Finally! Someone has spoken the truth on difficulty in fixing waiters serve. Took me over a year to correct and I practiced a lot and did very similar drills that Nick suggested. Can say it is worth the effort!
This video is so true. I last played tennis in my early teens. I have just started again, some 50 years later and serve waiters tray style. I found that motion to be so deeply ingrained, it is proving difficult to be rid of it. My brain was telling my arm to pronate at the top of the stroke, but my arm was having none of it. I spent hours trying, so much in fact, that I caused a stress fracture in a rib. I have learnt that you need to 're programme' the arm by doing pronation drills. So, while my rib is fixing, I did those and gave myself tennis elbow! I am just about recovered now and due to restart in the next few days. I have been practising the serve in front of a mirror and am now able to pronate naturally at the top of the stroke. I just need to put this into action on the court. I am in no doubt, however, I am still at the very beginning of the advanced serve journey. Wish me luck!
I have been practicing all winter to pronate more. Drawing the racquet back like pulling a bow helped, doing a reduced take back is also part of my new serve but as you have said in another video this can be a temporary move. I think I will keep it as of today. Finally your first stage position has been a big help if I start there or get there with my take back, it is a simple matter of reaching up and pronating and the serve is powerful and consistent. Not sure I need to do the next two stages or I do them okay already.
Respect i play one year with many private lessons now and the serve remains what keeps me behind no matter, i decided tennis it is like a piano you need yers practice to master
Great video. To everyone who is struggling with the "real" serve and can't even fathom to figure out how you would hit a serve with a continental grip: I was once there too. Steady, regular work, until at one point you will feel it is unfathomable how to serve with a forehand grip. It WILL happen!
Great video. Muscle memory was too much for me to overcome to fix the waiters serve. It has to be one of the toughest things to correct if you learn to serves the wrong way
Thanks for being so honest about it. I still have issues with the proper ball tossing let alone other parts of the service movement. I guess I wouldn't be the only one who left the last 5 to 10 minutes to practicing serve. Givng up on your tennis serve is so much more comfortable than suffering in silence with the poor technique🤫. I am not saying you convinced me to go back to my serve practice, but I will at least give it a one more try😅
I've done average several hours serve practice per week for the last year, with and without a coach, filming myself....Results are that when I connect as I am trying to, serve is much improved compared to before. But I connect maybe one in 20, and maybe 4 out of 5 ball tosses are aborted. Agonizing indeed.
My problem with the toss is that I either get too stiff or over relaxed with a pinch of akward ball guiding while tossing. One would assume that tossing is the easy part but alas😢...
@@milanvincic9668 I feel your pain. I guess some people find it easy, the rest of us have to work. To be fair, while progress has been slow I have come to enjoy the process. I think enjoying the process is key to progress, and let's face it if it's not enjoyable then why are we doing it?
@@julianpenfold1638 Tennis is full of frustrations. The only thing that can outweight that is your desire to progress and the love for the sport. As simple as that.
Been playing tennis for almost 20 years now, so its even hard for me to even try the "waiter" serve haha. But sometimes when im at the courts just practicing, i look around to other people taking lessons or playing, i do notice them having a waiter serve.
something weird happen to me, i was doing the pronation ok, but then i added the jump into my serve and now i dont do pronation anymore and its a bit more of a waiter serve again but with everything else, i will try to record myself and do this drills, better do it now before i get use to it
I have been working on fixing my waiter tray serve. I can do it if I am hitting casually as a second serve with minimal motion and set up. But every time when I apply everything else, like what I usually do on my first set,ve I am not able to put everything together. Any suggestions?
I just tried example #2, hitting from a static racquet drop position, and it is HARD. Without the momentum and supination before the pronation (that you would typically get when accelerating from the trophy position) I could only manage a very slicy contact. Is it even possible to hit flat from that position?!??
It looks so easy, but the most beginners have problems with the proper grip (continental or Hammer) and pronation just before the point of contact during the serve!
This is so helpful Nick - thank you. Is is possible that trying ‘push through’ a waiters tray serve could lead to golfers elbow? I experience pain only after serving and after I recorded myself, noticed how bad my waiters tray is…
Hi, I recently got my tennis racquet restricted and the new strings were fluctuated. I was told that this was to allow more spin on the ball… but it throws me off a lot and I feel like I’ve lost control over the ball. Do these fluctuations really work??
Thanks for the three steps. As a 3.5 recreational player who hasn’t taken lessons, I can attest that it’s a very frustrating problem to correct. I developed a good racket drop but my racket opens up way too early. Do you recommend not playing matches during this long corrective process? Seems like if you do play matches you are reinforcing the waiters serve.
Hold it: 1. It does not take 1 or 2 years. 2. Muscles are myofibrils and as such have / hold no memory. Muscles are directed by the brain via neurons. How to hold the racket ( last three fingers, loose hold, loose wrist are key), next, racker drop and up on edge and a good ball lift into position...
