The 5 Day Serve Cure. By Jeff Salzenstein The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved

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2 The 5 Day Serve Cure By Jeff Salzenstein 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 0

3 Legal Disclaimer You must get your physician s approval before beginning this exercise program. The program is for educational purposes and is designed for healthy individuals 18 years and older only. You should not take part in the program if you have any medical condition or injury that contraindicates physical activity. If you are overweight, sedentary or over 30 years old, or if you have high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure or diabetes, you must have a complete physical examination before starting this exercise program. If you are taking medication, it is also critically important to obtain approval from a physician before commencing. Please discuss appropriate changes to your exercise regime with your physician or physical therapist. If your physician or physical therapist recommends that you don t use this workout, please follow this advice. If you experience any light-headedness, dizziness or shortness of breath while exercising, stop immediately and consult a physician. The information in this manual is meant to supplement, not replace, proper exercise training. In particular, the exercises and drills in this manual are not intended as a substitute for any exercise routine or treatment that may have been prescribed by your physician or physical therapist. All forms of exercise pose inherent risks. Readers must take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training and fitness. Don t lift heavy weights if you are alone, inexperienced, injured or fatigued. Don t perform any exercise unless you have been shown the proper technique by a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning specialist and/or tennis coach. Ask for instruction and assistance when training. Don t perform any exercise without proper instruction. Always do a warm up prior to training. Copyright 2016 Tennis Evolution 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 1

4 Welcome From Jeff Congratulations on picking up the 5 Day Serve Cure, the step-by-step guide to help you dramatically accelerate your serve results in just five days. Follow this guide and you ll see and feel your serve transforming by the day. This guide will help you serve to your true potential. You deserve to be commended for being an action taker, and I want to personally congratulate you for making the choice to pick up the 5 Day Serve Cure. You re one of the top 1% that wants to make it happen, and I m very excited about the awesome results you will get on your serve. The drills in the 5 Day Serve Cure really work. You have the chance to follow a program that has your best interests at heart: there s no more wondering if you re following the right path for serve success. These drills and exercises are designed specifically for you to get FAST results. The 5 Day Serve Cure is an intense program intended for you to serve for five straight days to gain momentum and experience maximum progress. However, if you re not used to serving daily, you may need to pace yourself. Listen to your body and be willing to rest your arm and shoulder by taking days off. You definitely want to avoid any overuse injuries or shoulder problems. However, if your shoulder feels good and loose, continue working on your serve each day until you complete the program. Your committed serve coach, Jeff Salzenstein CEO, Tennis Evolution 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 2

5 Be Safe With Your Training Please train smart and listen to your body. Avoid pushing too hard. Avoid performing any exercises that you re not clear on how to perform. Always seek expert advice from an experienced trainer or coach if you are unsure. If it hurts, stop immediately. You don t win any awards for pushing through the pain. In most cases you can modify an exercise or drill to eliminate pain. With this and any other program, practice all exercises and drills until you perfect the proper form. You can even start with just one set of a given exercises or drill. There s a chance you ll experience soreness when you first start the program so avoid doing too many sets and reps in the beginning. Feel free to rest or take extra days off from serving until you feel ready to go again. Having a training partner can help motivate you as well as help you train more safely. If you are alone, make sure your form is very good. Do not continue doing exercises and drills with bad form. Always start with easier modified exercises first. Don t try to show off or be a hero. It s actually better for you and your tennis if you perform the easier exercises with amazing form than if you attempt the harder exercises with poor form. You ll be challenged even with the easy exercises. Do NOT train every day. You should take at least one day off per week and you can always take more time off if necessary. Always perform the activation and warm-up drills to get your body and mind prepared for the main training session of the day. Avoid starting this program if you have a pre-existing injury. Seek out a doctor and/or physical therapist to help you heal your injury before you begin this program. Some exercises in the program can be modified to work around an injury, but it is not recommended. Check with your doctor before starting any new training program. It s vital to focus on smart, safe training The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 3

