towards the net

crystal i thought you were describing roddicks position
could someone up load this pic please
http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/...nt=roddick-serve-lede-0907.jpg&sort=ascending

That's the toss motion I am talking about. The toss palm is not facing the player. Whether the palm faces side fence or the net depends on the toss, if tossing ball along the baseline then palm facing the side fence, if tossing ball more inside the court then palm facing net.

 

[crystal_clear]

most pics above have the palm more towards the side fence than the net
thats how i see it for most pros
for those who can post some trophy pics of pete and roger

Good observation, Larry.

 

[RichT]

Seems like one more thing to think about during your service motion to me.

Once in the trophy pose all I consider is how I want to hit the ball, e.g. over the top, 2 o'clock.

Does this really improve service percentage?

 

[crystal_clear]

It sounds like you've discovered the same principles that Brent Abel describes in the following video: Tennis Serve Tossing Motion Tempo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeZp90h-Ar8&feature=channel

I saw this video before and it is a good video. It didn't mention how to toss a ball. It is natural that the palm will face the sky during and after the toss. The tossing arm will easily fold or fall too soon for me. Pronating the tossing arm a little bit once the ball released from the hand will keep the tossing arm up longer. The pros already have perfect toss no matter where their toss palms facing. For those who are struggling in serve might try my new toss.

And a lot of pros can be viewed with similarities in their toss from this video from tennisoxygen.com: Watch how Federer, Murray, Hass, Hewitt, Davydenko, Safin, Tsonga all make the same move when tossing the ball. Keys to a good toss: Upper body turn during the backswing, hang on to the ball by the finger tips, follow through after releasing the ball: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIF-UaRUd6k

Great video analysis, Charlie. Good technique yields the same result.

 

[larry10s]

Seems like one more thing to think about during your service motion to me.

Once in the trophy pose all I consider is how I want to hit the ball, e.g. over the top, 2 o'clock.

Does this really improve service percentage?

you should decide all those things BEFORE you toss:shock:

 

[RichT]

you should decide all those things BEFORE you toss:shock:

The type of serve and placement I'm going for, Sure - I guess I should have said "all I concentrate on is how I want to hit the ball".

 

[LeeD]

Type and placement totally tells me how to hit the ball.