This is my Second Serve.
Please give tips and suggestions so i can get better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCWFzOXsqO4
Please give tips and suggestions so i can get better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCWFzOXsqO4
Second Serve help (video)
- Thread starter kv123
- Start date
Well - if you let that ball drop another 2-3 inches, you could hit up at the ball for more spin if you wanted a safer shot. Also, you are tossing the ball pretty much for a first serve, without getting underneath or sideways for good spin. also, you are not accelerating through the ball - you are are hitting and stopping the racquet - keep that racquet moving through the ball
jackabee
Rookie
Throw the ball straighter, rip up the back and aim the ball to arch over the net - generating the topspin will kick the ball up.
You want to keep a similar racket head speed to that of your first serve but aiming underneath, up and over the back of the ball to generate the topspin - really rip it and it'll be a nice solid base of a 2nd serve to work from.
Let us know how you get on!
J
You want to keep a similar racket head speed to that of your first serve but aiming underneath, up and over the back of the ball to generate the topspin - really rip it and it'll be a nice solid base of a 2nd serve to work from.
Let us know how you get on!
J
Nice swing motion...
OK... some dings... Get your feet apart at the start of the motion. Really try NOT to rock back on your heels, lifting your toes. Too much unneeded chance for errors in critical moments of a match.
LET THIS SINK IN !!! You first serve seems easy 100mph. OK, it's fine.
YOUR second serve should be around 65-70 MPH, maximum !
Slow down the speed of the ball, increase your swingspeed and spin of the ball by hitting topspin, so the ball clears the netcord by 3' and still drops into the service box.
Swing faster than your current serve, brush the ball more to get more spin, but SLOWER ball speed, big arc, clear the net by 3', and it goes in.
DO NOT keep your current service speed for your second OR your first serves. For second, it's too fast (ball speed) for consistency. For first, it's too SLOW to win or force a weak return.
Toss ball so it lands directly atop your head, for a start. You can adjust the ball height by tossing farther towards the court, but not farther out right.
OK... some dings... Get your feet apart at the start of the motion. Really try NOT to rock back on your heels, lifting your toes. Too much unneeded chance for errors in critical moments of a match.
LET THIS SINK IN !!! You first serve seems easy 100mph. OK, it's fine.
YOUR second serve should be around 65-70 MPH, maximum !
Slow down the speed of the ball, increase your swingspeed and spin of the ball by hitting topspin, so the ball clears the netcord by 3' and still drops into the service box.
Swing faster than your current serve, brush the ball more to get more spin, but SLOWER ball speed, big arc, clear the net by 3', and it goes in.
DO NOT keep your current service speed for your second OR your first serves. For second, it's too fast (ball speed) for consistency. For first, it's too SLOW to win or force a weak return.
Toss ball so it lands directly atop your head, for a start. You can adjust the ball height by tossing farther towards the court, but not farther out right.
Thanks a lot for all the replies. So here's where i got for today. I went out and through the ball a little further back so it would land on my head. Then i tried loading without lifting my toes back to start. Where i ended up, was not as much up toward the ball but rather just a push into the court.
I'm gonna try to get more leg power to be able to launch up at the ball. What i don't understand for hitting the ball is:
1. Should i try to whip my racquet up and straight at the ball or...
2. Whip my racquet up and forward at the ball.
Also more instruction on how the pre-set-up for the serve would help like the legwork and racquet takeback/ position before the hit.
I really appreciate all the help you guys are giving me. Its really great stuff and i really do go outside and try out the suggestions and its helping me understand and hopefully as i progress, have better and more solid second serves.
:
I'm gonna try to get more leg power to be able to launch up at the ball. What i don't understand for hitting the ball is:
1. Should i try to whip my racquet up and straight at the ball or...
2. Whip my racquet up and forward at the ball.
Also more instruction on how the pre-set-up for the serve would help like the legwork and racquet takeback/ position before the hit.
I really appreciate all the help you guys are giving me. Its really great stuff and i really do go outside and try out the suggestions and its helping me understand and hopefully as i progress, have better and more solid second serves.
:
Ballinbob
Hall of Fame
LeeD, if my first serve is around the 105mph mark, how fast should my TWIST serve be? Twist serves travel slower than pure topspin serves, so would 55-60mph be pretty good? I want to know because it will tell me if I'm behind with my twist serve.
I mean, I use my twist serve alot and its reliable, but is my speed where it should be (55-60mph)??How fast should it be roughly?
I mean, I use my twist serve alot and its reliable, but is my speed where it should be (55-60mph)??How fast should it be roughly?
