Your instructions are like a hidden lifeboat in a sea of confusion, nonsense and even potentially dangerous information. Thank you for all your hard work. Please keep it coming and your channel will skyrocket.
This guy brought a pair of shoes and did a demonstration with them. And risked injury by explaining using the stepping board. That's dedication to teaching. Creative.
Contrary to all the highly misleading "instructional"/ultimate know it all videos that are polluting youtube and making tennis coaching to look like a Lord of The Rings poor magic scene, your videos just keep gettin' better and better. Thank you very much!!!
I also appreciate how well you know what other coaches are erroneously teaching conceptually and debunk that teaching without any fuss. You're a class act.
After several years of serving (with decent power and kick, but no leg jump), finally I got the missing piece, the toe lift. I cannot tell you enough how good of a coach you are. Keep these coming!
Really outstanding descrption of how to perform leg drive and resulting racquet drop. My serve improved immensely after applying what Victor explained. Thank You !
All of your videos are so well thought for content and you know how to deliver enough depth without unneeded chatter. I also like how you not only explain the concepts but then show pros and your high level technique. You're a masterful teacher. Thank you!
This is truly one of the best, most comprehensive and detailed videos on the leg drive that I have ever seen! You are a very thorough instructor and have clearly covered all the bases! Please continue to provide such valuable and illustrative videos. Very much appreciated by this coach! Take good care. Don
I know you posted this video years ago, but it's such an excellent explanation of why feet get lifted during serve and what role they plays. Tells you what you shouldn't try to control and what you can control to improve your serve. Thanks for that!
What I love about your videos is that you let your audience work within their own limitations. I have a back issue where if I tilt to the left and extend my lower back I have to lie in bed for 3 days. This happens with my current kick serve and I can now work out what best to do about it given a better understanding of the serve mechanics. This sort of video enables me to find ways of working around these limitations to the best possible result. Thank you!
Wow this is best serve tip I have ever seen!!! Usually I don't watch long videos. But your video makes me watch from start to end several times!! I played tennis about 15 years and serve was always my weakness. I'm not that tall guy and I thought I have to jump as high as I can. Actually that makes my serve worse. After watching this video, I go to court and hit amazing serves!! I have to practice hard to make it more naturally, but I'm really happy that how to practice serve from now on. Many thanks for amazing instruction!!
The very best instruction video on serve, especially the part between 14:25 to 16:10. I've improved my serve following your instructions. I'm also glad none of the players in my tennis league have seen this video. Hope you will put together a video on overhead.
Nick, I am very impressed. I have had several past professional training sessions on serving but still did not have a good understanding of the serving mechanics, especially the leg drive. You have offered an exceptional video explaining the serve and leg drive in a very clear way. You deserve much credit for an effective tennis serving video. Thank you so much. Ian
So helpful. I had always thought that good players jumped into their serve. I didn’t realize that their racket swing plus rotational force gave them momentum to elevate rather than jump. Thank you so much. Also as a beginner server, I found your info about being on my toes as I began the forward part of the service motion - very useful as now my shoulder/body can rotate much better, and no more shoulder pain. Thank you. Thank you.
Excellent again. I am a bit sceptical of the idea that just because the feet don’t leave the ground we aren’t using a leg drive, or ground action as some might say. In your example of ‘no legs’ there was a clear knee bend and therefore a driving force into the ground to allow a good swing speed. I think that a good leg drive allows for a strong ground action creating a violent rotation of the torso. The stronger the downforce, the greater the rotational speed potential. Becoming airborne is simply a matter of consequence of downforce. Even from the knees, downforce is possible with hip flexion and extension allowing for good rotation and racquet speed. If you really want to take the legs out of the equation, serve from a wheel chair, and see how powerful your serve is then!
Joel, thank you. The legs are part of the serve. Without the legs we would obviously have no balance. However, players are not actively jumping or pushing off the ground. The knee bend helps us getting the torso up towards the sky. What happens in the acceleration phase is a mix of forward momentum and vertical momentum. Serena, Pliskova, Raonic, Karlovic etc are not jumping. In fact, no player ever thinks of their legs when serving. I certainly don’t and yet I leave the ground every time.
Intuitive Tennis I agree, but I would have to add the ground action more importantly allows for rotation more than forward or vertical action. I think there is no high level player that intentionally jumps to hit a ball, (save Brian Battistone) showing that the intention of the hit is primarily rotational. Love your comments about Boris Becker and Nasty, btw. Great history lesson! 👍
That's a great video. Thanks for breaking this down in such a precise, thorough manner. I've always wondered how this works (not that I can do it), and this explains it clearly.
