Power Serve - Elbow extension more important

[Bungalow Bill]

i find that when i'm trying to muscle the ball, i end up having more of a shearing effect on contact and it isn't a clean hit. whenever i'm relaxed it feels and sounds like i'm making clean contact.

hey Bill, in the Attach Your Strokes section I posted a vid of my serve, could you take a look at it?

Shooter,

I got it! Give me a little time to look it over. Did you see FiveO's analysis of your serve? I thought he did a great job. FiveO is a very good addition to this site.

[chess9]

What are good stretches or exercises to increase ROM?

"A major source is in the shoulder area and a tennis player should concentrae on improving their range of motion and their strength to accelerate this area. This area is one of the major sources of power for the serve.[/QUOTE]

I have a heavy, leaded, JK woodie I use to warm up with (just swing easily), but how are coaches increasing ROM in older adults? For myself, I know much of my decreased serve speed is due to a restricted ROM as I age, yet I have no shoulder problems.

-Robert

[johnyandell]

Robert,

I Like your exercise. I would look carefully at ALL the upper body stretches in both the Roetert and Etcheberry series. There are multiple shoulder stretches, but you should approach it as a total body thing--it's all connected. If you combined them and followed that regime, you'd feel a difference!

The other key I have found is massage. Again the whole upper body, but especially the delts, triceps, rotator, and under the shoulder blades.

Regards,
John Yandell

[chess9]

Thanks, John. I'll look at those two posts.

-Robert