A bigger serve rarely comes from swinging harder. It comes from a smoother toss, a longer kinetic chain and a relaxed arm. These five drills are the ones our competitive squad runs every week.
1. Toss-and-catch
Ten tosses, no swing. Let the ball drop and check it lands just inside your front foot. A consistent toss fixes half of all serve problems.
2. Trophy-pose holds
Freeze in the trophy position for three seconds before every serve. It trains balance and teaches your legs to load before your arm moves.
3. Target cones
- Place cones in the T, body and wide corners
- Hit ten serves to each target
- Only count serves that land in the service box
4. Kneeling serves
Serving from your knees forces a full upward swing and good wrist snap. It feels strange for a week, then your normal serve feels effortless.
Pace is a by-product of rhythm. Get the rhythm right and the speed comes on its own.
5. Second-serve ladder
Play a game where you only get one serve, but it must be a kick or slice. It builds the confidence you need when the match is tight.
