Serving Wrist Flexion or Snap
First published on 9-09-2009. Bookmark & share
by Randy Lynn Rutledge - a previously certified USPTA Tennis Teaching Professional
( Note: retired in good standing, but stopped making USPTA dues payments )
( Note: retired in good standing, but stopped making USPTA dues payments )
This article discusses using wrist snap to accommodate a tennis service ball toss which is too far back.
Adding wrist flexion (wrist snap) immediately before the string-to-ball contact point of a flat service motion propels the tip of the tennis racquet forward. Leading more with the tip of the tennis racquet results in a higher initial contact point on the tennis ball and can be used to adjust the landing depth of a served tennis ball.
Wrist flexion is an optional portion of a relatively flat tennis service motion which, historically, has been referred to as wrist snap.
You might recognize the wrist motions in the pictures below as an up and down waving gesture of hello or goodbye.
Wrist flexion is used during the up (dorsiflexion) and down (palmar flexion) wrist movements we commonly make to gesture a hello or goodbye. A sped up version of the waving motion (moving rapidly from dorsiflexion to palmar flexion) can be used immediately before the string-to-ball contact portion of a relatively flat tennis service motion; this action is one way to handle a ball which has been tossed too far back and could land beyond the service line or long.
Photo 1). Dorsiflexion
This photograph (above) shows that the forearm has already pronated by an amount necessary to position the head of the tennis racquet so that the left and right edges are about the same distance away from the secondary target or landing area. This photo represents the approximate amount of wrist flexion and forearm pronation typically used just prior to string-to-ball contact for a typical flat service not using wrist snap.
Photo 2), Neutral wrist position
This photograph shows an approximately neutral wrist position of a typical flat serve. Notice the angle of positioning of the back of the hand. During a relatively flat service (with little or no wrist flexion or snap) the angle of the back of the hand would not change much more relative to the angle of the back of the forearm.
Photo 3). Palmer flexion wrist position
This photograph demonstrates a downward change in the angle of the palm of the hand. Throughout the string-to-ball contact the left and right sides of the hand and the left and right edges of the racquet head will remain evenly distanced from the secondary target.
Of course, executing another toss is the best way to deal with an imperfect toss, but applying the correct amount of wrist flexion is an acceptable way to use a functional variation during one progressive part of a flat service motion (pre-contact) to achieve the same approximate results as making a toss correction.
This photograph (above) shows that the forearm has already pronated by an amount necessary to position the head of the tennis racquet so that the left and right edges are about the same distance away from the secondary target or landing area. This photo represents the approximate amount of wrist flexion and forearm pronation typically used just prior to string-to-ball contact for a typical flat service not using wrist snap.
Photo 2), Neutral wrist position
This photograph shows an approximately neutral wrist position of a typical flat serve. Notice the angle of positioning of the back of the hand. During a relatively flat service (with little or no wrist flexion or snap) the angle of the back of the hand would not change much more relative to the angle of the back of the forearm.
Photo 3). Palmer flexion wrist position
This photograph demonstrates a downward change in the angle of the palm of the hand. Throughout the string-to-ball contact the left and right sides of the hand and the left and right edges of the racquet head will remain evenly distanced from the secondary target.
Of course, executing another toss is the best way to deal with an imperfect toss, but applying the correct amount of wrist flexion is an acceptable way to use a functional variation during one progressive part of a flat service motion (pre-contact) to achieve the same approximate results as making a toss correction.
Use a Continental Grip to Execute the Basic Flat Serve
How can you experience wrist flexion (snap)?
Set up with your shoulders about 45 degrees away from being parallel to the fence. Match the positioning of the feet in the photo (a line across the toes aims toward your target).
Raise your tennis racquet to a pre-contact position about one or two feet away from the fence and directly behind where your ball toss will be directed. Use a grip which allows the racquet face to be approximately square to the fence in a raised position (see photo).
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Toss a tennis ball to a location about six inches in front of your raised tennis racquet; use a wrist movement similar to an up-and-down type of wave to move the tip of the tennis racquet in the direction of the fence to strike the ball.
After you get the feel for the setup and the wrist action, move to about six feet away from the net and practice using only the wrist action (forward flexion or snap). Adjust the toss as necessary so that a regular toss results in a ball which lands slightly beyond the service line (long), then use the wrist flexion (snap) to bring the ball down into the service box.
After you have success at one distance from the net, gradually move back in the direction of the baseline. At each location adjust the toss and the racquet starting position until the tennis racquet is being guided through a complete service motion in the back half of the big box beyond the service line. Start with a slightly long serve before adding the wrist flexion (snap) to bring the ball down into the service box.
Spread the Word
Tell someone else about wrist flexion or wrist snap. Describe how wrist flexion has only one function, to bring down or reduce the distance of flight of a ball which would otherwise go long during the execution of a relatively flat serve. Be sure to mention the positioning of the feet and a ball toss to a location somewhere between the ear and shoulder of the dominant side.
Tell someone else about wrist flexion or wrist snap. Describe how wrist flexion has only one function, to bring down or reduce the distance of flight of a ball which would otherwise go long during the execution of a relatively flat serve. Be sure to mention the positioning of the feet and a ball toss to a location somewhere between the ear and shoulder of the dominant side.
A note to those who might claim that wrist flexion or wrist snap immediately before making string-to-ball contact during a serve is impossible:
Your logic is not flawed if any type of serve is being executed which requires that the pronator muscle must work all the way up to or beyond the string-to-ball contact point just to present or aim the racquet face properly for angular ball guidance; this is true because the up (dorsiflexion) and down (palmar flexion) wrist movements cannot be applied to the service motion until after the pronator muscle has completed its job of positioning the tennis racquet face for accurate angular guidance. If the ball toss is so far to the left or right (even for the flat service with a setup as I have described above), then the extended time needed for the pronator muscle to present or aim the racquet face properly for angular ball guidance will decrease or eliminate any available time to apply the forward motion of wrist flexion; however, placing the ball toss to a location somewhere between (above) the ear and shoulder on the dominant side will reduce the time needed for the pronator muscle to complete its task and make more time available to insert some degree of wrist flexion to correct for a ball toss which is slightly too far back.
There are many different types of serves which will require grip and ball toss variations, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages in certain tennis circumstances.
This article is not an attempt to argue that a relatively flat serve should be used in all serving situations. This article is only a statement of option: When a flat serve is used, there is usually some pre-contact time available for wrist flexion to be used as an option to compensate for a ball toss which is slightly too far back.
Written by Randy Lynn Rutledge (February 15, 2011)