(1) This is really fun. Kids imitate pros all the time and now I see that adults should do the same. (2) It's great to hear how even elite players and teaching pros have a hard time making adjustments. (3) Nitzan must have the thickest skin of all time. (4) Might consider imitating Isner's serve? It's a pretty quick motion with great rhythm - doesn't allow for much sinking and getting stuck.
Great points/observations. And yes Nitzan has very thick skin. Haha. What’s more insulting to him is saying your technique is fine, you just gotta work harder. Knowing his technique is flawed is inspirational to him.
Tom I had online review with you couple years back and just wanted to check in. This video is awesome especially after you get throwing motion improved which I believe I’ve done. This is a fresh way of looking at things because it totally opens the door to start better kinetic chain going. Great stuff and I hope to get another review from you!
Ive been recording my serve for weeks..and its true you think you have done a dramatic change and it looks the same...lol. But its great feedback and Ive begun to see some real change for the better. Video is a great tool that we didn't have when I was starting tennis. Plus you have had some great ideas on here. Definitely like your style.
You suggested you might make a video that addressed the topic of reversing the kinetic chain, and you were as good as your word. Beyond that, this is original as all of your video analysis is, and there is so much to be said for being natural and conversational. Of course this video is not going to help everyone, and it may not even help ME significantly considering my spondylos (fused and tilted vertebrae at 83). But I am eternally optimistic and out there at every dawn to serve one basketful on every day when I don't plan round robin doubles. A second ready made idea that permanently aggrieves me is using opposite arm to brake bod so arm accelerates. Is that even a good idea if one aspires to the very specific whipping action you illustrate here? Surely a player gets to whip only once per serve and must choose carefully when and how. Ivan Lendl once rejected kinetic chain for a forehand by saying his shoulders rotated before his hips. Whether that's useful to a mortal I don't know, but am finding in the front leg predominant serve you espouse for most people in which grounded rear heel SLOWLY spirals up, the hips turn that enables this is now for support and balance, not propulsion. And the transverse stomach muscles that are going to rotate the upper bod fast and far need to start immediately from a full load. What's the best cue for this-- fire gut or fire shoulders? I say fire right shoulder since it's nearer to the ball. Always, I have thought KC, while sound bio-mechanics, is harmful to overly inventive geezers who would do better by sticking to their old strokes no matter how flawed in construction. What's wrong with KC is its then and then and then. The geezer or any student if allowed to think overly much about it is apt to make every link too much like every other and also fail, as YOU point out, to get everything going and finishing together as in a natural throw. What I most like about this video is that it is telling me to imbed a harsh whipcrack in silky smoothness before and after.
Internet teaching pros come in all shapes and sizes and in every variation of brain power too. When the veteran Tom Allsopp, who has taught tennis in both the US and the UK says to keep the shoulder in while rolling the upper arm in a forehand, he identifies an error which may apply to every spin-seeking tennis stroke there is. For John McEnroe once said to keep the shoulder in (or was it the elbow) while hitting a backhand. You had to be standing right there since McEnroe only said it once or so it seems to me. A simple look around confirms this maxim. On volleys one spins the arm to spin the ball. Let the armpit air only after the controlling spin is imparted. On a serve you want the pure "chopper grip" taught with those words as in England. You might think you have a continental grip but you don't if the bulb is in your palm or behind the heel of your hand, which wants to be perched exactly atop the fattest part of your handle. Then, as you glance the strings past the ball you switch from double jointed chop (triceptic extension and ulnar deviation) to internal shoulder rotation or pronation or both. You might do something different if you are Mark Philippoussis. He exposes palm to bottom then side then top of the ball and calls it all a "flick." I used this method to kick one serve over the head of a very short person then abandoned it. You should probably abandon it too. Better, do what Tom Allsopp says. You don't want anything to smudge the spin at contact such as stretching shoulder away as if your hitting arm is the bridge arm in billiards. (But if playing billiards stretch the bridge arm out first before you try the shot.) I will experiment with keeping shoulder in on my overheads too. An almost universal idea like this of course could easily get out of control. Exceptions could be shots you want to flatten out. Most interesting for me along this line is flattish one hand backhand drive where you get racket beveled first and let it open out naturally with low to high trajectory through the ball. You don't have to be so virtuosic with that one-- the shot is good when you need consistency which is most of the time. But I favor an alternate one hander where swing is entirely a roll from open to square to closed. For maximum topspin keep the shoulder in until you have left the ball. Interestingly, she'll be coming round the mountain level Rosewallan backhand slice employs same technique as any serve that progresses from double-jointed chop to straight wristed pronation-- everything just happens in a different direction almost upsidedown. Then there is Mouratogalou slice beautifully explained by himself-- "cut the ball then drive the ball." The cut is on a slant down. The shoulder stays in on the cut and goes out on the drive. Finally, for me, there is my four-roll variation of the Rosewallans. I can't abandon it since it's what I have done for longest and the local pros like it and it contains a bunch of variations and I am 83 by now. Pure Rosewallan as perceived today however is better theory depending on what is coming your way. It is three rolls without my third of four rolling forward. All three rolls go backward. First is mild and occurs during initial backswing. Second is extreme transition. Third imparts more spin and does not happen until after the easy, level-swinging double-jointed chop. Finally, the shoulder goes out as the hand rises to a smooth follow through. The shot is so beautiful that one has to see it in the online video called "1954 Davis Cup" to believe it.