6 What The 5 Day Serve Cure Does The goal of the 5 Day Serve Cure manual is simple: to help you rapidly and effectively improve your serve in the areas of technique, rhythm, racquet head speed, balance, relaxation, confidence, pronation, topspin and much, much more. Whoa! That s a lot in just five days! The serve is the most difficult and challenging shot in tennis to change. It can also be considered the most rewarding shot to master because of its complexity and the positive impact it can have on your game. Rarely does a player at any level serve as efficiently and effectively as they could. Often players accept that they just can t change their serve for the better Until now. With the 5 Day Serve Cure, you can learn which drills to practice so that you can change your serve to one that truly resembles what the best players in the world do every day. Yes, you can do it. Don t buy into the notion that only the pros can serve a certain way or that you re limited in how much progress you can make. With the right exercises and drills as shown in the 5 Day Serve Cure, you ll know exactly what to do to be successful. You should have tremendous serve breakthroughs over the five days of this program, but if for some reason it takes longer to make positive changes, be patient with the process because the only thing stopping you is not taking positive action consistently. Carve out enough time away from competition to practice the serve drills outlined in this manual. Don t try to change your serve in the middle of the match. When you compete, that is the time to work on your competitive skills, focusing more on strategy and mental toughness. Remember, you ve probably been serving a certain way for years. Give yourself a little time to get this right. Good things come to those who stick with the process and demonstrate patience consistently. If you plan to play tennis for many years to come, and you re passionate about getting better, you can make these changes now and have a serve your friends and opponents will envy. Thank you so much for being a dedicated player and going for it! Good luck and keep me posted on your progress. I would love to hear how awesomely you re doing with this program The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 4

7 The 5 Day Serve Cure Disclaimer: Consult your doctor, therapist and/or personal coach before starting any training program. You must have a complete physical examination if you re sedentary; if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes; if you/re overweight; or if you re over 30 years old. Please discuss all exercise programs with your doctor, physical therapist and/or coach. Here's how this is going to work. You ll get a five day program to follow. You can adjust it to your liking depending on what drills and exercises you feel you need to work on. Do your best to carve out time each day to make this serve manual work for you. You can split the training sessions up into two 30-minute sessions or a longer one-hour session. If you work during the day, plan to use the weekend to fit both morning and afternoon sessions in on two out of the five days. If you can t block this amount of time out of your schedule, 30-minute sessions each day can still make a huge difference in your serve. Even 15 minutes a day will do wonders for your serve development. You can repeat this five-day cycle as many times as you want until you master the drills and feel the results with your serve. And of course, you can watch and apply the Instant Serve Cure Video Lessons to get the extra edge that you desire. Get a journal and log your workouts, including the drills you performed. As you learn the drills and figure out which ones you need to use the most, you can incorporate them into your serve workouts in the future The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 5

8 Here are the main areas that will be covered: 1. Feel the Grip 2. Get Comfortable in the Platform Stance 3. Master the First Move 4. Practice the Toss 5. Find the Trophy Position 6. How to Hit Topspin/Kick Serves 7. How to Establish Rhythm and Timing 8. Use the Legs Each of the areas mentioned above will involve certain drills and concepts that you ll focus on not only throughout the next five days but for the rest of your serving career. There s a good chance you ll be challenged with these drills, which will require consistent practice and refinement on your part. You might even get frustrated at times. Be patient. You ll have HUGE breakthroughs when you stick with it. I have set up Days 1 to 5 following a specific sequence of drills and concepts to incorporate into your training. You can deviate from the program if you feel you need to hone in on a certain aspect of your serve training. Before you start a serve training session, be sure to incorporate a thorough warm up. Make sure you raise your core temperature and get your body moving so that you give yourself the best opportunity to prevent injuries and serve your best. On the next page you ll find the daily dynamic warm-up routine that precedes each serve practice session. You can run through this series once or twice before starting your serve drills and even perform the exercises as a cool down The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 6

9 Dynamic Warm-Up Routine You can perform all these exercises before your serve practice. Go through this routine before days 1 through 5. Take minutes to warm up by moving across the court while performing each exercise. For the exercises that are stationary, you can perform up to ten reps in one place. You can also perform these exercises as a cool down if you like. Prisoner Squats Start with the feet a little more than shoulder width apart Turn the feet out slightly Interlace the hands behind the head Squat down as far as possible with good form and come back up Keep the knees over the second toes without letting them inch forward Perform 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 7

10 Reverse Lunges Stand with the arms extended above the head, palms facing each other Step back with one leg into a reverse lunge position The back knee should almost touch the ground The front knee should not extend over the front toe Keep the upper body upright with the arms still extended overhead Straighten the legs and step back up to a standing position Perform 5 10 reps on each side 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 8

11 Squat To Stand With Reach Stand with the feet a little more than shoulder width apart Hold the arms by the sides Turn the feet out slightly Bend over from the waist and grab both ankles Squat down with the knees outside the elbows while looking straight ahead Reach up with one arm, turning the head to look up at the arm Put the hand back down on the ankle and repeat on the other side Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 9

12 Bowler Squat Stand with the feet a little less than shoulder width apart Hold the arms by the sides Shift your weight to balance on one leg With the standing leg slightly bent, bend over from the waist Reach across the body with one arm and attempt to touch the ground Try to keep balanced on one leg while performing the movement Return to an upright position while balancing on one leg Perform 5 10 reps on one side Repeat on the other side when ready 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 10

