A server’s posture is one of the most important parts of their serve. The power of the service isn’t from upper body strength, but from the legs. A powerful serve is achieved by being able to transfer weight from the back foot to the front foot correctly. Getting a strong starting posture is pivotal to a strong serve.
Another way to set up is to cover the ball with your hitting hand.
Don’t toss the ball too high, too low, or too far to any side. This means you will have to chase the ball, resulting in a bad serve. [3] X Research source In some variations, the hitting arm is readied as you toss the ball up, not before.
The ball will go where your hand and toes face, so aim your palm and toes for accurate shooting.
Watch the spin on the ball. This will show you if you’re contacting the ball correctly. If you see the ball sidespin or backspin, then you know your contact was off-center. Swing fast at the ball from the shoulder.
You should be at least 5–8 feet (1. 5–2. 4 m) behind the line to have enough space for a 3-4 step approach.
A consistent toss results in a consistent serve. The toss influences every aspect of the service; a bad toss can ruin an otherwise good serve. Toss with your strong hand, keep the ball in front of you, and don’t throw it too high or low. These things result in bad serves.
If you’re right-handed, your steps will be left-right-left. If left-handed, you’ll be right-left-right. These last two steps are called a “step close” and are the most explosive part of your approach.
Your non-hitting arm tracks the ball in what is commonly referred to as a bow and arrow movement.
If you can’t get the snapping motion, practice. This wrist snap is what makes a top-spin serve powerful and unique. Practice perfecting the snap of the wrist along with hitting the ball correctly to send it sailing over the net.
If you’re right-handed, your left hip should lead with your left shoulder. Then your right hip should power through, followed by your right arm.
Some people toss the ball differently when jump serving. Some use their dominant hand, some use their non-dominant hand, some use both hands. The important thing for a jump serve is the effectiveness of the toss, not the toss method.
The toss sets up the entire server. Make sure your toss is not too high or too low. The ball should be tossed with your strongest hand, and the ball should remain in front of the body. Practice your toss until you have perfected it. Just like any other sports drill, practice tossing for hours to learn the proper technique.
With any service, but especially jump serves, send the ball into the opponent’s dead zones. They should have to move to get to the ball. As you practice and learn the overhand serve, learn how to send it away from the opponent’s zones so you’re not sending it directly to them. Make sure your feet leave the floor before you cross the line. The land across the line.
