Throwing the Racquet Drill

[RetroSpin]

The most important thing, in my opinion, is that putting effort into getting racquet tip follow whatever path or loop you think is proper, and particularly concentrating on getting that behind the back, is a flawed approach that will never get one achieve good form. I find it much more practical to see it as a "leave-behind" for the 90-deg bent arm holding a racquet while the shoulder starts moving around the spine and up.

I'm not suggesting a person try to hit specific points. But the points are important. You have to develop a feel for producing a stroke that hits those points. Some people, typically the very athletically gifted, can see a motion and reproduce it. Others seem to need a more structured approach. The end result however is what you suggest. One has to be able to produce the stroke from feel. Different people have different "feels" to produce the same motion.

 

[Chas Tennis]

The poster that videoed releasing the racket while simulating a serve that had ISR, was pioneer JonC, now banned for some reason. He had posted some more of his videos. The only JonC video around is probably the one that I posted in this thread in post #31.

Here is the start of JonC's posts.
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/hitting-up-on-serves.537039/page-2#post-9465296

He videoed his racket release with ISR. He had trouble releasing the racket to have it go up. This simple experiment should be repeated.

Compare to Raul_SJ's release of the racket.

 

[Chas Tennis]

Thread on throwing the racket
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...nnis-racket-as-practice-for-the-serve.566128/

 

[user92626]

The serve is so difficult. It confuses the heck out of a lot of people!!!

Keep thinking and experimenting, folks. One day it will become clear.

 

[Raul_SJ]

I thought the throwing motion was supposed to simulate a throw? If so your shoulder would have rotated and your palm would be closer or even behind your right hip like a baseball pitcher. You are abruptly stopping your motion and forcing the throw.

I see what you're saying about the elbow. Need to get elbow to the side like a throw. Here is my throw. Is elbow okay here?

 

[Raul_SJ]

I thought the throwing motion was supposed to simulate a throw? If so your shoulder would have rotated and your palm would be closer or even behind your right hip like a baseball pitcher. You are abruptly stopping your motion and forcing the throw.

I don't see a problem with the release. My intent is to throw upwards, which is how I see coaches demonstrate.
My palm has rotated to the side like a football spiral throw. "Full Pronation".

Apparently there is another type of throw, an "axe throw" or tomahawk throw where the trajectory is more straight ahead and uses more ISR. Have not tried that yet... Will check to see if any of the coaching videos mention a straight ahead throw. I've only seen upwards for distance throws so far.

 

[Raul_SJ]

One of our pros just started clients diong this for backhand work. Personally not in my list of things I would use for training, but to each their own.

1Hander?
A throw relates to ground strokes?

 

[Chas Tennis]

I don't see a problem with the release. My intent is to throw upwards, which is how I see coaches demonstrate.
My palm has rotated to the side like a football spiral throw. "Full Pronation".

Apparently there is another type of throw, an "axe throw" or tomahawk throw where the trajectory is more straight ahead and uses more ISR.
.........

No, a tomahawk throw uses no or little ISR.

Determine how much ISR and when it starts by placing tape markers on your upper arm just above the elbow. The blue painter's tape sticks but comes off clean.

If the racket is at about 90 d to the forearm, as at the Big L position, and you start ISR then where does the racket head go? Where does it appear in a video from behind? Does it appear to go straight up? Should an angle appear between the forearm and racket when viewed from behind looking along the ball's trajectory? Look at your Federer gif in post #50.

Very often I cannot see that angle on poster's serves. ?? Late ISR?

 

[ChaelAZ]

1Hander?
A throw relates to ground strokes?

Two handed BH.


Probably posting from the court between sets.

 

[RetroSpin]

I know plenty of you will disagree but I really don't see much if any value in tossing the racquet. That's not how you serve. If you wanted to emulate a good serve, you would slam the racquet into the ground just in front of you, not try to hurl it into the next county. Throwing a heavy racquet would seem likely to teach you a "long arm" serve that has no snap.

 

[Raul_SJ]

I know plenty of you will disagree but I really don't see much if any value in tossing the racquet. That's not how you serve. If you wanted to emulate a good serve, you would slam the racquet into the ground just in front of you, not try to hurl it into the next county. Throwing a heavy racquet would seem likely to teach you a "long arm" serve that has no snap.

It may serve a purpose in eliminating the common Waiters Tray. I agree that the motion from Big L to contact is more like slamming down. The throw drill addresses errors earlier in the motion.

" 85% of players have some version of palm up (Waiters Tray) and they put the racket in this position so they can get the ball in the box but if the player would just say I'm just going to throw the racket..."

 

[user92626]

I know plenty of you will disagree but I really don't see much if any value in tossing the racquet. That's not how you serve. If you wanted to emulate a good serve, you would slam the racquet into the ground just in front of you, not try to hurl it into the next county. Throwing a heavy racquet would seem likely to teach you a "long arm" serve that has no snap.

Kinda like this? It's a great motion, btw.

 

[Raul_SJ]

 

[mad dog1]

look at how loose his arm is. Just like a whip. See how he generates all his power with the hips and shoulders.