13 Spiderman Stand straight with the arms by the sides Lunge out and slightly to the side with one leg Put the hands near the ground on the inside of the lunging leg Feel the stretch in the hip flexor of the back leg Step forward with the back leg, lunging out and slightly to the side Put the hands near the ground on the inside of the lunging leg Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 11

14 Spiderman With Overhead Reach Stand straight with the arms by the sides Lunge out and slightly to the side with one leg Put the hands near the ground on the inside of the lunging leg Feel the stretch in the hip flexor of the back leg Rotate the body away from the front leg and reach the outside arm overhead Step forward with the back leg, lunging out and slightly to the side Put the hands near the ground on the inside of the lunging leg Feel the stretch in the hip flexor of the back leg Rotate the body away from the front leg and reach the outside arm overhead Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 12

15 Cradle Walk Stand straight with the arms by the sides Grab one leg at the ankle with both hands and pull it towards the body Pull upwards on the bent leg while standing on the other leg Extend up on the toes if possible Feel the stretch in the hip on the outside of the held leg Repeat with the other leg Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 13

16 Shoulder Dislocations Stand straight with the feet shoulder width apart Grab a mini resistance band Stretch the band apart with the arms straight in front of the body Bring the arms up over the head and back down behind the body Keep the arms as straight as possible while performing this movement Feel a stretch while bringing the band back overhead and in front of the body Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 14

17 Shoulder Circles Thumbs Forward Stand straight with the arms by the sides Make fists with the thumbs facing forward and the palms facing down Raise the arms to the sides and make big circles forward Perform 10 reps Repeat as above but with big circles backward Perform 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 15

18 Shoulder Circles Thumbs Backward Stand straight with the arms by the sides Make fists with the thumbs facing backward and the palms facing up Raise the arms to the sides and make big circles forward Perform 10 reps Repeat as above but with big circles backward Perform 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 16

19 Wrist Circles Stand straight with the arms by the sides Raise the arms slightly to the side, making fists with the hands Rotate the wrists slowly with control in a clockwise direction Perform 10 reps Repeat in a counter-clockwise direction Perform 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 17

20 Continuous Swings Stand on the baseline in a platform stance with a racquet and no ball Line up the back foot behind the front foot Without bending the knees, start moving the racquet Perform a continuous natural serving motion without hitting a ball Feel a natural shoulder turn in the trophy position Reach up to the contact point and feel the racquet accelerate Perform a full follow-through Feel all your weight shift to the front foot at the end of the swing Loop the racquet back to the starting position in a fluid manner Feel your weight come back to the back foot to prepare for another swing Repeat for multiple reps until ready to begin the training session 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 18

21 Day 1 Feel The Grip The Continental Grip Gives the ability to hit flat, topspin, and slice The most commonly used grip The knuckle of the index finger rests one bevel to the right of center The Weak Continental Grip Used by Pete Sampras Allows for better pronation Helps to generate more power Closer to an eastern forehand but still continental The index finger knuckle is slightly further right than in the continental grip The heel of the hand is further right than in the continental grip 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 19

22 Get Comfortable In The Platform Stance Makes the shoulder turn easier Creates the stability to jump off both legs Helps to establish rhythm, timing and flow Choose A Platform Stance: The Federer And Sampras Options Find a comfortable starting stance every time The space between both feet is flexible depending on individual preference Sampras: start with your weight on the back foot and hold the front toe up Federer: start with the weight on the front foot then shift back The key is to find a comfortable, relaxed stance before making the first move 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 20

23 Hand And Racquet Position The Sampras Start Put your weight on the back foot before the making the first move Have the racquet head pointing to the net and slightly up Relax and bend the arms Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet The Federer Start Put your weight on the front foot before making the first move Have the racquet head pointing down towards the ground Relax and allow the arms to hang down towards the ground Look over the net at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 21

24 Master The First Move The Mini First Move: Against The Fence Drill Stand about six inches to a foot away from the fence Start in the platform stance with a racquet Hold the racquet in the start position Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Move the racquet towards the back fence while keeping the arms relaxed Keep looking over the non-dominant shoulder during the first move Feel the racquet strings brush against the back fence 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 22

25 The Mini First Move: No Racquet Drill Start in the platform stance without a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area The Mini First Move: Shadow Swings Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 23

26 Practice The Toss The Two Fingertip Hold Toss Drill Hold the ball between the middle or index finger and the thumb Make sure the other fingers are not touching the ball Release the ball with the middle/index finger and the thumb Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin The Fingertip Toss Hold Drill Hold the ball softly with all the fingers The thumb, index and, middle fingers will feel most of the pressure The ring and pinky finger will rest gently along the side of the ball Hold the ball like this for 5 10 seconds or until it feels comfortable 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 24

