The Serve (for the right handed player)

Exercise Drill for the Serve

     A great exercise to help improve the serve is the jump squat.  Even though the arm and hand may be what is contacting the ball, a lot of the power is getting the push from the legs.  You start by standing about shoulder/hip width apart with your toes pointing foward and arms out in front of you while slightly leaning forward.  You now lower yourself into a squating position with your weight on your heels and your knees somewhat tucked towards your chest.  As you are getting ready to jump shift your weight to the balls of your feet.  You will now explode off your toes into the air while reaching up as high as you can and then landing on your toes going back into the squat position and repeating.  The main muscles being worked here are the hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and gluteus maximus.  Doing this exercise will strengthen the muscles in your legs and increase your explosivness when performing the serve.

 

Stance

General Terminology

• Feet are shoulder width apart with your body perpendicular to the baseline with your left foot in front you pointing slight towards the net
• With the ball in your left hand and your racquet in your right hand, the will meet each other out in front you in line with your left foot around the waist line, but away from your body with your elbows at your sides
• Knees are slightly bent

Shoulder Girdle

• The right and left shoulder girdles are both abducting the serratus anterior and pectoralis minor
• All muscles are contracting concentrically  

Shoulder Joint

•  The right and left shoulder joints are bilaterally internally rotating with the latissimus dorsi, teres major,  pectoralis major, and subscapularis contracting concentrically

Elbow Joint

• The right and left elbow joints are slightly bilaterally flexing with the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis contracting isometrically

Radioulnar Joint

• The right radioulnar joint is pronating with the pronator teres and pronator quadratus contracting isometrically

• The left radioulnar joint is supinating with the biceps brachii and supinator contracting isometrically

Wrist and Hand Joint Movements

• The right hand has flexion of the fingers and thumb with the flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus contracting concentrically
•  The right wrist is in neutral position contracting isometrically
• The left hand has flexion of the fingers and thumb with the flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus contracting concentrically
• The left wrist is in neutral position contracting isometrically 
  

Preparation

General Terminology

• Right arm begins to move down, back, and then up so the racquet is now between the upper and mid back; as if your arm was back to throw a ball
• The left arm goes straight up after racket goes back and the ball is released when the hand reaches about shoulder height
• Knees begin to bend more as the ball is tossed

Shoulder Girdle

• The right shoulder girdle starts in a downward rotation and depression in which pectoralis minor and rhomboid are contracting concentrically
• The right shoulder then goes into an upward rotation in which the serratus anterior and middle and lower trapezious muscles are contracting eccentrically
• The right shoulder eventually ends up adducting in which the lower and middle trapezius and rhomboid are contracting concentrically
• The left shoulder girdle is adducting, rotating upward, and elevating so the upper and middle trapezius, levator scapula, and rhomboid are contracting concentrically  

 Shoulder Joint

• The right shoulder joint is in extension when it begins to externally rotate.  When in extension the right shoulder joint is contracting concentrically at the latissimus dorsi, teres major, lower pectoralis major, and posterior deltoid
• When the right shoulder joint is in external rotation the infraspinatus and teres minor contracting concentrically
• The left shoulder joint is in diagonal abduction with the posterior deltoid, infraspinatus, and teres minor contracting concentrically 

Elbow Joint

• The right elbow joint is flexing with the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis contracting concentrically
• The left elbow joint is extending with the triceps brachii and anconeus contracting eccentrically

Radioulnar Joint

• The right radioulnar joint is supinating with the biceps brachii and supinator contracting concentrically
• The left radioulnar joint is supinating with the biceps brachii and supinator contracting concentrically

 Wrist and Hand Joint Movements

• The right hand has flexion of the fingers and thumb with the flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus contracting concentrically
• The right wrist is slightly extending with the extensor carpi ulnaris, extensor carpi radialis brevis, and extensor carpi radialis longus contracting eccentrically
• The left hand has extension of the fingers and thumb with the extensor digitorum, extensor indicis, extensor digiti minimi, extensor pollicis longus, extensor pollicis brevis, and abductor pollicis longus contracting eccentrically
• The left wrist is in neutral position contracting isometrically 

 

Movement

General Terminology

• Right arm comes forward in a ball throwing/high five motion making contact with the ball at about as high as you can reach
• As the right arm starts to coming foward, the legs begin to push off the ground and your body begins to rotate to the left through the swing
• The belly button eventually ends up out towards intended target

Shoulder Girdle

• The right shoulder girdle is in upward rotation with the serratus anterior, middle and lower trapezius muscles are contracting eccentrically 
• The right shoulder girdle is also in elevation with the middle and upper trapezius, rhomboid, and levator scapula contracting concentrically 
• The left shoulder girdle is in adduction with the middle and lower trapezius and rhomboid contracting concentrically

