Whether using a wet towel in a locker room, or even some type of whip, the secret is to pull forcefully and then stop the hand to snap the towel or whip, or in this instance the racquet. Good servers have a loose whip like look and feel, where at the top of the swing the hand actually slows down while the racquet speeds up, said another way an inverted “V” at the top of the swing.
I have a bull whip, and it did take quite some time to learn to use safely. But with practice it has helped me feel the rhythm of the serve, in that, I must pull the whip over my shoulder in a slow and continuous motion, then reverse the direction, gradually increasing hand speed, until finally as the whip (imagine racquet) moves in front I forcefully pull my hand backwards which cracks the whip. Though I am unable to explain in simple English, the tip of the whip actually breaks the sound barrier.
Well, the serve can in fact be a similar version of the whip, but in this case we have a racquet rather than a bull whip or wet towel. But just like the bull whip, and Pete is a wonderful example, the motion must be slow, flowing, gradually increasing tempo, culminating in a snap at the top of the swing.
- Monitor your hand speed up to the ball, and on the follow through
- Feel acceleration of your hand up to the ball
- Feel racquet acceleration during the hit
- Feel a purposeful slowing of the hand on the follow through
- Note an inverted “V” at the top of the swing
Got something to say? (15 comments So Far)
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Sergei
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jim
Sergei – great, and more, note that the height and location of your toss also has an influence on your effortless wave (I like your term for that)
Jim
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Kathy McWaters
I have been working hard to develop a more powerful serve. I have read a lot of reports, watched videos, and worked with 2 different tennis coaches. One camp seems to believe that there is no such thing as wrist snap. They contend that the forearm pronates which turns the wrist and the hand.
Can you clarify this issue for me? Many thanks.
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jim
Kathy – this will be a discussion for years and years – and truly I do clarify what I believe within a product Building the Serve from the Ground Up – but in short version when throwing a ball or delivering a serve the arm and forearm actually rolls (Sampras and Federer do it this way) and that rotation (poorly called pronation) accelerates the racquet
Jim
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Dear Jim,
Firstly. Congratulations, Your 5 steps to a more improved serve is great. For me, it clarifies the basic mistakes I’ve been making.
I’ve been playing for nearly 3 years now and at 47 years old I’m not expecting any miracle or to play at Wimbledon (ha) but I wish to reach my full potential. Consistency is a key feature for me alongside skills and techniques.
A useful tip is when I Video myself playing, yuk, it’s awful. My main problem is that I’m too square on ( I’m an Ex boxer- not that this should have so much of a bearing) please what excessises can I employ to change this poor habit?
Thanks in advance
Nnamdi
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jim
Nnamdi – use my podcasts for more information, and check out the product stream as well
Jim
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Alfred Salganick
What about pronation? Are you recommending we hit the serve with the racquet always on edge to effect spin? Is Sampras ending his “snap” without pronation, as it appears in the photo?
Many thanks for your excellent instruction.-
jim
Alfred – all servers including Sampras lead with the edge of the racquet as it approaches the ball – but in this photo the edges have reversed – and truly pronation is a misnomer – he has turned his arm and forearm into the hit – the same thing occurs in throwing motions – consider the product “Streamlining” within our online coursework – you will become convinced! http://www.essentialtennisinstruction.com/products/#eti_streamlining
Jim
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Wow I never knew that you could do the “tell the time” trick to really help you with the snap of the wrist when you are serving, it really helps when you snap down on the ball!
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Harry
what makes the inverted V? The thumb and forefinger? Elbow and arm? what?
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jim
Harry – the racquet shaft points down as the arm and forearm are pointing up -and this “V” indicates the whip rather than a pushing motion
Jim -
jim
Rotating the forearm nothing more
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Orla
Hi Jim
My coach says that you should use the chopper grip in serves. But in the serve it feels more un natural to use the chopper grip. How does the chopper grip help me and why does it not feel right?
Thanks Orla-
jim
Orla – this depends on your style when swinging the racquet as well as the quality of your overhand throwing motion – but if it is how Federer does it that must mean it does work quite well
Jim
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Donald McDonald
I thought I would weigh in on the snap controversy. When I taught myself to play baseball, I copied the practice swing of many players. They pushed their rear elbow forward until it stopped, then their forearm until it stopped and then their bat until it stopped at the ideal contact point for a pitch. When I tried that in practice, the pushes became pulls, but I could not get the bat to stop. I experimented with throwing the bat to the outside and found when I did that the ball whipped around with a jerk. I tried this the next practice and hit the ball for the first time and with good power. But the funny thing is that after a couple more practices the jerk disappeared. Been working on this mostly in golf and in the my ideal swing all I really feel is the start and then everything disappears except the feet and hands. To do this seems to require an awesome focus on the contact point on both the racquet and the ball so you do not tense up anything.
Jim,
I have an inconsistent serve: sometimes it is an ace, sometimes it is just long, net, or not fast enough.
I’m trying hard, but can’t get consistency. When I would hit an ace, motion feels continuous and effortless as a wave. My problem is to repeat it consistently. Harder I try worse it gets :(.
I like your analogy to the whip motion. I will try to follow your advise:
“Feel a purposeful slowing of the hand on the follow through”.