Nobody can interfere with you, so you should be able to at least get the ball over and in the court 100% of the time. If you can score an ace here and there or throw the other team off their offense at the same time, so much the better.
This week we take a peek at your serving routine, meaning the steps you take each and every time you go back to the serving line.
Regardless of what your routine is, the rule is consistency, consistency, consistency. Your serving routine shouldn’t be too elaborate or take too long, but doing the same motions before each serve will help your brain get in the right groove. This can be as simple as turning the ball the same way (I like to have the spot where you put air in on the top) or as complex as bouncing the ball a certain number of times. The important thing is to get yourself in the right mindset to serve.
If you’ve ever seen a basketball player go through some odd gyrations before they attempt a free throw, you know what I’m talking about. The concept is the same with serving; you’re trying to access the muscle memory of all the hundreds of great serves you’ve done in practice, and using the same series of motions can help you do that.
For more information on achieving a successful serving ritual and dozens of other helpful tips and drills, be sure to check out our Training Guides.
Photo by Alexander Jawfox on Unsplash