Effortless Serve Power By Fixing Your Elbow Position

[@HelloFromNick]

That's literally the best serve video I've seen so far! Thank you 🙏

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

Great to hear that you enjoyed the video. We would really appreciate it if you could share it with one or two of your tennis friends so that they can also improve their serve!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the kind words :)

[@HelloFromNick]

@@OnlineTennisInstruction will definitely do!

[@sharifreiman4213]

Agree!!!!

[@robertwong-w5s]

In my opinion, this is one of the best vidoes on tennis serve so far! James Ludlow's explanation is simple, easy to understand and follow. Thanks a lot. Please make more vidoes.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thank you Robert for the kind words :)

[@nicolastomazeli]

putting this in practice fixed my serve like a miracle!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

that's fantastic!! i'm happy it helped you Nicolas :)

[@JamesDavisakaRemguy]

Oh yeah? How cool is that! Thanks for leaving the feedback so the rest of us know it really works and we’re (even more) encouraged to follow the instructions to a T!! I can’t wait, I’m going to start this afternoon!!

[@ziggy5466]

I always had a problem understanding the right to left and the bending at the elbow analogy. After watching this video and studying the technique in stages I realized the mistakes I was making with my serve. I wasn’t coiling enough and my elbow was too far forward at the start of my swing. The right to left movement on my serve was actually front to back. This video made it clear to me the way to implement the correct movement. Well done 👍

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

that's great to hear Ziggy!! :) I'm happy it helped you gain a better understanding

[@rubensandoval8479]

Agree, and I like his analogy to throwing/pitching a ball. Baseball pitchers know that you have to get your legs and core/trunk involved just like coiling and loading in a tennis serve-Nolan Ryan always said much of his strength and stamina was due to his leg strength and push-off

[@dctrex]

Excellent James, this has to be the most indepth, comprehensive breakdown of then tennis serve that I've seen on KZbin or anywhere else! Love the small chunk progression exercises. This what is sorely lacking in all the tennis videos on KZbin! 👍👏👏

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

I am happy it helped you :) thanks for the kind words!!

[@affluencethirdy4894]

this guy is one of my fave youtube coach, he explain stuff very clear. Learned a lot and my serve tremendously improved.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

that's great to hear! thanks for the feedback :)

[@davehuskey6424]

I totally agree. Great information and makes the whole process easy to understand and apply to the court. Glad that I found it !

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback Dave :)

[@Espiratu]

This is just superb instruction James! Regards to the whole OTI team!!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

Great to hear that you enjoyed the video. We would really appreciate it if you could share it with one or two of your tennis friends so that they can also improve their serve!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the kind words :)

[@GabeEisenstein]

This is Gabe's family member. Agree: Best service video: practical with plenty of demonstration and low on looking to camera and talking! Great.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback Gabe! :)

[@olesyatimerbulatova3069]

You gyus are amazing! The most comprehensive breakdown of then tennis serve I have seen! Thank you for your effort!

[@kumarsabaratnam4787]

Thanks James for sharing your very valuable input. It gives a good break up of the serve. I hv been following your instructions regularly & it has helped me improve my technique with application at practice.

[@gekasaurus]

Excellent Video! Structured and well explained. Helped me a lot as intermediate player!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

great! i'm happy it helped :)

[@juicetest]

this progression cannot be skipped as the tennis serve is a sport specific movement. thks coach

[@eugeneyu4823]

Excellent instructions explain what each part of the body needs to do to get to the trophy position and the racket drop position. By far this video provides more in-depth instructions than most KZbin videos. Thank you.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the kind words! glad you enjoyed the video

[@francoma2360]

You are the best instructor, so clear and step by step. Thank you!

[@jeffreybartlett4899]

Love the analytical process. Can't wait to implement it. With shadow swings I can already see I need to stretch my upper body more so I can get my elbow all the way back for Step 1. Bravo!

[@patriciakipp54]

I LOVE YOUR INSTRUCTIONS!!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the kind words Patricia :)

[@subodhsharma6706]

Thanks so much James. For a long time my coach kept telling me to ensure the racket goes over my head and I never understood how. But in order to achieve it I changed the feet placement, grip etc and the results were inconsistent. Your service videos have simplified the tennis serve as a pivot and shows clearly the path of the racket with the full power of the body. Many thanks once again and do make a video for the one arm backhand too.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback! We're very happy this video helped you

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

Great to hear that you enjoyed the video. We would really appreciate it if you could share it with one or two of your tennis friends so that they can also improve their serve! ... and OHBH video will definitely come also in the future!