Very good descriptions all the time. If I can make a small Improvement in your language I've learned since coaching from 2006 that specific words make a big difference in describing actions. For instance, I don't say get on your toes some people take that the wrong way I say get on the balls of your feet. Much more accurate. Another example is, when breaking down the forehand or serve motion I use the phrase roll the forearm as opposed to wrist action. And I'm not referring to snapping the wrist which we know we shouldn't do. I also like to use the phrase turn the doorknob. I hope you appreciate these comments. Keep up the good job
When content is so good that you come back to wach it again and you see you learnt a lot but still have learnt some more 🎾🎾🎾🎾 I have just won small amateur tournament, so motivated to improve a bit more We gotta always get on our toes on our serves, yeah end up on the left leg like that, I adopted Croatian serve it works so well for me
Love the clarity and simplicity of your explanations, wish I had found your channel years ago. Well... I am here now. Great job, I am learning a lot and understanding the game much better. Thanks!
Constant attempts to lift my feet off the ground when serving a ball make my left knee (I m a rightie) feel chronic pain after practices. Would you personally recommend middle aged or/and overweight rec players not try to jump at all when serving so as to avoid injuries?
Informative and very helpful analysis as always Niko. “... Are we deliberately driving our legs off the ground...?..”. I was waiting for you to answer this question. My answer is No (I was happy to hear your answer 😆). When serving, nothing else is on my mind except imagining that I’m “REACHING FOR THE BALL” and executing a one-handed slam dunk somewhere around 12 o’clock for a flat serve and 1:30-2:00 o’clock for a slice serve. With this single minded objective, everything happens naturally ... the bending of the knees, the momentary push off from the balls of my feet and the upward thrust of my upper torso. My whole body is catapulted upward in the air.
I have got to give you credit. You explain things so well and obviously have a mastery of the game. You deserve all the success you are getting as a coach. While at times I feel you could improve in certain explanations, you are BY FAR the best UA-cam tennis channel hands down.
Amazing I kept watching just like that. It was so interesting. The man knows and does and goes directly to the point. It is the content of many videos from different schools in one. And with history as well. Greg
Your observations about serve and volley players makes me think. Many things about the tennis overhead serve translates to the badminton smash. The grip, the pronation, and the kinetic chain are similar and I use this to help tennis players who try badminton. All badminton pros ( but not older players like me) jump smash and land on their racket foot to move and reset for the next shot. Different racket sports, different demands but many similarities. Thanks for posting. Your ability to synthesize the muscle and conceptual demands is very helpful!
Been binging your videos Nick! Thanks for making them available. I am mainly self taught, although I did tennis summer camp when I was around 15 yo. I remained playing tennis leisurely but not seriously/regularly. I'm 37 now and trying to get back into the swing of things. I live in NYC and am really hoping to find a coach that will help me improve... in addition to the value you're already providing in your videos! Thanks again!
Good point about how much power the legs contribute, Nik. Florian Meyer of Online Tennis Instruction used a radar gun to determine speed of a normal, legs-off-the-ground serve vs one on a kneeling position. The former was about 10% faster, confirming your observation.
George, the fact that we can reach close to our max speed on the serve without using the legs can be misleading. As discussed in my video the legs are a very important part of the serve and I do not advocate to neglect the legs. The power is delivered differently when we do not use our legs and we miss out on two important power sources (forward and upward momentum). We can achieve effortless power by utilizing 3 power sources (horizontal, vertical and forward) when the legs are part of the service action. The legs help us achieve the C shape prior to the acceleration phase. My research shows that the leg drive is passive and results from the violent upward and forward thrusting of the torso.
. Nik, this is the most amazing explanation I have ever seen. I suppose you've spent a lot of time analyzing such complex movements. It is very difficult for me to see the passive movement of Thiem's legs, because of so much flexion in his knees, do you think his is also passive or is there a deliberate jumping intention? Thanks for another masterclass
Simple but quite authoritative and detailed on the leg drive! Various clips from the pro are very convincing points. Thank you. Can you comment on the concept that moving the hip closer to the baseline to generate more power (while bending your knees)?
Guest16163, thank you for the comment. Moving the hip closer to baseline can help with balance as we bend backwards and lean forward , but it’s not absolutely necessary i.e.Federer who’s hip doesn’t go forward. If these two items are accomplished in unison it can work, however by just moving the hip forward without bending the torso backwards we would be in a awkward and inferior position to generate easy power.
Yes agree. I do notice that Federer does not appear to have his hip moving forward (during the knee bend process) but he is still one of the TOP "acers". However, several top server pros are doing this. If you look below video, it is quite convincing. Frankly, I bought the story after watching it--very confusing. ua-cam.com/video/gVVk755qkFk/v-deo.html I like to keep the serve as effective and simple as I can. So moving the hip closer is not necessary (during the knee bend process) in your professional opinion? I do appreciate your time and expertise. Thank you.