27 The Release The Ball Near Head Level Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make the first move with a shoulder turn Release the ball at head level Keep the racquet hand lower than the tossing hand while releasing the ball Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin Attempt to have the ball land on the ground in front of the body The Toss And Land Drill Lay out a racquet inside the court in front of the body Start in the platform stance without a racquet Practice tossing the ball so that it lands on the racquet placed on the ground Adjust the toss to get the ball to land on the racquet consistently Practice tossing the ball so that it has little or no spin 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 25

28 Find The Trophy Position The Trophy Position Hold: 3/4 Serve Shadow Swing Drill Start with the racquet arm in the 3/4 serve position down by the side Make the first move by leading with the shoulders Bend the serving arm from the 3/4 position into the trophy position Feel a slight knee bend with good balance on both feet Extend the tossing arm up towards the sky Find a proper trophy position and hold the position for 5 10 seconds (or more) 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 26

29 The Trophy Position Hold: Shadow Swing Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make the first move by leading with the shoulders Move the tossing arm up faster than the serving arm Extend the tossing arm up towards the sky Feel a slight knee bend with good balance on both feet Find a proper trophy position and hold the position for 5 10 seconds (or more) 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 27

30 The Trophy Position Hold: Toss The Ball Drill Start with the racquet arm in the 3/4 serve position down by the side Make the first move by leading with the shoulders Release the ball as the tossing arm extends straight in the air Find a proper trophy position while letting the ball drop to the ground Hold the position for 5 10 seconds (or more) 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 28

31 How To Hit Topspin/Kick Serves The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Shadow Swing Drill Lay a mat or towel down to provide cushioning for the knees Kneel down on the mat with one knee on the ground Push the foot into the ground behind the body for support Choke up on the racquet using a continental grip Start in a 1/2 serve position (not scratching the back) Mimic a toss without a ball and create a topspin shadow serve swing motion Finish with the racquet at the front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 29

32 The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Basic Drill Lay a mat or towel down to provide cushioning for the knees Kneel down on the mat with one knee on the ground Push the back foot into the ground behind the body for support Choke up on the racquet using a continental grip Start in a 1/2 serve position (not scratching the back) Toss a ball so that it arches over the head and perform a topspin serve swing Finish with the racquet in front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds See if the ball goes high in the air over the net 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 30

33 The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Open The Fingers Drill Lay a mat or towel down to provide cushioning for the knees Kneel down on the mat with one knee on the ground Push the back foot into the ground behind the body for support Choke up on the racquet using a continental grip Start in a 1/2 serve position (not scratching the back) Toss a ball so that it arches over the head and perform a topspin serve swing Finish with the racquet in front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds Open the fingers at the end of the finish to promote proper relaxation 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 31

34 Day 2 Feel The Grip The Continental Grip Gives the ability to hit flat, topspin and slice The most commonly used grip to use The knuckle of the index finger rests one bevel to the right of center The Weak Continental Grip Used by Pete Sampras Allows for better pronation Helps to generate more power Closer to an eastern forehand but still continental The index finger knuckle is slightly further right than in the continental grip The heel of the hand is further right than in the continental grip 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 32

35 Get Comfortable In The Platform Stance Makes the shoulder turn easier Creates the stability to jump off both legs Helps to establish rhythm, timing and flow Choose A Platform Stance: The Federer And Sampras Options Find a comfortable starting stance every time The space between both feet is flexible depending on individual preference Sampras: start with your weight on the back foot and hold the front toe up Federer: start with the weight on the front foot then shift back The key is to find a comfortable, relaxed stance before making the first move 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 33

36 Hand And Racquet Position The Sampras Start Put your weight on the back foot before the making the first move Have the racquet head pointing to the net and slightly up Relax and bend the arms Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet The Federer Start Put your weight on the front foot before making the first move Have the racquet head pointing down towards the ground Relax and allow the arms to hang down towards the ground Look over the net at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 34

37 Master The First Move The Mini First Move: Against The Fence Drill Stand about six inches to a foot away from the fence Start in the platform stance with a racquet Hold the racquet in the start position Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Move the racquet towards the back fence while keeping the arms relaxed Keep looking over the non-dominant shoulder during the first move Feel the racquet strings brush against the back fence 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 35

38 The Mini First Move: No Racquet Drill Start in the platform stance without a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area The Mini First Move: Shadow Swings Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 36

39 Practice The Toss The Two Fingertip Hold Toss Drill Hold the ball between the middle or index finger and the thumb Make sure the other fingers are not touching the ball Release the ball with the middle/index finger and the thumb Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin The Fingertip Toss Hold Drill Hold the ball with all the fingers softly The thumb, index and middle fingers will feel most of the pressure The ring and pinky finger will rest gently along the side of the ball Hold the ball like this for 5 10 seconds or until it feels comfortable 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 37