Those are good but he didn’t get the McEnroe serve correct. McEnroe has another segment in which his body is completely closed and his racket is behind him INSIDE the court. It’s unbelievable. Hey, I want to comment on your professional training on a wall video but I am didn’t see any comment section. I love the footwork comment you made where the imminent weight bearing foot moves just before or after contact. It’s unstable but I like it. The other coaches I work with won’t respect or understand it but it’s like it’s more natural like you said. Explain it to me bio-mechanically.
I think even falling short of truly imitating McEnroe is still helpful. Hard to get that one right. Which video are you talking about? I’ll try to allow comments. Not sure what happened there.
Here’s a trick to describe the kinetics of every good serve. Imagine you’re climbing the side of a building and your near the roof ledge. You’re holding a grappling hook that you want to hook over the top ledge of the building. You need to reach up and snap your wrist, hard, with pronation, hoping that you get a good dig on something. That’s how I feel the wrist snap. It emphasizes the point that everything that happens after contact is meaningless, and it focuses the mind on maximizing the racket/hook speed on the point of contact. FWIW. Ps - shoutout to Joachim Johansson, the prettiest serve ever there was, a bit of a right-handed Goran…or maybe Lew Hoad…hmmmm. :)
A fun video to make. Hope you enjoy! Who’s your favorite server with a fast motion? I think the quick motion helps Nitzan with his kinetic chain.
Richard Krajicek had a simple, low toss serve. And what a serve.
I’m gonna make my way through tons of your videos. You have an awesome channel.
Thanks mate, really appreciate the support !
I truly feel the kinetic chain best with my toes connected to the ground and get more pace when I concentrate on hitting with an ‘easy’ arm motion.
(1) This is really fun. Kids imitate pros all the time and now I see that adults should do the same.
(2) It's great to hear how even elite players and teaching pros have a hard time making adjustments.
(3) Nitzan must have the thickest skin of all time.
(4) Might consider imitating Isner's serve? It's a pretty quick motion with great rhythm - doesn't allow for much sinking and getting stuck.
Great points/observations. And yes Nitzan has very thick skin. Haha. What’s more insulting to him is saying your technique is fine, you just gotta work harder. Knowing his technique is flawed is inspirational to him.
Tom I had online review with you couple years back and just wanted to check in. This video is awesome especially after you get throwing motion improved which I believe I’ve done. This is a fresh way of looking at things because it totally opens the door to start better kinetic chain going. Great stuff and I hope to get another review from you!
Ive been recording my serve for weeks..and its true you think you have done a dramatic change and it looks the same...lol. But its great feedback and Ive begun to see some real change for the better. Video is a great tool that we didn't have when I was starting tennis. Plus you have had some great ideas on here. Definitely like your style.
Try Colin Dibley of Australia. I filmed him before on my 16mm Bolex at 64mm fps and it was the smoothest flowing serve and strongest at 146mph.
You suggested you might make a video that addressed the topic of reversing the kinetic chain, and you were as good as your word.
Beyond that, this is original as all of your video analysis is, and there is so much to be said for being natural and conversational.
Of course this video is not going to help everyone, and it may not even help ME significantly considering my spondylos (fused and tilted vertebrae at 83). But I am eternally optimistic and out there at every dawn to serve one basketful on every day when I don't plan round robin doubles.
A second ready made idea that permanently aggrieves me is using opposite arm to brake bod so arm accelerates. Is that even a good idea if one aspires to the very specific whipping action you illustrate here? Surely a player gets to whip only once per serve and must choose carefully when and how.
Ivan Lendl once rejected kinetic chain for a forehand by saying his shoulders rotated before his hips. Whether that's useful to a mortal I don't know, but am finding in the front leg predominant serve you espouse for most people in which grounded rear heel SLOWLY spirals up, the hips turn that enables this is now for support and balance, not propulsion. And the transverse stomach muscles that are going to rotate the upper bod fast and far need to start immediately from a full load.
What's the best cue for this-- fire gut or fire shoulders? I say fire right shoulder since it's nearer to the ball.
Always, I have thought KC, while sound bio-mechanics, is harmful to overly inventive geezers who would do better by sticking to their old strokes no matter how flawed in construction.
What's wrong with KC is its then and then and then. The geezer or any student if allowed to think overly much about it is apt to make every link too much like every other and also fail, as YOU point out, to get everything going and finishing together as in a natural throw.