Guest16163, Fed doesn’t throw the ball as far in front as other players do, that could be the reason why he doesn’t move the hip forward. It is important to feel balanced while in the C shape (bending the torso backwards). Most of the top servers, however, have the hip slightly forward and they also toss the ball further in front. Some ATP and WTA players exaggerate the pushing of the hip inside the court and they are putting themselves at a disadvantageous position in the C shape, unable to fully bend the torso backwards. In the clip you provided, Palona Herzog was applauded for sticking her hip way into the court and I would say that she’s not maximizing her serve, because in that position she’s unable to bend her torso backwards effectively.
Thanks for your insights which will eventually reduce the risks of having knee injuries in the long run and I also have found that it is quite difficult to have my hips moved inside the court without loosing balance while conforming to the C shape conformation. It also places unnecessary stress on my knees. Thank you. I really like your formula: Balance + C shape = Easy power. No yoga needed!
Thanks for the great video...Vic Braden shows 175 pound Roscoe generating 350 lbs ground reaction force (he does not lift off much). How much you wanna bend the knees and lift off is personal preference. But it all does start from the ground. So I disagree when you say, "Are we driving our legs into the ground? Absolutely not."
My coach is teaching me that 50's serve style steping in with the right leg, like Pancho Gonzáles, cause I'm 44 years old and I have knee problems that do not allow me to jump. Could you please make a video about this kind of serve ? Love your videos
baliadorr, thank you for the comment I want to remind you that it’s a passive leg drive if executed correctly. The knees should not feel strain. I’ve had knee problems for the last 20 years and never feel pain on my serve. As far as the oldschool serve where one foot remains on the ground. In the beginning of the video I discuss this particular serve.
Nikola, maybe you can make a video or answer the following question. For those of us who, for whatever reason, cannot jump up during the serve, how do you make your right foot step forward? So that the body would face the opponent/net during a flat serve? Personally, I feel like my feet are stock in the platform stance and prevent the body from turning towards the opponent. Thanks in advance.
i loved this one video especially because i noticed too players dont jump but somehow end up in the air...could not understand that but i think it comes from upper body moving forward and legs must follow unless you want to fall down so it looks like the jump but it is a push from the left leg forward..at least i do that ..and it must always be the same if you want to meat the ball on the sweet spot of the racquet it cant be like free jump in the air
Kudos for explaining so well, but according to rick macci , jeff salzestein and a few others both feet are equally used for leg drive....weight is distributed equally on both legs and then jump is made....what do u have to say about that...
I am personally disappointed that you have only 600 views and 40 likes...you are one of the best coaches here,but i guess people are too conservative to try to listen new guys...You really make a difference in coaching...I said that because i wait for more videos... All the best !
I get it.I like you a lot...your style and the things you say are really about tennis coaching...And your information are priceless,some of them...I`ve seen some comments that say same...keep going.. I am just a weekend player who loves the game and tries to improve...Your channel will be much bigger soon...i just wanted to say that i found a couch who knows what he says... Go go...!
Wonderful video! A great insight into the legs and the serve! Can you comment more on the getting on your toes when you bend the knees? Most players seem to have the front toe pointed about 45 degrees, it loads and lifts, and then it points straight forward when they land. However, I feel that I'm getting strain in my front knee as I transfer weight from the back leg to the front leg, like it's twisting. Can the front toe point forward when the knees bend? Or can the front toe be up on the knee bend and then point forward as you push off and forward?
Front foot positioning is ideal when it’s diagonal. I have a severe left knee injury and yet it never hurts on my serve. There might be something else going on on your serve causing pain
i also feel a loss of balance when trying to land on the right leg when i serve. wonder how boris managed to do it so well. it looks like he leans into the serve pushing his right leg first and then jumping with the left so his right leg comes forward first, and then turning his torso to land on the right
You are discussing mostly the End results (positions) of a stroke, statically. It would be better if you show us some exercises (dynamic movements, drills) that force us to do those positions and results. For example, I am looking for leg drills without a raquet that would make me jump correctly. So far, I do this by stretching arms forward or a bit up, then sitting down a bit on toes and rising up into the sky immediately, with chest and face up, like Jokovich. Goal is to train the beginner's legs only, and then add (combine) it with other parts of the serve. Like building a house, brick by brick.
Hi Nik very good lesson on the leg drive and what you say makes total sense.The best lesson I have seen on the legdrive on UA-cam. I think the leg drive is critical on the serve to initiate the racket drop and to get your body and throwing elbow moving in an upward motion which is critical to generate racket head speed. Also something I learnt from Dr Mark Kovacs is that most of the power on the serve comes from back leg and crucially loading the back hip. What are your thoughts on this? Keep up the great work Nik:)
Grant, thank you. However, you cannot possibly think that what I’m saying makes sense and also believe that the power comes from the back leg. The theories that are propagated around the leg drive can’t be true, because all players leave the ground with the back foot first and the front foot last. Try driving or jumping while leaving one foot on the ground. This is humanly impossible. I just wrote a blog post on this yesterday. If you are interested you can read it. It’s linked in the video description.