40 The Release The Ball Near Head Level Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make the first move with a shoulder turn Release the ball at head level Keep the racquet hand lower than the tossing hand while releasing the ball Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin Attempt to have the ball land on the ground in front of the body 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 38

41 Find The Trophy Position The Trophy Position Hold: Toss The Ball Drill Start with the racquet arm in the 3/4 serve position down by the side Make the first move by leading with the shoulders Release the ball as the tossing arm extends straight in the air Find a proper trophy position while letting the ball drop to the ground Hold the position for 5 10 seconds (or more) 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 39

42 The Trophy Position Hold: Full Serve Toss The Ball Drill Begin in preferred starting position: Federer or Sampras stance Hold the ball and make the first move with both arms Release the ball as the tossing arm extends straight in the air Find a proper trophy position while letting the ball drop to the ground Hold the position for 5 10 seconds (or more), noting how the body feels 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 40

43 How To Hit Topspin/Kick Serves The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Shadow Swing Drill Lay a mat or towel down to provide cushioning for the knees Kneel down on the mat with one knee on the ground Push the foot into the ground behind the body for support Choke up on the racquet using a continental grip Start in a 1/2 serve position (not scratching the back) Mimic a toss without a ball and create a topspin shadow serve swing motion Finish with the racquet at the front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 41

44 The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Pop The Ball Up Drill Lay a mat or towel down to provide cushioning for the knees Kneel down on the mat with one knee on the ground Push the back foot into the ground behind the body for support Choke up on the racquet with a continental grip Start in a 1/2 serve position (not scratching the back) Toss a ball so that it arches over the head and perform a topspin serve swing Hit the ball as high as possible, stopping the follow-through at contact Hold the finish for a few seconds Perform 2 sets of 5-10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 42

45 The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Basic Drill Lay a mat or towel down to provide cushioning for the knees Kneel down on the mat with one knee on the ground Push the back foot into the ground behind the body for support Choke up on the racquet using a continental grip Start in a 1/2 serve position (not scratching the back) Toss a ball so that it arches over the head and perform a topspin serve swing Finish with the racquet in front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds See if the ball goes high in the air over the net 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 43

46 The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Standing Drill Start in a 1/2 serve position with the ball Choke up with a continental grip Toss the ball so that it is above the head and perform a topspin serve swing Finish with the racquet in front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds See if the ball goes high in the air above the net 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 44

47 How To Establish Rhythm And Timing The Walking Serve Drill 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 45

48 Start on the baseline in a platform stance Try keeping the back foot more in line with the front foot Hold a few balls in the hand or the pocket Take a small step forward with the front foot while tossing the ball Swing naturally without jumping While making contact, start to bring the back foot forward Take the next ball and repeat the walking serve Repeat, moving towards the net until no more balls are left Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 46

49 The Continuous Swing Drill Start on the baseline in a platform stance Try to keep the back foot more in line with the front foot Hold a few balls in the hand or the pocket Swing naturally without bending the legs Perform shadow strokes first or hit the ball with a continuous swing Shift all your weight to the front foot while making contact The back foot should lift up as the swing finishes Bring the racquet through continuously from the finishing to the starting position Repeat until no balls are left, minimizing intervals between swings Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 47

50 Use The Legs The 1/2 Serve Jump And Hit Drill Stand in a platform stance with the racquet in the 1/2 serve position Toss the ball, bend the knees and jump up to hit the ball Extend the legs explosively while accelerating the racquet Be aware of the finish at the end of the serve 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 48

51 The 3/4 Serve Jump And Hit Drill Stand in a platform stance with the racquet in the 3/4 serve position Hold the ball and make the first move with both arms Toss the ball, bend the knees and jump up to hit the ball Extend the legs explosively while accelerating the racquet Be aware of the finish at the end of the serve 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 49

52 Day 3 Feel The Grip The Continental Grip Gives the ability to hit flat, topspin, and slice The most commonly used grip The knuckle of the index finger rests one bevel to the right of center The Weak Continental Grip Used by Pete Sampras Allows for better pronation Helps to generate more power Closer to an eastern forehand but still continental The index finger knuckle is slightly further right than in the continental grip The heel of the hand is further right than in the continental grip 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 50

53 Get Comfortable In The Platform Stance Makes the shoulder turn easier Creates the stability to jump off both legs Helps to establish rhythm, timing and flow Choose A Platform Stance: The Federer And Sampras Options Find a comfortable starting stance every time The space between both feet is flexible depending on individual preference Sampras: start with your weight on the back foot and hold the front toe up Federer: start with the weight on the front foot then shift back The key is to find a comfortable, relaxed stance before making the first move 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 51