What I most like about this video is that it is telling me to imbed a harsh whipcrack in silky smoothness before and after.
Internet teaching pros come in all shapes and sizes and in every variation of brain power too. When the veteran Tom Allsopp, who has taught tennis in both the US and the UK says to keep the shoulder in while rolling the upper arm in a forehand, he identifies an error which may apply to every spin-seeking tennis stroke there is.
For John McEnroe once said to keep the shoulder in (or was it the elbow) while hitting a backhand.
You had to be standing right there since McEnroe only said it once or so it seems to me.
A simple look around confirms this maxim. On volleys one spins the arm to spin the ball. Let the armpit air only after the controlling spin is imparted.
On a serve you want the pure "chopper grip" taught with those words as in England. You might think you have a continental grip but you don't if the bulb is in your palm or behind the heel of your hand, which wants to be perched exactly atop the fattest part of your handle.
Then, as you glance the strings past the ball you switch from double jointed chop (triceptic extension and ulnar deviation) to internal shoulder rotation or pronation or both.
You might do something different if you are Mark Philippoussis. He exposes palm to bottom then side then top of the ball and calls it all a "flick." I used this method to kick one serve over the head of a very short person then abandoned it. You should probably abandon it too.
Better, do what Tom Allsopp says. You don't want anything to smudge the spin at contact such as stretching shoulder away as if your hitting arm is the bridge arm in billiards. (But if playing billiards stretch the bridge arm out first before you try the shot.)
I will experiment with keeping shoulder in on my overheads too.
An almost universal idea like this of course could easily get out of control. Exceptions could be shots you want to flatten out.
Most interesting for me along this line is flattish one hand backhand drive where you get racket beveled first and let it open out naturally with low to high trajectory through the ball. You don't have to be so virtuosic with that one-- the shot is good when you need consistency which is most of the time.
But I favor an alternate one hander where swing is entirely a roll from open to square to closed. For maximum topspin keep the shoulder in until you have left the ball.
Interestingly, she'll be coming round the mountain level Rosewallan backhand slice employs same technique as any serve that progresses from double-jointed chop to straight wristed pronation-- everything just happens in a different direction almost upsidedown.
Then there is Mouratogalou slice beautifully explained by himself-- "cut the ball then drive the ball."
The cut is on a slant down. The shoulder stays in on the cut and goes out on the drive.
Finally, for me, there is my four-roll variation of the Rosewallans. I can't abandon it since it's what I have done for longest and the local pros like it and it contains a bunch of variations and I am 83 by now.
Pure Rosewallan as perceived today however is better theory depending on what is coming your way. It is three rolls without my third of four rolling forward.
All three rolls go backward. First is mild and occurs during initial backswing. Second is extreme transition. Third imparts more spin and does not happen until after the easy, level-swinging double-jointed chop.
Finally, the shoulder goes out as the hand rises to a smooth follow through. The shot is so beautiful that one has to see it in the online video called "1954 Davis Cup" to believe it.
More Slavy analogies plz! Haha
Becker’s trip was closer to Eastern Forehand grip. It’s at least an Australian Forehand grip
Yes, I mention that at one point.
My Goran breaks the sound barrier.
Slavy does your analogy work for lifting any liquid or only milk?
Milk only. There is a viscosity threshold that needs to be met.
Sorry, bar adventures will not receive analogy credits.
Safin is great to imitate
Stefan Edberg
Those are good but he didn’t get the McEnroe serve correct. McEnroe has another segment in which his body is completely closed and his racket is behind him INSIDE the court. It’s unbelievable.
Hey, I want to comment on your professional training on a wall video but I am didn’t see any comment section. I love the footwork comment you made where the imminent weight bearing foot moves just before or after contact. It’s unstable but I like it. The other coaches I work with won’t respect or understand it but it’s like it’s more natural like you said. Explain it to me bio-mechanically.
I think even falling short of truly imitating McEnroe is still helpful. Hard to get that one right.
Which video are you talking about? I’ll try to allow comments. Not sure what happened there.
Try Roddick
Pancho G!
Here’s a trick to describe the kinetics of every good serve. Imagine you’re climbing the side of a building and your near the roof ledge. You’re holding a grappling hook that you want to hook over the top ledge of the building. You need to reach up and snap your wrist, hard, with pronation, hoping that you get a good dig on something. That’s how I feel the wrist snap. It emphasizes the point that everything that happens after contact is meaningless, and it focuses the mind on maximizing the racket/hook speed on the point of contact. FWIW. Ps - shoutout to Joachim Johansson, the prettiest serve ever there was, a bit of a right-handed Goran…or maybe Lew Hoad…hmmmm. :)
Have him imitate Karsten Braasch
Henri Leconte
I like it!! Yes!
Jimmy Connors
nobody quicker than dolgopolov. nobody.