Relative Flat Serve - Wrist Snap

[James Reed]

Previously(like 5 years) I have kept a relative stiff wrist with very little snap just prior to striking the ball and concentrated on more forward arm motion. Today I let my wrist lay back much more on the follow through and snapped harder with my wrist(like hammering a nail). I did feel as if I had to reach higher for the ball and had to "time it" much more accurate. My results were great if I reached up for the ball and timed the snap just right. Do you have tips on snapping the wrist as you hit the ball? Does this make sense to do this? Appreciate any constructive input.

 

[TennsDog]

I don't think there is really much difference in the amount of wrist snap for a flat serve, just the direction of the snap. Kick serves, slice serves, twist serves...these all require a generous wrist snap to be effective. Kick serve snaps up behind the ball, slice sideways across back, twist around back bottom to top. A flat serve just requires the wrist to snap right into and through the ball. It may seem harder though because there is more resistance from the ball. The timing will be different and more difficult if you are not currently using it, but once you get it down it is well worth it.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

James,

First off, if I read your post right, you shouldnt force a snap on the ball. You are asking for problems down the road.

A good wrist snap happens when your arm has reached its maximum length. Then by being loose at the wrist, the weight of the racquet and the force of your swing will cause the racquet head to hit the ball as it goes through and down - naturally. When you force a snap, it strains the tendons in your wrist which can lead to wrist problems.

For slice serves, topspin serves, twist serves, it is more of the angle you hit the ball from with your swing and where you hit the ball that causes the spin. If you have a fast swing speed and brush the ball in the right spot for a slice serve for instance, you will put a strong slice spin into the ball.

Just concentrate on hitting all your serves with your arm fully extended at contact, that is the key to having a good wrist snap and nothing more. That is if you want it to happen naturally.

 

[montanatennisacademy.com]

Hello I don't recommond you to force yourself to snap with your wrist. The snap come automatic with a relax motion. If you contunie to doing that you may injury your wrist and then you wouldn't be able to play tennis.






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[hofertennis]

No one asked the right question! What grip are you using? A Eastern forehand grip doesn't offer the oppourtunity for much wrist snap. The Continental gives better wrist snap potential but it's not the wrist that snaps for power it's the bones in the forearm pronating. So it depends on what grip your using. I don't think a lot of wrist snap is good for any shot in tennis but with the proper grip you should be able to pronate your arm to get the "snap" your looking for on the serve.

 

[kevhen]

I think Eastern is best for snapping straight down on a flat serve. Continental is best for snapping across on kick serves. It's a different wrist motion for each kind of serve. I think you do need to keep your wrist loose and not force it too much, but I do think you need to concentrate on finishing and following through on the wrist snap. Many people will stop once the ball hits the strings but you do have to follow through the snap all the way down through to completion. Good luck with the snap!

 

[hofertennis]

I don't know of any pros that use an Eastern grip to hit flat serves. Not only can you get more power with the Continental grip but you can get more height on your reach. You cannot reach as high with an Eastern grip as you can with a Continental. Watch the pros!

 

[Bungalo Bill]

No one asked the right question! What grip are you using? A Eastern forehand grip doesn't offer the oppourtunity for much wrist snap. The Continental gives better wrist snap potential but it's not the wrist that snaps for power it's the bones in the forearm pronating. So it depends on what grip your using. I don't think a lot of wrist snap is good for any shot in tennis but with the proper grip you should be able to pronate your arm to get the "snap" your looking for on the serve.

There is no "right" question to ask. The poster has made it clear that he is talking about wrist snap and not proper grip for the serve.

Actually I disagree with you that a lot of wrist snap is not good for the serve. As long as it is done naturally it is good for the serve. Other strokes are another matter.

Also, the Continental grip does not automatically give you more power on a serve. There are plenty of people that can crank down a flat serve using an Eastern forehand grip. The Continental grip simply places the arm and hand in a natural position to pronate in the serve - it is as simple as that.