54 Hand And Racquet Position The Sampras Start Put your weight on the back foot before the making the first move Have the racquet head pointing to the net and slightly up Relax and bend the arms Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet The Federer Start Put your weight on the front foot before making the first move Have the racquet head pointing down towards the ground Relax and allow the arms to hang down towards the ground Look over the net at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 52

55 Master The First Move The Mini First Move: Against The Fence Drill Stand about six inches to a foot away from the fence Start in the platform stance with a racquet Hold the racquet in the start position Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders The racquet moving towards the back fence while keeping the arms relaxed Keep looking over the non-dominant shoulder during the first move Feel the racquet strings brush against the back fence 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 53

56 The Mini First Move: No Racquet Drill Start in the platform stance without a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area The Mini First Move: Shadow Swings Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 54

57 Practice The Toss The Two Fingertip Hold Toss Drill Hold the ball between the middle or index finger and the thumb Make sure the other fingers are not touching the ball Release the ball with the middle/index finger and the thumb Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin The Fingertip Toss Hold Drill Hold the ball softly with all the fingers The thumb, index and, middle fingers will feel most of the pressure The ring and pinky finger will rest gently along the side of the ball Hold the ball like this for 5 10 seconds or until it feels comfortable 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 55

58 The Release The Ball Near Head Level Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make the first move with a shoulder turn Release the ball at head level Keep the racquet hand lower than the tossing hand while releasing the ball Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin Attempt to have the ball land on the ground in front of the body 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 56

59 Find The Trophy Position The Trophy Position Hold: Toss The Ball Drill Start with the racquet arm in the 3/4 serve position down by the side Make the first move by leading with the shoulders Release the ball as tossing arm goes extends straight in the air Find a proper trophy position while letting the ball drop on the ground Hold the position for time Repeat this drill while holding each rep for 5-10 seconds (or more) 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 57

60 The Trophy Position Hold: Full Serve Toss The Ball Drill Begin in preferred starting position: Federer or Sampras stance Hold the ball and make the first move with both arms Release the ball as the tossing arm extends straight in the air Find a proper trophy position while letting the ball drop to the ground Hold the position for 5 10 seconds (or more), noting how the body feels 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 58

61 How To Establish Rhythm And Timing The Walking Serve Drill 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 59

62 Start on the baseline in a platform stance Try keeping the back foot more in line with the front foot Hold a few balls in the hand or the pocket Take a small step forward with the front foot while tossing the ball Swing naturally without jumping While making contact, start to bring the back foot forward Take the next ball and repeat the walking serve Repeat, moving towards the net until no more balls are left Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 60

63 The Continuous Swing Drill Start on the baseline in a platform stance Try to keep the back foot more in line with the front foot Hold a few balls in the hand or the pocket Swing naturally without bending the legs Perform shadow strokes first or hit the ball with a continuous swing Shift all your weight to the front foot while making contact The back foot should lift up as the swing finishes Bring the racquet through continuously from the finishing to the starting position Repeat until no balls are left, minimising intervals between swings Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 61

64 How To Hit Topspin/Kick Serves The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Basic Drill Lay a mat or towel down to provide cushioning for the knees Kneel down on the mat with one knee on the ground Push the back foot into the ground behind the body for support Choke up on the racquet using a continental grip Start in a 1/2 serve position (not scratching the back) Toss a ball so that it arches over the head and perform a topspin serve swing Finish with the racquet in front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds See if the ball goes high in the air over the net 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 62

65 The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Standing Drill Start in a 1/2 serve position with the ball Choke up with a continental grip Toss the ball so that it is above the head and perform a topspin serve swing Finish with the racquet in front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds See if the ball goes high in the air above the net 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 63

66 Use The Legs The 1/2 Serve Jump And Hit Drill Stand in a platform stance with the racquet in the 1/2 serve position Toss the ball, bend the knees and jump up to hit the ball Extend the legs explosively while accelerating the racquet Be aware of the finish at the end of the serve 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 64

67 The 3/4 Serve Jump And Hit Drill Stand in a platform stance with the racquet in the 3/4 serve position Hold the ball and make the first move with both arms Toss the ball, bend the knees and jump up to hit the ball Extend the legs explosively while accelerating the racquet Be aware of the finish at the end of the serve 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 65

68 Putting It All Together: Full Serve Motion Get into the platform stance: use the Federer or Sampras stance Focus on getting in a comfortable starting position Feel the shoulder turn with the first move Move the tossing arm up faster than the serving arm Bend the serving arm and relax into the trophy position Bend the knees and extend the legs explosively towards the ball Make contact and land on the front foot Repeat for 5 10 minutes until satisfied 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 66

69 What Do You Need? Choose Your Drill(s) At the end of the practice session, pick a few drills to spend more time on. Choose any of the drills outlined in the 5 Day Serve Cure. Write down the drills you performed and how long you spent practicing them here: 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 67

