Serve stance - platform / pinpoint & achilles tendon

[dknotty]

My achilles issues have returned with avengeance and I'm going to have a break from tennis to allow a proper recovery.

I think they've been aggravated by my serve and I'm thinking I need to switch from a platform to pinpoint stance as I think the mechanics mean there is less strain on the achilles tendons due to both working in the same direction.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone else had similar issues with the achilles tendon and serves?

How easy is it to switch between stances?

 

[Topspin Shot]

You do get up on your toes in the trophy position with your platform stance? I don't feel this should stress your Achilles tendon more than a pinpoint stance would.

 

[dknotty]

I do, I just feel that with your legs together they are working in the same direction more there is less strain on each ankle.

I really do feel discomfort in my Achilles as I'll rising up to make contact.

 

[LeeD]

I seem to almost be able to hit practice set level serves using both stances.
Yes, platform takes more out of my legs, including the achilles.
Pinpoint, with the back foot stepping forwards, momentum is thrown forwards, so you don't initiate forward movement needing the backfoot push.
Platform is more stable, more precise, but does take some lower leg.
Pinpoint, momentum is moving forwards at trophy, so you lose some precision, might game some ball speed, and your body is already moving as you hit the ball.
Switch to pinpoint, concentrate of ease of serving, don't judge it's effectiveness in match play for 2 months. It takes time to adapt.

 

[Tight Lines]

For the longest time, I used to serve with a platform stance. I think that has contributed to my recently developed patellar tendonitis.

Because of that, I have switched to a platform to pinpoint stance (start with platform but end with pinpoint). I feel that the new motion places less strain on my left knee.

The switch was relatively painless. One hour of practice did it for me.

Harry

 

[LeeD]

While I could switch from pinpoint to platform is well less than an hour, to be able to incorporate the change into match play would take several months.
Habits are habits, and pinpointing since 1975, any change is not immediate in coming.

 

[Greg G]

Didn't have any leg issues with the platform, but I was able to switch to pinpoint rather painlessly. Just took about an hour of work (I thought it would take much longer). Was so pleased by it that I used it in a doubles tournament, with no ill effects. The pinpoint stance helped with getting my toss ore forward, and getting my weight going forwards and upwards. The step up of the right foot also helped with timing.

Am working on some upper body mechanics right now, so I switched back to platform for now, again with no issues.

 

[Tight Lines]

While I could switch from pinpoint to platform is well less than an hour, to be able to incorporate the change into match play would take several months.
Habits are habits, and pinpointing since 1975, any change is not immediate in coming.

Well, to each his own I guess.... I recall reading somewhere that Jeff Salzenstein in his pro days switched from pinpoint to platform only a couple of days before a tournament. Not sure why, but he is really big on platform stance. All that got me was a patellar tendonitis

Harry

 

[jussumman]

I feel that pinpoint is better suited for taller players, while platform for mid height and shorter. The balls trajectory travels more downward into the court, as with Federer's serve they say is "heavy". Has anyone noticed a big difference in the topspin serve from one stance to another? I imagine pinpoint would allow for better 2nd topspin serve..

 

[Ballinbob]

I use a platform stance and have never experienced pain. To be honest, I doubt the pain is from your serving stance.

Are you stretching enough before playing?

And when I switched from pinpoint to platform it wasn't easy, but that's me

 

[LeeD]

Most shorter players and most of WTA, use pinpoint for more power, the body moving forwards at the moment of impact.
Tall guys don't need more power, most need more CONTROL.
The short guys who use platform only start the point with their serves, using the groundies, leg speed, direction changes, and pure willpower to win.

 

[Ballinbob]

Pretty sure Raonic has a platform serve and he has a sick serve. He's also able to power it to 150+mph

 

[LeeD]

When your're 6'5" and have a live arm, you can serve hard without moving the feet, jumping, or even trying.
Most of us don't have 6'5" on our side.
Milos does seem to use body lean forwards on prep to get his ab crunch into his serves, while lots of guys stand up straight at prep position for control of their body.
Goran leaned forwards. Groth leans forwards. Tanner leaned barely, so maybe not. McEnroe leans forwards. Connors leans forwards. That's to incorporate ab crunch to get those shoulders an extra boost in forward component. And finish leaning forwards a little.

 

[jussumman]

Pretty sure Raonic has a platform serve and he has a sick serve. He's also able to power it to 150+mph

I just searched Raonic racquet specs and I found that he strings it at 42/44 lbs! I can imagine such low tensions provide massive power, but how do you play later on when ball is in play? He doesn't need to on his serve often with the aces and poor returns, but when he's returning serve, he has to get some balls back into rallies.

My Volkl 93 specs tension recommended is "50-60"lbs and I pretty much go in the middle 56m/54c, I get the control I want and I like to have to put a lot of effort into my shots (feels more like I'm playing), but I can't imagine such low string tensions. What do you string your racquet BallingBob? weight?

 

[LeeD]

I think there is a point of diminishing returns when you keep dropping tension on a racket.
I've tried Shoud's POG's with 25/30 lbs stringing, and it plays just fine.
I use TourBite16 at 47 lbs., might drop tension down to lower 40's the next string job on 4DAero300's.
Just gotta hit through the ball, and allow your finish to impart some spin to the ball to control depth.

 

[Lukhas]

I noticed that after 55lbs everything was pretty equal to me. I couldn't get significantly more control past that point, and I had to work harder to produce the same results, so it became tiring for nothing. The stringbed was so stiff I couldn't feel the sweetspot anymore. I'm not Bob but now I string PPA at 46/44lbs instead of 53/49 and everything is fine control wise. If the shots are flying off the court, it means I'm playing poorly.

My guess as far as Raonic is concerned is that snap-back is better at lower tension where the strings move more freely. Poly ain't gut or multi after all: it's already a control oriented kind of string. What is the point to string a control oriented string at high tension? Ain't he using a control oriented string to gain control already? For example Roddick used to string full PHT in the 60's. Then he noticed that he had similar control at 55. He switched to gut crosses later on. Federer strings gut main (prestretched) and poly crosses at 48/45 lbs in his 90in2 frame, so I smirk when I saw a guy stringing full RPM16 at 58 in a PS6.1 90; it was like hitting with a frying pan. Federer used to play full gut at 55/52 (prestretched) You should search for some string logs in the Pro Equipment section, tensions for pro players are dropping. However, they're not really dropping at rec level TBH. You should read TWU too. I should too because I don't remember exactly all the details, but it's interesting.

 

[dknotty]

I use a platform stance and have never experienced pain. To be honest, I doubt the pain is from your serving stance.

Are you stretching enough before playing?

And when I switched from pinpoint to platform it wasn't easy, but that's me

I don't really stretch before playing. My achilles issues in my left ankle started when I sprained my ankle quite badly and recently my right ankle has had a couple of niggles.

I think that both have been aggravated by trying to change my serve so I get more explosiveness. I do think that from a biomechanical perspective, if your legs are together the stress is distributed more equally however if there apart it's harder for them to work together.

 

[Tight Lines]

I use a platform stance and have never experienced pain. To be honest, I doubt the pain is from your serving stance.

Are you stretching enough before playing?

And when I switched from pinpoint to platform it wasn't easy, but that's me

I think what happened to me is that I was trying to incorporate more of an archer's bow type bending. That placed a lot of stress on my left knee because of its lateral movement near the trophy position. Not sure if I described it clearly.

Harry