I think the biggest problem with the waiter tray serve is that your first serve % will be very low and you would never get the chance to develop a proper kick/slice second serve. One of my friends can serve at 100mph with the tray but his first serve percentage is around 30% and he hits at least 1 DF in every single service game.
And, the second serve is usually a tap waiter serve just to get it in. The other problem is once you get use to their waiter serve it becomes easy to predict and return. There can be no surprises.
Massive bow of gratitude 🙏 I’ve got that chronic one and though I can hit consistently over 100mph (and in/good percentages), my serve is only 1/2 as good as the top pros and I will realise my potential by following your exact advice. Thank you coach
Funny thumb nail but true. I like your other video as well where you mention great like Federer,Becker, Sampras etc having a serve similar in look to how the waiter's tray looks but mechanically correct. Hope you can make a video on court movement using the big cat 🐯 Miloslav Mecir.
People just don’t do enough repetitions to make significant change, they open up their 4 ball can and hit them a couple times and hope that the miracle has happened. If you really want to improve, buy 100 balls or the biggest batch you can find, go to the court and drop that ego whilst framing and shanking balls all over the place practicing the drills. It’s going to work, just remember, it’s not like picking up a Starbucks coffee, your going to Columbia to grow the beans.
Learn to Compartmentalize Your Tennis Serve (mentioned in video)
👉 ua-cam.com/video/q79I1rP0VpE/v-deo.htmlsi=mPCHrtNZ1eTP-6fS
Finally! Someone has spoken the truth on difficulty in fixing waiters serve. Took me over a year to correct and I practiced a lot and did very similar drills that Nick suggested. Can say it is worth the effort!
💯
This video is so true. I last played tennis in my early teens. I have just started again, some 50 years later and serve waiters tray style. I found that motion to be so deeply ingrained, it is proving difficult to be rid of it. My brain was telling my arm to pronate at the top of the stroke, but my arm was having none of it. I spent hours trying, so much in fact, that I caused a stress fracture in a rib. I have learnt that you need to 're programme' the arm by doing pronation drills. So, while my rib is fixing, I did those and gave myself tennis elbow! I am just about recovered now and due to restart in the next few days. I have been practising the serve in front of a mirror and am now able to pronate naturally at the top of the stroke. I just need to put this into action on the court. I am in no doubt, however, I am still at the very beginning of the advanced serve journey. Wish me luck!
Your detailed understanding of the problems of recreational players compared to my local coaches is insane.
I have been practicing all winter to pronate more. Drawing the racquet back like pulling a bow helped, doing a reduced take back is also part of my new serve but as you have said in another video this can be a temporary move. I think I will keep it as of today. Finally your first stage position has been a big help if I start there or get there with my take back, it is a simple matter of reaching up and pronating and the serve is powerful and consistent. Not sure I need to do the next two stages or I do them okay already.
Respect i play one year with many private lessons now and the serve remains what keeps me behind no matter, i decided tennis it is like a piano you need yers practice to master
Best tennis coach on the web. Many thanks for these brilliant (and free!) lessons, Nick!
🫶
Great video. To everyone who is struggling with the "real" serve and can't even fathom to figure out how you would hit a serve with a continental grip: I was once there too. Steady, regular work, until at one point you will feel it is unfathomable how to serve with a forehand grip. It WILL happen!
Great video. Muscle memory was too much for me to overcome to fix the waiters serve. It has to be one of the toughest things to correct if you learn to serves the wrong way
Keep trying
Best video for coaches ❤
Thanks Nick
💯
Great recommendations from you as always!!!
Of course, recommendations must be accepted.
Yes, muscle memory is a serious problem.
Thank you very much!
🙏
Thanks for being so honest about it. I still have issues with the proper ball tossing let alone other parts of the service movement. I guess I wouldn't be the only one who left the last 5 to 10 minutes to practicing serve. Givng up on your tennis serve is so much more comfortable than suffering in silence with the poor technique🤫. I am not saying you convinced me to go back to my serve practice, but I will at least give it a one more try😅
I've done average several hours serve practice per week for the last year, with and without a coach, filming myself....Results are that when I connect as I am trying to, serve is much improved compared to before. But I connect maybe one in 20, and maybe 4 out of 5 ball tosses are aborted. Agonizing indeed.
My problem with the toss is that I either get too stiff or over relaxed with a pinch of akward ball guiding while tossing. One would assume that tossing is the easy part but alas😢...
@@milanvincic9668 I feel your pain. I guess some people find it easy, the rest of us have to work. To be fair, while progress has been slow I have come to enjoy the process. I think enjoying the process is key to progress, and let's face it if it's not enjoyable then why are we doing it?
@@julianpenfold1638 Tennis is full of frustrations. The only thing that can outweight that is your desire to progress and the love for the sport. As simple as that.
Great video, Nick! This is gonna help :)
🔥
5:38 why whipping out to the side? How does that help?