70 Day 4 Feel The Grip The Continental Grip Gives the ability to hit flat, topspin, and slice The most commonly used grip The knuckle of the index finger rests one bevel to the right of center The Weak Continental Grip Used by Pete Sampras Allows for better pronation Helps to generate more power Closer to an eastern forehand but still continental The index finger knuckle is slightly further right than in the continental grip The heel of the hand is further right than in the continental grip 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 68

71 Get Comfortable In The Platform Stance Makes the shoulder turn easier Creates the stability to jump off both legs Helps to establish rhythm, timing and flow Choose A Platform Stance: The Federer And Sampras Options Find a comfortable starting stance every time The space between both feet is flexible depending on individual preference Sampras: start with your weight on the back foot and hold the front toe up Federer: start with the weight on the front foot then shift back The key is to find a comfortable, relaxed stance before making the first move 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 69

72 Hand And Racquet Position The Sampras Start Put your weight on the back foot before the making the first move Have the racquet head pointing to the net and slightly up Relax and bend the arms Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet The Federer Start Put your weight on the front foot before making the first move Have the racquet head pointing down towards the ground Relax and allow the arms to hang down towards the ground Look over the net at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 70

73 Master The First Move The Mini First Move: Against The Fence Drill Stand about six inches to a foot away from the fence Start in the platform stance with a racquet Hold the racquet in the start position Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Move the racquet towards the back fence while keeping the arms relaxed Keep looking over the non-dominant shoulder during the first move Feel the racquet strings brush against the back fence 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 71

74 The Mini First Move: No Racquet Drill Start in the platform stance without a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area The Mini First Move: Shadow Swings Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 72

75 Practice The Toss The Two Fingertip Hold Toss Drill Hold the ball between the middle or index finger and the thumb Make sure the other fingers are not touching the ball Release the ball with the middle/index finger and the thumb Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin The Fingertip Toss Hold Drill Hold the ball softly with all the fingers The thumb, index and, middle fingers will feel most of the pressure The ring and pinky finger will rest gently along the side of the ball Hold the ball like this for 5 10 seconds or until it feels comfortable 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 73

76 The Release The Ball Near Head Level Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make the first move with a shoulder turn Release the ball at head level Keep the racquet hand lower than the tossing hand while releasing the ball Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin Attempt to have the ball land on the ground in front of the body 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 74

77 How To Establish Rhythm And Timing The Walking Serve Drill 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 75

78 Start on the baseline in a platform stance Try keeping the back foot more in line with the front foot Hold a few balls in the hand or the pocket Take a small step forward with the front foot while tossing the ball Swing naturally without jumping While making contact, start to bring the back foot forward Take the next ball and repeat the walking serve Repeat, moving towards the net until no more balls are left Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 76

79 The Continuous Swing Drill Start on the baseline in a platform stance Try to keep the back foot more in line with the front foot Hold a few balls in the hand or the pocket Swing naturally without bending the legs Perform shadow strokes first or hit the ball with a continuous swing Shift all your weight to the front foot while making contact The back foot should lift up as the swing finishes Bring the racquet through continuously from the finishing to the starting position Repeat until no balls are left, minimizing intervals between swings Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 77

80 How To Hit Topspin/Kick Serves The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Standing Drill Start in a 1/2 serve position with the ball Choke up with a continental grip Toss the ball so that it is above the head and perform a topspin serve swing Finish with the racquet in front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds See if the ball goes high in the air above the net 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 78

81 The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: 3/4 Serve Standing Drill With Ball Begin standing in a 3/4 serve position with the ball Choke up with a continental grip Toss a ball above the head and perform a topspin serve swing Finish with the racquet in front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds See if the ball goes high in the air above the net 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 79

82 Use The Legs The 3/4 Serve Jump And Hit Drill Stand in a platform stance with the racquet in the 3/4 serve position Hold the ball and make the first move with both arms Toss the ball, bend the knees and jump up to hit the ball Extend the legs explosively while accelerating the racquet Be aware of the finish at the end of the serve 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 80

83 The Full Serve Jump Over The Line Drill Apply a piece of tape to the ground just inside the baseline Toss the ball, bend the knees and jump up to hit the ball Extend the legs explosively while accelerating the racquet Aim to jump over the piece or tape 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 81

84 Putting It All Together: Full Serve Motion Get into the platform stance: use the Federer or Sampras stance Focus on getting in a comfortable starting position Feel the shoulder turn with the first move Move the tossing arm up faster than the serving arm Bend the serving arm and relax into the trophy position Bend the knees and extend the legs explosively towards the ball Make contact and land on the front foot Repeat for 5 10 minutes until satisfied 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 82