Hi Nik thanks for the reply. My personal beleif is that power comes from ground reaction forces and energy is transferred up through the body and transferred through the arm and racket. And a lot of the power comes from effectively loading the back hip and releasing it explosively up and out. I know this is a complex subject and everyone will have different opinions. Would love to read your blog post and get your views. Thanks, Grant.
I really think that using legs corectly give more spin on the ball than not using.. (personale test )... Kick serve and slice serve are (for me ) really easier..
great video. do you have one where you talk about the pinpoint stance vs the platform stance? be interested to understand the difference and any thoughts you have.
Hi Nikola Great work I’m still having big issues with footfaulting in double matches is the issue of the back leg as you mentioned with Becker coming into the court Can you kindly advise how I can work to prevent this happening and my back leg technique being sorted as this is affecting my game big time I do drive into the court Can I go back to basics on this so that my back leg ((lefty) working correctly Any advise greatly appreciated 👍👍🙏
after you turn Sideways,, how do you prevent yourself from foot faulting ?? Push off with your backfoot, right ? I find it impossible to push up with both feet once i turn sideways to serve
Hi, I am right handed, I am landing with my right foot after serve, my left foot is hardly off the ground. I am getting pressure on right toe after I land. Can you please help me to understand what I need to do to land on left foot. It happens once in a while that I land with left foot, and it feels great when I can. Thanks.
Learn The Croatian Serve 🇭🇷 (FREE COURSE)
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Your instructions are like a hidden lifeboat in a sea of confusion, nonsense and even potentially dangerous information. Thank you for all your hard work. Please keep it coming and your channel will skyrocket.
KC, appreciate it and will do. Thank you
This guy brought a pair of shoes and did a demonstration with them. And risked injury by explaining using the stepping board. That's dedication to teaching. Creative.
Contrary to all the highly misleading "instructional"/ultimate know it all videos that are polluting youtube and making tennis coaching to look like a Lord of The Rings poor magic scene, your videos just keep gettin' better and better. Thank you very much!!!
Mauricio, 👍
I also appreciate how well you know what other coaches are erroneously teaching conceptually and debunk that teaching without any fuss. You're a class act.
Chris, thank you for the kind words 🙏
Wow... thank you for breaking it down for us. I’ve never heard anyone describe the mechanics of a serve as clearly as you have.
Lord Byron, thank you m’lord!
🙏🙏
After several years of serving (with decent power and kick, but no leg jump), finally I got the missing piece, the toe lift. I cannot tell you enough how good of a coach you are. Keep these coming!
Thank you 🙏🙏
Very clear explanation on how the legs work on a serve. This baffled me for years!
Really outstanding descrption of how to perform leg drive and resulting racquet drop. My serve improved immensely after applying what Victor explained. Thank You !
This was the best explanation of this misunderstood topic I’ve ever heard. Thank you sir!!!
John, my pleasure 🤝
you seem to be the only guy on youtube now who gets this. thank you.
Absolutely one of the best breakdowns of the serve
Armand, 🙏
All of your videos are so well thought for content and you know how to deliver enough depth without unneeded chatter. I also like how you not only explain the concepts but then show pros and your high level technique. You're a masterful teacher. Thank you!
Chris, thank you. This means a lot 🙏
This is truly one of the best, most comprehensive and detailed videos on the leg drive that I have ever seen! You are a very thorough instructor and have clearly covered all the bases! Please continue to provide such valuable and illustrative videos. Very much appreciated by this coach! Take good care. Don
Don, thank you for the complimentary comment. I appreciate it. 👍
I know you posted this video years ago, but it's such an excellent explanation of why feet get lifted during serve and what role they plays. Tells you what you shouldn't try to control and what you can control to improve your serve. Thanks for that!
💪💯🙌
What I love about your videos is that you let your audience work within their own limitations. I have a back issue where if I tilt to the left and extend my lower back I have to lie in bed for 3 days. This happens with my current kick serve and I can now work out what best to do about it given a better understanding of the serve mechanics. This sort of video enables me to find ways of working around these limitations to the best possible result. Thank you!
Wow this is best serve tip I have ever seen!!! Usually I don't watch long videos. But your video makes me watch from start to end several times!!
I played tennis about 15 years and serve was always my weakness.
I'm not that tall guy and I thought I have to jump as high as I can.
Actually that makes my serve worse.
