Serving

[Delzac]

Hi all,

Is it a must to use Continental Grip when doing flat serve? or should i say what grip to use to hit a flat serve.

Currently i'm using my forehand grip to hit a flat serve......when i try to use continental grip.....my serve breaks down(i feel very uncomfortable using continental grip).

So the qns is

1)y must we use continental grip?
2)what is so wrong with using forehand grip.?
3)any advise when using continental grip to serve?

Any help will be appreciated.thx!

 

[siber222000]

1) so u can get the clean contact by full swing
2) try it and u'll find it out
3) think as ur throwing baseball, but ur not throwing the racquet, after you throw the tennis ball just copy the motion of the throwing the baseball and hit the tennis ball

 

[drakulie]

Continental feels weird at first, but once you get use to it........ you'll see the difference, and options it provides. Also, it allows for your wrist to break freely, and as a result you get more racquet speed than with a forehand grip. Practice, Practice, Practice.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

Hold your racket up where it would be at the top of your service motion.

Aim the racket face toward where you want the ball to land.

Shift/adjust your grip SLIGHTLY and find the position where your wrist gets the most/farthest degree of free motion.

Use that grip as a starting place. Practice serves, adjust your toss as necessary by slight degrees. Make similar adjustments with your grip.

When it all feels comfortable and the ball starts finding your aiming spot, look down at your grip. That's it.

 

[horridvolley]

1. continental grip helps you swing the racquet on its edge before contact (assuming you have your stance aligned), increasing your racquet speed and general flow of the service motion. also, it would probably be *very* difficult to hit a consistent topspin serve with an eastern forehand or sw forehand.

2. you can use the forehand grip if you want, i think there have been people that have used it, but it's just not biomechanically comfortable for most people though, myself included.

3. if you're using a forehand grip to serve, most likely your stance is more open than would be suitable for continental (as in you are probably closer to directly facing the net). i think you'll be able to decipher this one yourself on the court, anyways.

 

[andyroddick's mojo]

basically when using your forehand grip to serve, you won't be able to improve your serve at all. if you use a continental you have a much wider variety of spins (kick, slice) as well as hitting it flat. you also have a much easier wrist motion allowing hard penetrating serves.

 

[th41291]

have you guys ever tried taking a semi-western grip and doing a lefty spin serve with it...it's hard, but it's interesting...you swing right to left...lol

 

[migjam]

You need to learn to use the continental grip for your serve. Especially if you are serving and volleying so you don't have to be switching grips while you are making your way to the net. With a continental you can hit flat, slice or kick. It's just a matter of practicing.

 

[retroceso]

Continental feels weird at first, but once you get use to it........ you'll see the difference, and options it provides. Also, it allows for your wrist to break freely, and as a result you get more racquet speed than with a forehand grip. Practice, Practice, Practice.

totally agree, after i switched to continental my serve got very consitent