The Serve: A Complete Teaching Progression

[johnyandell]

Would love to hear what you thought of my latest, "The Serve: A Complete Teaching Progression"

[arturohernandez]

John,

I have been experimenting with letting my tossing arm follow my serving arm a bit more than in the past. In my mind, I imagine both arms going up together and only separating when my tossing arm is almost past my back leg. I see it in Federer's serve. The tossing arm actually goes a bit back and then goes in a small arc forward toward the court.

I realize that you has some articles on the arc of the toss toward the left or right for Sampras and Rusedski. But what about the tossing arm arching as well.

In other words, does having both the tossing arm and serving arm follow a circular path improve the serve.

Any thoughts?

[johnyandell]

The tossing travels on an arc on the upward motion. Left to right and then right to left.

Fed's arm drops and goes back. Sampras was like that. Others have less. I think you can experiment there to find rhythm and see how it affects control. Don't think it's black and white.

[10splayer]

John,

I have been experimenting with letting my tossing arm follow my serving arm a bit more than in the past. In my mind, I imagine both arms going up together and only separating when my tossing arm is almost past my back leg. I see it in Federer's serve. The tossing arm actually goes a bit back and then goes in a small arc forward toward the court.

I realize that you has some articles on the arc of the toss toward the left or right for Sampras and Rusedski. But what about the tossing arm arching as well.

In other words, does having both the tossing arm and serving arm follow a circular path improve the serve.

Any thoughts?

I think much of this depends on how the beginning is sequenced. Do you initiate the movement by turning the torso first and then toss or vice versa. With guys like Sampras and fed, I definitely see the torso begin to coil first, and from that position the shoulder will rotate counterclockwise slightly to arc the ball forward. With a guy like Henmen or Soderling (and many club players) the tossing arm stays in front, with very little coil until after the ball is released.

[arturohernandez]

Interesting! Yes, this is it. I used to toss in front but then my body would coil before I tossed. What happened was all kinds of extraneous movement that made a very hitchy serve.

By coiling in the backswing and having my tossing arm move back and then slightly counterclockwise, my timing improves.

I wonder if coiling after the toss is definitely doable but harder to time.

I haven't done a strict comparison but it looks like many of the pros with good serves seem to move their arms back a bit before going up.

Andy Murray, Tommy Haas, and Sebastian Grosjean do.

I am wondering are there any fluid servers who do not do this.

Does fluidity have to do with moving the arm back and then circling counterclockwise a bit to toss?

Any one have any potential ideas on this?