After watching this video, I go to court and hit amazing serves!! I have to practice hard to make it more naturally,
but I'm really happy that how to practice serve from now on. Many thanks for amazing instruction!!
🙏🙏
no non-sens. one of the best teacher out there on the web
Thru this video you made it very easy understand the importance of passive drive in serve. excellent
The very best instruction video on serve, especially the part between 14:25 to 16:10. I've improved my serve following your instructions. I'm also glad none of the players in my tennis league have seen this video.
Hope you will put together a video on overhead.
rdchenweb, thank you for the kind words 🙏
Glad I was able to help your serve.
Will definitely cover overheads. 🎾🎾
Nick, I am very impressed. I have had several past professional training sessions on serving but still did not have a good understanding of the serving mechanics, especially the leg drive. You have offered an exceptional video explaining the serve and leg drive in a very clear way. You deserve much credit for an effective tennis serving video. Thank you so much. Ian
So helpful. I had always thought that good players jumped into their serve. I didn’t realize that their racket swing plus rotational force gave them momentum to elevate rather than jump. Thank you so much. Also as a beginner server, I found your info about being on my toes as I began the forward part of the service motion - very useful as now my shoulder/body can rotate much better, and no more shoulder pain. Thank you. Thank you.
i never applied or consciously applied torso thrust , this is maybe why i found so difficult to jump on my serve
Fascinating breakdown of all aspects of the serve. Thank you Nik.
ripleygordon, 👍💪🙏
This is the best instructional video I have seen on the serve leg drive. Thank you very much.
Ngo, 🙏
Can’t believe I haven’t come across this serve video. Great vid, very informative and thorough, your instructions has helped me improve my serve. 👍🏻
Glad to hear that Lehoa 👍👍
Undoubtedly it's the best video on the serv.
Thank you Chess
I appreciate it
🙏🙏
Best explanation ever!! Congrats from Brazil!
Good explanation of leg drive, I tend to jump my right leg inside baseline first. Now willl try tips for proper leg drive ! Thanks
Excellent again. I am a bit sceptical of the idea that just because the feet don’t leave the ground we aren’t using a leg drive, or ground action as some might say. In your example of ‘no legs’ there was a clear knee bend and therefore a driving force into the ground to allow a good swing speed.
I think that a good leg drive allows for a strong ground action creating a violent rotation of the torso. The stronger the downforce, the greater the rotational speed potential. Becoming airborne is simply a matter of consequence of downforce. Even from the knees, downforce is possible with hip flexion and extension allowing for good rotation and racquet speed.
If you really want to take the legs out of the equation, serve from a wheel chair, and see how powerful your serve is then!
Joel, thank you.
The legs are part of the serve. Without the legs we would obviously have no balance. However, players are not actively jumping or pushing off the ground. The knee bend helps us getting the torso up towards the sky. What happens in the acceleration phase is a mix of forward momentum and vertical momentum. Serena, Pliskova, Raonic, Karlovic etc are not jumping. In fact, no player ever thinks of their legs when serving. I certainly don’t and yet I leave the ground every time.
Intuitive Tennis I agree, but I would have to add the ground action more importantly allows for rotation more than forward or vertical action.
I think there is no high level player that intentionally jumps to hit a ball, (save Brian Battistone) showing that the intention of the hit is primarily rotational.
Love your comments about Boris Becker and Nasty, btw. Great history lesson! 👍
Joel, Brian does jump you are right
That's a great video. Thanks for breaking this down in such a precise, thorough manner. I've always wondered how this works (not that I can do it), and this explains it clearly.
D Bell, 🙏🙏👍👍💪💪
You’re right coach, I love the way your demonstrations about the serve. Thank you you’re amazing coach ❤️☝️
Teresita, 🙏
All of your videos are so great! Thanks!
vbsurferr, 🙏🙏 I appreciate it
Very good descriptions all the time. If I can make a small Improvement in your language I've learned since coaching from 2006 that specific words make a big difference in describing actions. For instance, I don't say get on your toes some people take that the wrong way I say get on the balls of your feet. Much more accurate. Another example is, when breaking down the forehand or serve motion I use the phrase roll the forearm as opposed to wrist action. And I'm not referring to snapping the wrist which we know we shouldn't do. I also like to use the phrase turn the doorknob. I hope you appreciate these comments. Keep up the good job
When content is so good that you come back to wach it again and you see you learnt a lot but still have learnt some more 🎾🎾🎾🎾
I have just won small amateur tournament, so motivated to improve a bit more
We gotta always get on our toes on our serves, yeah end up on the left leg like that, I adopted Croatian serve it works so well for me
💪💪💪💪
best analysis for leg drive I have ever seen!
