Cocking, Loading and
the Back Foot
Dr. Ben Kibler
As a leading research sports science and past chairman of the USTA Sports Science Committee, Dr. Ben Kibler has been studying the literature on the serve as well as filming, studying, and evaluating players for years.
In this second article in the series, Ben explains the differences between cocking and loading and kinematics and kinetics. How does this relate to technique for most players? By explaining how the back foot works in terms of the motion and the forces, and specifically the role of the back foot in creating rear hip acceleration. Why are foot back and foot up stances preferable to foot forward? And how does this question relate to body rotation.