It should be much faster. As a sophomore in HS, my first serve was about 90. My kicker was about 60. My kick serve now, is much improved, and is around 70.
Ballinbob
Hall of Fame
Well I know my first serve is in the 105mph range, but my twist serve is around 60ish. And I can hit a pure topspin serve at around 65mph, but my twist serve is slower.
i don't know, I guess I need to hit through the ball more because its pretty spinny right now.
People get too hung up on speed. The question really should be "is my serve effective?"
- does it put you at an advantage or disadvantage?
- can you exploit your opponent's weaknesses or avoid their strengths with it?
- is it reliable, even under pressure?
Often times, the problem isn't the second serve. It's the first serve that doesn't go in.
- does it put you at an advantage or disadvantage?
- can you exploit your opponent's weaknesses or avoid their strengths with it?
- is it reliable, even under pressure?
Often times, the problem isn't the second serve. It's the first serve that doesn't go in.
Thanks a lot for all the replies. So here's where i got for today. I went out and through the ball a little further back so it would land on my head. Then i tried loading without lifting my toes back to start. Where i ended up, was not as much up toward the ball but rather just a push into the court.
I'm gonna try to get more leg power to be able to launch up at the ball. What i don't understand for hitting the ball is:
1. Should i try to whip my racquet up and straight at the ball or...
2. Whip my racquet up and forward at the ball.
Also more instruction on how the pre-set-up for the serve would help like the legwork and racquet takeback/ position before the hit.
I really appreciate all the help you guys are giving me. Its really great stuff and i really do go outside and try out the suggestions and its helping me understand and hopefully as i progress, have better and more solid second serves.
To be honest with you, I do not get a lot of power coming from the legs. Instead, I like to use the legs to get up and under the ball so that I am hitting up at the ball to get spin and better net clearance (4-6 feet).
Regarding swing path, I would suggest that you do not change your basic motion. I think you have a pretty good smooth service motion. If you look at your video, you will notice that the service motion has several parts to it.
As a righty, from the backscratch to the point over your head, the racket head is moving up and to the right (with the contact being behind/under the ball) - so if you hit it there, you get top spin.
From the point over your head to the a spot slightly to your right, the racquet is mostly moving the right and forward (with the contact being behind the ball), so you will hit a pretty flat shot with the wrist pronation.
As your racquet moves slightly forward and starts moving down, it will start to be to the right side of the ball, and contact will cause a slice.
ryangoring
Professional
Use the "Chang" approach...........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU2-jsRJRJE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU2-jsRJRJE
Swing upwards if you use a kicker/twist serve.
Swing level towards your target if you use a topspin serve.
Swing so the ball starts slightly downwards if you hit HARD flat first serves.
BallinBob, the former #ONE for CalPoly, ranked as high as mid 200's, hit his first serve around 140 mph. Zack is 6'6" tall, about 230, and the best athlete for his size I've ever seen. His topspin second serve, which he seldom uses, is about 90mph. His twist/kick, used mostly, can't move more than 75-80mph, but the ball is clearly OVAL from his spin, it makes an audible bothersome WHIZZZZZZZZ, bounces well over my head (I"m 5'11"), and he can place it within a foot anytime he wants.
Some guys can hit faster twist serves, but that doesn't allow for much net penetration when you decide to S/V. StefanEdberg, Cash, and Rafter kept their serve speeds low, so they got the extra step inside the service line.
McEnroe only served 115 MAX, but he could get 4' inside the service line on most of his first volleys.
Pace is nice, but it's gotta work with the rest of your game.
Swing level towards your target if you use a topspin serve.
Swing so the ball starts slightly downwards if you hit HARD flat first serves.
BallinBob, the former #ONE for CalPoly, ranked as high as mid 200's, hit his first serve around 140 mph. Zack is 6'6" tall, about 230, and the best athlete for his size I've ever seen. His topspin second serve, which he seldom uses, is about 90mph. His twist/kick, used mostly, can't move more than 75-80mph, but the ball is clearly OVAL from his spin, it makes an audible bothersome WHIZZZZZZZZ, bounces well over my head (I"m 5'11"), and he can place it within a foot anytime he wants.
Some guys can hit faster twist serves, but that doesn't allow for much net penetration when you decide to S/V. StefanEdberg, Cash, and Rafter kept their serve speeds low, so they got the extra step inside the service line.
McEnroe only served 115 MAX, but he could get 4' inside the service line on most of his first volleys.
Pace is nice, but it's gotta work with the rest of your game.