I have a chronic waiter tray SECOND SERVE! 😂
Been playing tennis for almost 20 years now, so its even hard for me to even try the "waiter" serve haha. But sometimes when im at the courts just practicing, i look around to other people taking lessons or playing, i do notice them having a waiter serve.
Did you switch to the Wilson Shift? Seeing it a lot in your latest videos over the Pure Drive.
Very helpful
💯
That ball going up can sure be a major mental block. I can see this is going to take thousands of repetitions lol.
My warm ups had always consisted of the back scratch and half serves. Once I got the waiter tray out of the way I just do half serves warmup now
Great videos. Love it. Could I ask what racquet you are currently using?
I enjoy watching your videos.
Sincerely!
🙏
Thanks my kid is stuck on this waiter serve will try it out on her
something weird happen to me, i was doing the pronation ok, but then i added the jump into my serve and now i dont do pronation anymore and its a bit more of a waiter serve again but with everything else, i will try to record myself and do this drills, better do it now before i get use to it
hold the racket in an open (face up) position or hold an eastern backhand grip like raonic
I have been working on fixing my waiter tray serve. I can do it if I am hitting casually as a second serve with minimal motion and set up. But every time when I apply everything else, like what I usually do on my first set,ve I am not able to put everything together. Any suggestions?
I just tried example #2, hitting from a static racquet drop position, and it is HARD. Without the momentum and supination before the pronation (that you would typically get when accelerating from the trophy position) I could only manage a very slicy contact. Is it even possible to hit flat from that position?!??
It looks so easy, but the most beginners have problems with the proper grip (continental or Hammer) and pronation just before the point of contact during the serve!
This is so helpful Nick - thank you. Is is possible that trying ‘push through’ a waiters tray serve could lead to golfers elbow? I experience pain only after serving and after I recorded myself, noticed how bad my waiters tray is…
It’s possible. The serve is affected by golfers elbow more then any other shot.
Hi, I recently got my tennis racquet restricted and the new strings were fluctuated. I was told that this was to allow more spin on the ball… but it throws me off a lot and I feel like I’ve lost control over the ball. Do these fluctuations really work??
Perfect timing, as I am working on my serve. For you sir, what is the better second serve? Slice or Kick? Thanks.
Kick serve is the safer option
Slice and and the more advanced version is kick
Second Serve 👉 ua-cam.com/video/U39OzzOxaMM/v-deo.htmlsi=GzYqRoifraYaroqs
Video technically starts at 4:00, ya'll.
Thanks for the three steps. As a 3.5 recreational player who hasn’t taken lessons, I can attest that it’s a very frustrating problem to correct. I developed a good racket drop but my racket opens up way too early. Do you recommend not playing matches during this long corrective process? Seems like if you do play matches you are reinforcing the waiters serve.
I talk about his with Robert here: ua-cam.com/video/pL-ldwq62Yc/v-deo.htmlsi=d4dxn17wA1olDB_l
Not a fan of progressions but this stroke def requires it! Good drill 😉
To avoid going back to waiter serve during a match, should I just serve from back scratch or trophy position during matches until I master them?
Just play your match without worrying about technique ua-cam.com/video/pL-ldwq62Yc/v-deo.htmlsi=4FO5kUDVki1b-gyf
Hold it: 1. It does not take 1 or 2 years. 2. Muscles are myofibrils and as such have / hold no memory. Muscles are directed by the brain via neurons. How to hold the racket ( last three fingers, loose hold, loose wrist are key), next, racker drop and up on edge and a good ball lift into position...
I think the biggest problem with the waiter tray serve is that your first serve % will be very low and you would never get the chance to develop a proper kick/slice second serve. One of my friends can serve at 100mph with the tray but his first serve percentage is around 30% and he hits at least 1 DF in every single service game.
And, the second serve is usually a tap waiter serve just to get it in. The other problem is once you get use to their waiter serve it becomes easy to predict and return. There can be no surprises.
Massive bow of gratitude 🙏 I’ve got that chronic one and though I can hit consistently over 100mph (and in/good percentages), my serve is only 1/2 as good as the top pros and I will realise my potential by following your exact advice. Thank you coach
aren't you supposed to hit the ball at 12 o'clock? In this serve you hit it around 1 to 1.30 o'clock
Good tips but first 4 minutes could be just 1. Also no mentioning of the correct grip?
Funny thumb nail but true. I like your other video as well where you mention great like Federer,Becker, Sampras etc having a serve similar in look to how the waiter's tray looks but mechanically correct. Hope you can make a video on court movement using the big cat 🐯 Miloslav Mecir.
YOU LOOK OLDER ON THAT PICTURE NICK 🤣🤣🤣
😭
People just don’t do enough repetitions to make significant change, they open up their 4 ball can and hit them a couple times and hope that the miracle has happened.
If you really want to improve, buy 100 balls or the biggest batch you can find, go to the court and drop that ego whilst framing and shanking balls all over the place practicing the drills.
It’s going to work, just remember, it’s not like picking up a Starbucks coffee, your going to Columbia to grow the beans.
Life?😢