🙏🙏
Love the clarity and simplicity of your explanations, wish I had found your channel years ago. Well... I am here now. Great job, I am learning a lot and understanding the game much better. Thanks!
Constant attempts to lift my feet off the ground when serving a ball make my left knee (I m a rightie) feel chronic pain after practices. Would you personally recommend middle aged or/and overweight rec players not try to jump at all when serving so as to avoid injuries?
Best instructor. Period
Informative and very helpful analysis as always Niko. “... Are we deliberately driving our legs off the ground...?..”. I was waiting for you to answer this question. My answer is No (I was happy to hear your answer 😆). When serving, nothing else is on my mind except imagining that I’m “REACHING FOR THE BALL” and executing a one-handed slam dunk somewhere around 12 o’clock for a flat serve and 1:30-2:00 o’clock for a slice serve. With this single minded objective, everything happens naturally ... the bending of the knees, the momentary push off from the balls of my feet and the upward thrust of my upper torso. My whole body is catapulted upward in the air.
I have got to give you credit. You explain things so well and obviously have a mastery of the game. You deserve all the success you are getting as a coach. While at times I feel you could improve in certain explanations, you are BY FAR the best UA-cam tennis channel hands down.
Great as always, going to try this action, but not too sure I can do it, again thanks.
You can do it Ron 👍
Amazing I kept watching just like that. It was so interesting. The man knows and does and goes directly to the point. It is the content of many videos from different schools in one. And with history as well. Greg
Greg, thank you 🙏
absolutly the best youtuber on tennis！
Christopher, 👍 thank you
Your observations about serve and volley players makes me think. Many things about the tennis overhead serve translates to the badminton smash. The grip, the pronation, and the kinetic chain are similar and I use this to help tennis players who try badminton. All badminton pros ( but not older players like me) jump smash and land on their racket foot to move and reset for the next shot. Different racket sports, different demands but many similarities. Thanks for posting. Your ability to synthesize the muscle and conceptual demands is very helpful!
Excellent video detailing the passive leg drive. Very very good
Thank you San
Your videos give great technical instruction combined with excellent examples and nice references to ATP players. Thank you!
Fantastic tips, thanks!!
Been binging your videos Nick! Thanks for making them available. I am mainly self taught, although I did tennis summer camp when I was around 15 yo. I remained playing tennis leisurely but not seriously/regularly. I'm 37 now and trying to get back into the swing of things. I live in NYC and am really hoping to find a coach that will help me improve... in addition to the value you're already providing in your videos! Thanks again!
Good point about how much power the legs contribute, Nik. Florian Meyer of Online Tennis Instruction used a radar gun to determine speed of a normal, legs-off-the-ground serve vs one on a kneeling position. The former was about 10% faster, confirming your observation.
George, the fact that we can reach close to our max speed on the serve without using the legs can be misleading. As discussed in my video the legs are a very important part of the serve and I do not advocate to neglect the legs. The power is delivered differently when we do not use our legs and we miss out on two important power sources (forward and upward momentum).
We can achieve effortless power by utilizing 3 power sources (horizontal, vertical and forward) when the legs are part of the service action. The legs help us achieve the C shape prior to the acceleration phase.
My research shows that the leg drive is passive and results from the violent upward and forward thrusting of the torso.
. Nik, this is the most amazing explanation I have ever seen. I suppose you've spent a lot of time analyzing such complex movements. It is very difficult for me to see the passive movement of Thiem's legs, because of so much flexion in his knees, do you think his is also passive or is there a deliberate jumping intention?
Thanks for another masterclass
Thanks a lot, Alejandro from San Juan Argentina👍🏻
great stuff, Nick, love the details and how elaborate your instructions are, thanks bud!
majotnf, thank u 👍
Thanks! This is so useful and clearly explained
Much appreciated thank you 🙏🙏
Simple but quite authoritative and detailed on the leg drive! Various clips from the pro are very convincing points. Thank you.
Can you comment on the concept that moving the hip closer to the baseline to generate more power (while bending your knees)?
Guest16163, thank you for the comment.
Moving the hip closer to baseline can help with balance as we bend backwards and lean forward , but it’s not absolutely necessary i.e.Federer who’s hip doesn’t go forward. If these two items are accomplished in unison it can work, however by just moving the hip forward without bending the torso backwards we would be in a awkward and inferior position to generate easy power.
Yes agree. I do notice that Federer does not appear to have his hip moving forward (during the knee bend process) but he is still one of the TOP "acers". However, several top server pros are doing this. If you look below video, it is quite convincing. Frankly, I bought the story after watching it--very confusing.
ua-cam.com/video/gVVk755qkFk/v-deo.html
I like to keep the serve as effective and simple as I can. So moving the hip closer is not necessary (during the knee bend process) in your professional opinion? I do appreciate your time and expertise. Thank you.