85 What Do You Need? Choose Your Drill(s) At the end of the practice session, pick a few drills to spend more time on. Choose any of the drills outlined in the 5 Day Serve Cure. Write down the drills you performed and how long you spent practicing them here: 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 83

86 Day 5 Feel The Grip The Continental Grip Gives the ability to hit flat, topspin, and slice The most commonly used grip The knuckle of the index finger rests one bevel to the right of center The Weak Continental Grip Used by Pete Sampras Allows for better pronation Helps to generate more power Closer to an eastern forehand but still continental The index finger knuckle is slightly further right than in the continental grip The heel of the hand is further right than in the continental grip 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 84

87 Get Comfortable In The Platform Stance Makes the shoulder turn easier Creates the stability to jump off both legs Helps to establish rhythm, timing and flow Choose A Platform Stance: The Federer And Sampras Options Find a comfortable starting stance every time The space between both feet is flexible depending on individual preference Sampras: start with your weight on the back foot and hold the front toe up Federer: start with the weight on the front foot then shift back The key is to find a comfortable, relaxed stance before making the first move 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 85

88 Hand And Racquet Position The Sampras Start Put your weight on the back foot before the making the first move Have the racquet head pointing to the net and slightly up Relax and bend the arms Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet The Federer Start Put your weight on the front foot before making the first move Have the racquet head pointing down towards the ground Relax and allow the arms to hang down towards the ground Look over the net at the target Using the fingers of the opposite hand, hold the throat of the racquet 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 86

89 Master The First Move The Mini First Move: Against The Fence Drill Stand about six inches to a foot away from the fence Start in the platform stance with a racquet Hold the racquet in the start position Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Move the racquet towards the back fence while keeping the arms relaxed Keep looking over the non-dominant shoulder during the first move Feel the racquet strings brush against the back fence 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 87

90 The Mini First Move: No Racquet Drill Start in the platform stance without a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area The Mini First Move: Shadow Swings Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make a mini first move by leading with the shoulders Feel a small shoulder turn as the relaxed arms start to move Look over the non-dominant shoulder at the target area 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 88

91 Practice The Toss The Two Fingertip Hold Toss Drill Hold the ball between the middle or index finger and the thumb Make sure the other fingers are not touching the ball Release the ball with the middle/index finger and the thumb Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin The Fingertip Toss Hold Drill Hold the ball softly with all the fingers The thumb, index and, middle fingers will feel most of the pressure The ring and pinky finger will rest gently along the side of the ball Hold the ball like this for 5 10 seconds or until it feels comfortable 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 89

92 The Release The Ball Near Head Level Drill Start in the platform stance with a racquet Make the first move with a shoulder turn Release the ball at head level Keep the racquet hand lower than the tossing hand while releasing the ball Attempt to toss the ball with very little or no spin Attempt to have the ball land on the ground in front of the body 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 90

93 How To Establish Rhythm And Timing The Continuous Swing Drill Start on the baseline in a platform stance Try to keep the back foot more in line with the front foot Hold a few balls in the hand or the pocket Swing naturally without bending the legs Perform shadow strokes first or hit the ball with a continuous swing Shift all your weight to the front foot while making contact The back foot should lift up as the swing finishes Bring the racquet through continuously from the finishing to the starting position Repeat until no balls are left, minimizing intervals between swings Perform 5 10 reps 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 91

94 How To Hit Topspin/Kick Serves The Dirty Diaper On The Knees: Basic Drill Lay a mat or towel down to provide cushioning for the knees Kneel down on the mat with one knee on the ground Push the back foot into the ground behind the body for support Choke up on the racquet using a continental grip Start in a 1/2 serve position (not scratching the back) Toss a ball so that it arches over the head and perform a topspin serve swing Finish with the racquet in front of the body and the strings facing the body Keep the body sideways, head tilted down, serving arm bent, shoulders tilted This is the dirty diaper finish hold it for a few seconds See if the ball goes high in the air over the net 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 92

95 Use The Legs The 3/4 Serve Jump And Hit Drill Stand in a platform stance with the racquet in the 3/4 serve position Hold the ball and make the first move with both arms Toss the ball, bend the knees and jump up to hit the ball Extend the legs explosively while accelerating the racquet Be aware of the finish at the end of the serve 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 93

96 Putting It All Together: Full Serve Motion Get into the platform stance: use the Federer or Sampras stance Focus on getting in a comfortable starting position Feel the shoulder turn with the first move Move the tossing arm up faster than the serving arm Bend the serving arm and relax into the trophy position Bend the knees and extend the legs explosively towards the ball Make contact and land on the front foot Repeat for 5 10 minutes until satisfied 2016 The 5 Day Serve Cure. All Rights Reserved 94