serve for club players with minimum arch back

[oukhalov]

Hi John:
I love your web-site!
I am 4.5 competitive club player (51 years old).
There are thousands of club players, like myself, who are not that flexible and can’t arch their backs on serve like professionals or younger players.
Could you publish an article/video clip with some advises how to develop a good serve with minimum arch back?
If an article is too much to ask, maybe you can recommend a professional from your stroke archive so I can model my serve from …

Thank you in advance.

P.S.
I read all articles about serve on your web-site and still confused …
I want to develop consistent toss:
Where the good toss should land if I don’t hit the ball?
What is the trajectory of the ball from the top view?
Maybe I am confused because there is a big difference between ‘professional’ and ‘club’ serve …
Please, help …

[johnyandell]

The back arch is controversial. If you have a pinpoint stance and toss somewhat to the left for topspin you'll arch quite a bit. Not sure though that this is intentional--more just happens.

If you have a platform the arch is less. In either case it happens when the racket is on the way up to the contact.

So Federer's serve is a great model, because it's platform and not extreme.
Look at this clip. There is a difference between the kneed bend and the arch. The trunk is angled at the depth of the knee bend and there is probably a little arch on the way up. That'll either happen or not.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_men/rogerfederer/rogerfederer_serve/rogerfederer_1st_serve/rogerfederer_1st_serve.html?Federer1stSDeuceFront1.mov

You can toss slightly more right and bend and turn slightly less if even this is too extreme.

To be honest not sure where the ball would bounce or what it would like like from the top or if that matters.

Model your contact point, model your toss release point with left arm pointing somewhat to the side. Now visualize the arc that connects the dots.

More on Fed's serve here:

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/avancedtennis/john_yandell/federer_serve/federer_serve_part1/federer_serve_part1.html

[llll]

i am a 55 year old club player who started tennis 6 yrs ago. i am told my serve is very good for my level.for me the secret to my serve is to develop the throwing motion and improve my racquet drop.the your strke articles on trying to improve racquet drop were helpful as was the federer analysis by john. fed is so fluid smooth and loose. if you take into account most people say toss into the court and contact is at 12 or 1 oclock than the ball would land in an area alittle to the right and in front of your left foot( if you are right handed. people have suggested put your racquet on the ground in front and to the right of you left foot and the ball should land on the strings of the racquet. john in an article about sampras serve showed the toss takes an arc from release to contact iE right to left NOT straight up and down.