Improving Your Service Rhythm

In the first two parts of this series, I presented a new way of looking at the serve based on rhythm style. I identified 3 rhythm styles in the pro game: Abbreviated, Classical, and Staggered. (Click Here.) We then identified pro players who used each rhythm, and how rhythm correlated with other technical elements in the motion. (Click Here.) Rhythm style is a function of the height of the racket arm at the time of the toss release. In the Abbreviated, the arm is highest, around shoulder level. In the Staggered it is the lowest, around the hips. In the Classical it is in between, pointing straight back, horizontal to the court, or something close. The racket arm position at the release in the Abrreviated, Classical and Staggered rhythms. Now in this third article, let’s see how adjustments related to rhythm style have the potential to improve any player’s serve. First, we’ll look at the changes made by two pro players, Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova. Then we’ll see how this new perspective can help players at all levels. Can seemingly small changes in technique end up producing outsize results? Kaizen The Japanese have a word, “Kaizen.” Kaizen literally means…