[@philbland4207]

Great stuff James. So clear, as always, and a very practical set of progressions. I look forward to trying it out in the coming weeks.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

Let us know how it goes Phil! Thanks for the feedback :)

[@willene58]

Hi James, Thank you ...excellent exercises and prep for better serves.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

no problem! thanks for the feedback

[@vijayk585]

Thank you for addressing a very Important part of serve.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

no problem :)

[@JLZR1]

Great lesson as always James 👍..

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback :)

[@jimgodsey2940]

Watched this video multiple times and learn more ea time! Thank you!

[@Gabriel-MagicMusic]

Great video. Veey in-depth understanding. Well done 🤗

[@javils6178]

Fantastic breakdown of servei, thanks to shared.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback :)

[@stevenstruthers9087]

Really good, clear explanation. Thank you indeed 😄

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks Steven :)

[@andrewp911]

Best serve video EVER!

[@bazkeeley9618]

Excellent breakdown. 👏👏

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback :)

[@vectorthurm]

I’ve been guilty of impatience and going to baseline too quickly. I think it’s important to say it takes a long time to break down bad muscle memory, a loooong time if you have a substantial history of serving with bad mechanics. It is so important to be patient and stick with this methodology. I still struggle with tightness though when I “know” I’m going to hit ball…Thanks James! Great video!!!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback Vector! :)

[@gogomrr]

The Ball- Logo- Trick ist great ! 👍

[@aeddibaer]

Another amazingly helpful video. Thank you so much, James!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback!! much appreciated :)

[@thitran9637]

Very good service video lesson! Thank you very much.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

Thanks for the feedback :)

[@jsrss]

Thank you. Amazing video. I will share this one with my friends.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thank you so much!! :)

[@dennisferche4896]

Thanks to you--Great help. Also thanks to my phone--your voice came as a mystery sound out of my back pocket'zmy lucky day. Cheers. Dennis4Tennis&LifeInGeneral.

[@ADSO_21]

서브에서 팔꿈치의 사용을 설명한 영상중에서 가장 탁월한 내용이었습니다. 고마워요!

[@My_handle243]

No nonsense, good technique video.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks :)

[@tennisdiy1064]

It took me a while to practice this and incorporate in the serve not easy as you focus on hitting the ball more than this motion especially if the toss is not ideal. One trick I discovered is to lock your elbow before by bringing the palm very close to the shoulder and then rotate only the shoulder. This way you eliminate the elbow flexion.

[@PamFerguson-b1b]

This was sohelpful

[@khairilansyari5135]

Thank you a very good lesson...Khairil,Banjarmasin

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the kind words! :)

[@AutoMotivatedTV]

The best serve video ever! Right up until you started throwing tennis balls.

[@rubensandoval8479]

Excellent explanation and demonstration of the mechanics that I have struggled to understand. Question: is there anything wrong with just starting the service motion with the elbow already back in step 1 position rather than bringing it back to step 1 from the usual hands together starting position? Since the elbow remains stationary during the right-to-left step 2 movement, it seems easier to me to just start with the elbow up?

[@MrRahluv357]

I’ve been trying to get a consistent serve for two years and still can’t. I think I’m doing a racquet drop, but when I video myself I’m not. It’s like I’m rushing cause I feel I don’t have time to get to the ball. I will,practice the fundamentals again you just showed us and see if that works. Thanks for the video

[@MrKhalio]

Thanks for sharing the video, Very informative, Thanks

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback :)

[@RyanNolen-e9z]

Awesome video!

[@arqromero3877]

very well explained, thanks a lot 👋

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

You are welcome! We would really appreciate it if you could share it with one or two of your tennis friends so that they can also improve their serve!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thank you :)

Excellent video, thank you

[@galdricm]

Great video! The courts are so close to each other though. And man that left fence…would get printed on my face lol

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

haha yes the courts in Wales are not the best designed :)

[@JamesDavisakaRemguy]

Man, what a dumb first name you have (check mine)! Great lesson! I just LOVE this techno-nerd stuff, but... THE most powerful part of the lesson is taking it to “where the rubber hits the road”, i.e. putting theory into action. Knowing exactly HOW to do this is soooo important. Hence, the progressions. Recording yourself on video completes the trifecta, marrying theory, kinaesthetic feedback and visual verification. Three in a row - bingo! What do I win? Answer: a bitchin’ brand new serve! Thank you, James! (Man, can’t you go with a nickname or something? I mean...GEEZ!) 🤐 Okay, I’ll zip it. Thanks Jim Bob, this could change literally EVERYTHING...

