1-2 Rhythm: The Serve

A key component in learning and executing the serve is what I call 1-2 Rhythm. This is analogous to 1-2 Rhythm on the groundstrokes, as we have discussed in the preceding articles. (Click here for the first article in that series.)

1-2 Rhythm is the key to timing and also great energy transfer on all the strokes. But it is probably even more important on the serve, the one shot in tennis most associated with rhythm.

In this article, I present a different perspective on the critical moments in the serve. These new checkpoints will give you a different, tangible, powerful way to key your serve and maximize not only explosiveness but reliability.

2 Phases

To review the concept, 1-2 Rhythm divides tennis strokes into two phases or parts. Part 1, the set-up phase, is smooth and deliberate. Part 2, the execution phase, is explosive and full of energy.