Guest16163, Fed doesn’t throw the ball as far in front as other players do, that could be the reason why he doesn’t move the hip forward. It is important to feel balanced while in the C shape (bending the torso backwards). Most of the top servers, however, have the hip slightly forward and they also toss the ball further in front. Some ATP and WTA players exaggerate the pushing of the hip inside the court and they are putting themselves at a disadvantageous position in the C shape, unable to fully bend the torso backwards.
In the clip you provided, Palona Herzog was applauded for sticking her hip way into the court and I would say that she’s not maximizing her serve, because in that position she’s unable to bend her torso backwards effectively.
Thanks for your insights which will eventually reduce the risks of having knee injuries in the long run and I also have found that it is quite difficult to have my hips moved inside the court without loosing balance while conforming to the C shape conformation. It also places unnecessary stress on my knees. Thank you.
I really like your formula: Balance + C shape = Easy power. No yoga needed!
Guest16163, 👍
Great content! Any drills or work out to activate the torso thrust?
Peter, thank you. Will cover that in the near future.
Top erklärt! Sehr , sehr gut. Beeindruckend!
Berthold, vielen Dank 🙏
Thanks for the great video...Vic Braden shows 175 pound Roscoe generating 350 lbs ground reaction force (he does not lift off much). How much you wanna bend the knees and lift off is personal preference. But it all does start from the ground. So I disagree when you say, "Are we driving our legs into the ground? Absolutely not."
Very very good
Thank you so much
Great breakdown. Thank you.
My pleasure Mark
When you think you have seen a great lesson, then there is an even better one! Thanks!
good video~~~ thanks a lot
Very comprehensive and insightful !
supernovasia, thank you 🙏 👍💪
I think, your channel deserves 1 billion followers. Thanks a lot sir.
My coach is teaching me that 50's serve style steping in with the right leg, like Pancho Gonzáles, cause I'm 44 years old and I have knee problems that do not allow me to jump. Could you please make a video about this kind of serve ?
Love your videos
baliadorr, thank you for the comment
I want to remind you that it’s a passive leg drive if executed correctly. The knees should not feel strain. I’ve had knee problems for the last 20 years and never feel pain on my serve.
As far as the oldschool serve where one foot remains on the ground.
In the beginning of the video I discuss this particular serve.
Thank you coach. Great video and analysis. This made things so clear I'm excited to try later today.
Thankyou for the great video, but i had one doubt of learning serve at recreational level by taking jump is good or not?
Great teaching. Extremely helpful.
🙏
Hi there! Thanks A LOT for your great videos and awesome teaching! The best explanations I've ever gained for my Tennis!
Thank you
11 HOURS MATCH !!OMG!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIPS AND THE HISTORY LESSON.
Thanks for the great video! Can you use your legs and torso without jumping off the ground?
fun1111, you would have to consciously keep them on the ground. With the right fundamentals they come up on their own.
Great explanation.
Perfect. Very useful video. Thanks.
I definitely feel the difference when I don't use my legs and serve with all arms! Great history facts as well, I did not know that. Thank you!
Great video! I learned a lot of key tips on how the leg drive works and what it actually is. I will try these later!
🙏
Nikola, maybe you can make a video or answer the following question. For those of us who, for whatever reason, cannot jump up during the serve, how do you make your right foot step forward? So that the body would face the opponent/net during a flat serve? Personally, I feel like my feet are stock in the platform stance and prevent the body from turning towards the opponent. Thanks in advance.
There is no jumping on the serve. Anyone can execute the passive leg drive
ua-cam.com/video/3Tzk6IAH4VQ/v-deo.html
@@IntuitiveTennis Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this excellent video coach!
Nice tip very clearly explained
Glad you liked it
i loved this one video especially because i noticed too players dont jump but somehow end up in the air...could not understand that but i think it comes from upper body moving forward and legs must follow unless you want to fall down so it looks like the jump but it is a push from the left leg forward..at least i do that ..and it must always be the same if you want to meat the ball on the sweet spot of the racquet it cant be like free jump in the air
hrabmv, thanks for watching and you made some good points. 👍
thank you
Bilim, 👍
Brilliant. Such a rather confusing matter explained so clearly.
I love the perspective videos so yes, perspectives of every shot please 😂
Kudos for explaining so well, but according to rick macci , jeff salzestein and a few others both feet are equally used for leg drive....weight is distributed equally on both legs and then jump is made....what do u have to say about that...
Good video,as always.Thank you.
Catalin, 👍
In fact is excellent and you worked a lot editing it...and the "shoes game" was innovative and very convincing.