 

[JohnYandell]

Some Input on "Wrist Snap"

If I may, I'd like to weigh in on this tricky issue of "wrist snap" having spent a lot of time in a dark room with our foundation's high speed video.
Does the wrist move significantly as the racket moves from the drop to the contact? Yes, definitely.
Is this a "snap" and is that term a good one to use in instruction?
Not in my opinion.
If you look closely at 250 frame high speed video of a wide range of servers--Pete, Roddick, Flipper, Rusedksi, Agassi, Safin--it doesn't matter who, you'll see that at the contact and just after the contact you don't see the wrist move forward that is "snap" or "break" forward or down.
Virtually without exception, the hand stays in the same plane as the top of the forearm. Depending on the ball you will see some left to right flex, but not forward, and even this left to right movement, when it happens, happens mostly after contact.
Yes, later in the followthrough, you will sometimes see the wrist "break" or move forward. But not always. This is a reaction to the hit, not a cause. We can see this with the naked eye because the racket is moving so much slower at that point and sometimes confuse it with what happens at contact.
I agree with Bungalow Bill that the wrist movement just happens, but I do think that using the term "snap" has mislead a lot of players (and coaches).
The movement of the racket head to the ball is generated by elbow extension, and by the rotation of the hand counterclockwise (and this in term involves forearm and upper arm rotation).
If you think of it as gving the ball a "high five" from a great racket drop position with a continental grip and a relaxed wrist, you'll get it just about right. The wrist action will come along for the ride perfectly on its own.

 

[montanatennisacademy.com]

You can use a Eastern grip or a Continental grip.. It what ever you feel more comfort in but the continenatl grip most for advance user.. and for a beginner it would be a eastern grip it the same as hand shake..



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[hofertennis]

John, Maybe you could enlighten us on the proper grip. Do any pros use an eastern grip on the serve? Is it possible to even use an eastern grip and snap you wrist? Physically you cannot snap your wrist with a western grip on the serve. I know the original poster said nothing about grip but about wrist snap but I don't think you can enter any discussion about wrist snap without talking about grip.

 

[montanatennisacademy.com]

I agree with you on that hofertennis...



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[hofertennis]

Actually no one can hit down on a serve. Every serve must be hit up at one point. John's point about the wrist snapping after the contact is correct but during the serve would cause the ball to go down. And I am guessing that almost every pro player uses a continental grip and they sure get more power than the eastern grip users.

 

[JohnYandell]

Grip

Doug,
How's life out there is Vasalia--thought it was a pretty cool place when I passed thru recently...
Not sure I can say what is "proper". I also think it's hard to define continental, eastern, etc, since so many different people call slight variations in the grip by various names.
Pete in my view has a fairly strong serving grip. His lower heel pad is on the top bevel. His index knuckle is one bevel to the right of the top or maybe slightly toward the edge of the top bevel.
Would you call that "Eastern" or maybe strong continental? It's probably slightly weaker than his backhand drive. But o you have to have the knuckle all the way on top to be "eastern"...you see what I mean.
Flipper seems about the same as Pete. Rusedksi is probably slightly weaker tha Pete more toward continental--Mac was a little further still.
Since I don't really believe in using the term "wrist snap" I'm not sure what value there is in trying to see the difference (if any) in the wrist movement based on the grip. There may very well be slight differences, but I can't see them in the footage. Like I said the wrist movement forward that I associate with the term "snap" is an effect. You'll see the same player break the wrist in the followthrough not at all, or quite a bit. So I don't necessarily think its associated with the grip. I do think the stronger grips are associated with a higher topspin component--at least if the toss isn't too far to the right.

 

[hofertennis]

John, thanks for you feedback. I know high speed cameras can tell us a lot more than we can see with the naked eye. It's this kind of technology that has kept me seeking more knowledge and has kept our industry fresh.
Does Pete change his grip from 1st to 2nd to get more spin? I always thought that outward shoulder rotation and forearm pronation is what gives contential grip users their power, along with the legs, body and the kinetic chain.

 

[JohnYandell]

2nd Serve

I can't see any difference from the footage--but there could be a slight shift--if so it's impossible for me to tell. The big change is in his toss. Much further to the left--maybe at the LEFT edge of his head. But still it front! That's what creates 100mph and 5000 rpm. I think all the factors you mention apply in good serves. The trade off from pace to spin is a matter of ball placement and small differences in the racket path as it approaches and strikes the ball.