[@HaraldSchneider-m8n]

I love the dividing in 3 phases. For me important the end of ph 2 and that ph 3 starts with the elbow up. To transform it I found the idee very important to play midcourt. Last tip with only tapping brings the player to focus more on the movement itself. I think that the methology is the best on youtube, and these is the best explained model for a good serve. One question: James has a closed racket face in ph 2-3, which is not seen so often. Any advantages, and is it worth to focus on this, too?

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback! :) regarding your question, very good observation and yes, keeping the racket face closed through phase 2 and 3 will relax your shoulder and help the racket to fall down and away from the body

[@zerocontentTV]

Hey I am coming from Padel and I am trying to learn the kick smash. It should be similar to a topspin serve in tennis. I friend send me this video so I can learn how to rotate my elbow, but is it the same motion as in topspin serve?

[@hermtm2]

How do I throw the ball when I do the shadow swing practices from steps 1 to 3?

[@김테니스]

Good lesson!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thank you :)

[@thibautg78]

Does this technique work for kick serves as well ? Thanks.

[@AstrologyGuy]

Thanks so much for this clear, concise explanation. 🙏🏽

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

Great to hear that you enjoyed the video. We would really appreciate it if you could share it with one or two of your tennis friends so that they can also improve their serve!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the great feedback :)

[@juicetest]

how far and high must you throw for mechanics test. thanks

[@at1838]

There are some drawbacks to this focus on the arm action and on "right to left," etc. Elbow should FOLLOW not lead the leg drive should initiate the elbow turning upward, the chest pulls the elbow around and up, only after the upper body has stopped to rotate should the arm then snap/rotate.

[@marklamountain7905]

Where are the center straps on your courts?

[@LanceWilliams4]

How does the "power loop" factory into this?

[@RajendraM-v6v]

Excellent breakdown

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback :)

[@ronaldchomiw7192]

excellent but u did not say where u should place fingters on racket

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

I will make note of this for future videos :)

[@alfonsbongers1865]

thanks very good gr. from holland

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback :)

[@marcodeluca4068]

But how high should elbow be as I turn ?

[@caillesbenarous]

Thank you so much, but my heaaad, so haard to me!!!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback :)

[@JamesDavisakaRemguy]

Still not 100% sure I understand exactly how to “lead with the elbow”. I mean, should my elbow: A. remain inline with my shoulders & tossing arm and come directly over my head like a cartwheel (virtually impossible) or... B. “adduct”, breaking the coronal plane and coming forward toward my midline/chest as the arm externally rotates and the torso reverses direction and rotates towards the target? Attempting A would result in heaving the racket over your head like lobbing a hand grenade into a pillbox full of Jerries (sorry Germany) and snapping your arm off at the shoulder, which technically you could only do twice. So I’m gonna go with B. That’s my final answer, Regis.

[@mib910]

i have issues with pronation at the end, any advice please?

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

check out this video we produced a while back, it will help you with pronation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZ-akoCOh7WZmqs

[@miguelangelizquierdosanche2500]

Suuper!!

[@TEN-S60]

Did anyone else watch this video with their head tilted sideways too?? 😂😂😂

[@florianpisacreta5099]

awesome , but you should really change your overgrip more often😅😂

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

hahaha yes i've had that comment a lot... i will note that for next time :)

[@the1tfactor]

I’m sure you’re probably aware by now that Swedish Tennis Academy on Facebook is biting your content!

[@arunjetli7909]

Thanks young man, an addition, throwing spirals with a fooftball

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

great idea!! thanks for the feedback :)

[@FairwayJack]

like

[@jackquinnes]

And you manage to instruct how to make a 'fake' racket drop by closing your elbow too much. It is not the real thing but rather a bogus move to make one's serve look neat and okay. Yet the serve dynamics are lacking here. Keep the racket further away from your back during the back loop! But yes, if you sell a service clinic to well-off seniors somewhere in Florida - everybody is happy!

[@claudiochisani4120]

Fantastic explanation thank you!

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

no problem :)

[@hrasenspocht3530]

Great video. Thank you.

[@OnlineTennisInstruction]

thanks for the feedback! :)