Catalin, haha yes the shoes had to be done. Glad you liked it 👍
I am personally disappointed that you have only 600 views and 40 likes...you are one of the best coaches here,but i guess people are too conservative to try to listen new guys...You really make a difference in coaching...I said that because i wait for more videos...
All the best !
I get it.I like you a lot...your style and the things you say are really about tennis coaching...And your information are priceless,some of them...I`ve seen some comments that say same...keep going..
I am just a weekend player who loves the game and tries to improve...Your channel will be much bigger soon...i just wanted to say that i found a couch who knows what he says...
Go go...!
Great video. Thanks
Wonderful video! A great insight into the legs and the serve! Can you comment more on the getting on your toes when you bend the knees? Most players seem to have the front toe pointed about 45 degrees, it loads and lifts, and then it points straight forward when they land. However, I feel that I'm getting strain in my front knee as I transfer weight from the back leg to the front leg, like it's twisting. Can the front toe point forward when the knees bend? Or can the front toe be up on the knee bend and then point forward as you push off and forward?
Front foot positioning is ideal when it’s diagonal. I have a severe left knee injury and yet it never hurts on my serve. There might be something else going on on your serve causing pain
Awesome!
Arif, 🙏
i also feel a loss of balance when trying to land on the right leg when i serve. wonder how boris managed to do it so well.
it looks like he leans into the serve pushing his right leg first and then jumping with the left so his right leg comes forward first, and then turning his torso to land on the right
You are discussing mostly the End results (positions) of a stroke, statically. It would be better if you show us some exercises (dynamic movements, drills) that force us to do those positions and results. For example, I am looking for leg drills without a raquet that would make me jump correctly. So far, I do this by stretching arms forward or a bit up, then sitting down a bit on toes and rising up into the sky immediately, with chest and face up, like Jokovich. Goal is to train the beginner's legs only, and then add (combine) it with other parts of the serve. Like building a house, brick by brick.
Hi Nik very good lesson on the leg drive and what you say makes total sense.The best lesson I have seen on the legdrive on UA-cam.
I think the leg drive is critical on the serve to initiate the racket drop and to get your body and throwing elbow moving in an upward motion which is critical to generate racket head speed.
Also something I learnt from Dr Mark Kovacs is that most of the power on the serve comes from back leg and crucially loading the back hip. What are your thoughts on this?
Keep up the great work Nik:)
Grant, thank you. However, you cannot possibly think that what I’m saying makes sense and also believe that the power comes from the back leg.
The theories that are propagated around the leg drive can’t be true, because all players leave the ground with the back foot first and the front foot last.
Try driving or jumping while leaving one foot on the ground. This is humanly impossible.
I just wrote a blog post on this yesterday. If you are interested you can read it. It’s linked in the video description.
Hi Nik thanks for the reply. My personal beleif is that power comes from ground reaction forces and energy is transferred up through the body and transferred through the arm and racket.
And a lot of the power comes from effectively loading the back hip and releasing it explosively up and out.
I know this is a complex subject and everyone will have different opinions.
Would love to read your blog post and get your views.
Thanks,
Grant.
Interesting debate topic. I think you explained your stance on this topic well, Nick.
Loved the serve video!! Would you say the leg drive between the two legs when you jump is 60% off the front and 40% off the back?
Thanks coach nick
I’m trying to land on my left foot as I learned in the 70’s to land on my right. Thanks for your help
Thank you - on the pin point serve, what percentage of your weight are you loading to the front leg?
I really think that using legs corectly give more spin on the ball than not using.. (personale test )... Kick serve and slice serve are (for me ) really easier..
great video. do you have one where you talk about the pinpoint stance vs the platform stance? be interested to understand the difference and any thoughts you have.
Sure 👉 ua-cam.com/video/gEG6jOIyOz0/v-deo.html
Hi Nikola
Great work
I’m still having big issues with footfaulting in double matches is the issue of the back leg as you mentioned with Becker coming into the court
Can you kindly advise how I can work to prevent this happening and my back leg technique being sorted as this is affecting my game big time
I do drive into the court
Can I go back to basics on this so that my back leg ((lefty) working correctly
Any advise greatly appreciated 👍👍🙏
ua-cam.com/video/vBnjtbNGQno/v-deo.html
Very good
Narit, 🙏
after you turn Sideways,, how do you prevent yourself from foot faulting ?? Push off with your backfoot, right ? I find it impossible to push up with both feet once i turn sideways to serve
very interesting
what about the shoulder over shoulder with the torso twist please ?
Jean, different mechanics for kick, flat and slice. Will cover it in the near future. Thank u
Hi, I am right handed, I am landing with my right foot after serve, my left foot is hardly off the ground. I am getting pressure on right toe after I land. Can you please help me to understand what I need to do to land on left foot. It happens once in a while that I land with left foot, and it feels great when I can. Thanks.