Shoulder Joint

• The right shoulder joint is abducting with the supraspinatus, deltoid, and upper pectoralis major contracting eccentrically
• Towards the end of the movement phase, the right shoulder joint goes into flexion with the anterior deltoid and upper pectoralis major contracting eccentrically
• The left shoulder joint externally rotating with the infraspinatus and teres minor contracting concentrically   

Elbow Joint

• The right elbow joint is extending with the triceps brachii and anconeus contracting eccentrically
• The left elbow joint is flexing with the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis contracting concentrically

Radioulnar Joint

• The right radioulnar joint is pronating with the pronator teres and pronator quadratus contracting concentrically
• The left radioulnar joint is pronating with the pronator teres and pronator quadrus contracting concentrcially   

Wrist and Hand Joint Movements

• The right hand has flexion of the fingers and thumb with the flexor digitorum superificialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus contracting concentrically
• The right wrist goes back to neutral position contracting concentrically
• The left hand has extension of the fingers and thumb with the extensor digitorum, extensor indicis, extensor digiti minimi, extensor pollicis longus, extensor pollicis brevis, and abductor pollicis longus contracting isometrically
• The left wrist is in neutral position contracting isometrically 
  

Follow Through

General Terminology

• Right arm comes around lower left side of body
• Weight of body is on the left leg for about a second maintaining the body's balance and then right leg comes down in front of you

Shoulder Girdle

• The right shoulder girdle is in abduction, depression, and downward rotation with the pectoralis minor and serratus anterior are contracting eccentrically
• The left shoulder girdle is adducting with the middle and lower trapezius along with the rhomboid are contracting concentrically 

Shoulder Joint

• The right shoulder joint is diagonally adducting with the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and coracobrachialis contracting concentrically
• The right shoulder joint is also internally rotating with the latissimus dorsi, teres major, pectoralis major, and subscapularis contracting concentrically
• The left shoulder joint is rotating externally with the infraspinatus and teres minor contracting isometrically 

Elbow Joint

• The right elbow joint is extending with the triceps brachii and anconeus contracting isometrically
• The left elbow joint is extending with the triceps brachii and anconeus contracting eccentrically

Radioulnar Joint

• The right radioulnar joint is pronating with the pronator teres and pronator quadratus contracting isometrically
• The left radioulnar joint is pronating with the pronator teres and pronator quadratus contracting isometrically

Wrist and Hand Joint Movements

• The right hand has flexion of the fingers and thumb with the flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus contracting concentrically 
• The right wrist is flexing with the flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus contracting eccentrically
• The left hand has flexion of the fingers and thumb with the flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus contracting concentrically
• The left wrist is in neutral position contracting isometrically  
  

Recovery

General Terminology

• Both feet will now be on the ground with the knees slightly bent 
• Player will move back to right behind the center of the baseline
• The racquet will be in front of us in our ready position out between the waist and chest area

Shoulder Girdle

To get to recovery position:

• The right shoulder girdle adducts with the lower and middle trapezius and rhomboid contracting concentrically
• The left shoulder girdle abducts with the pectoralis minor and serratus anterior contracting concentrically

 Once in that postion: 

• The right and left shoulder girdles are now both in abduction again; the pectoralis minor, subclavius, and serratus anterior are contracting isometrically 

Shoulder Joint

To get to recovery position:

• Right shoulder joint externally rotates with the infraspinatus and teres minor contracting concentrically
• Left shoulder joint internally rotates with the latissimus dorsi, teres major, pectoralis major, and subscapularis contracting concentrically

Once in the recovery position: 

• The right and left shoulder joints are bilaterally internally rotated with the latissimus dorsi, teres major, pectoralis major, and subscapularis contracting isometrically

Elbow Joint

• The right elbow joint flexes with the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis contracting concentrically
• The left elbow joint flexes with the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis contracting concentrically 

Radioulnar Joint

• The right radioulnar joint pronates with the pronator teres and pronator quadratus contracts concentrically
• The left radioulnar joint pronates with the pronator teres and pronator quadratus contracts concentrically

Wrist and Hand Joint Movements

• The right hand has flexion of the fingers and thumb with the flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus contracting concentrically
• The right wrist slightly extends back into neutral position with the extensor carpi ulnaris, extensor carpi radialis brevis, and extensor carpi radialis longus contracting concentrically
• The left hand has flexion of the fingers and thumb with the flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus contracting concentrically
• The left wrist is in neutral position contracting isometrically 
  

The Forehand (for the right handed player)

Exercise Drill for the Forehand

     A good exercise to help prevent injury on the forehand is the side lunge.  As you can see in the video above, I am hitting an open stance forehand which means I am stepping out to the side with my right leg and most of my weight is now on my right foot.  For the side lunge you will start with your feet shoulder/hip width apart with your toes pointing forward.  Your weight stays on your heels while your head faces forward.  You will now step out to the side so you feel the groin muscle stretch with your stepping toe pointing in the same direction as that knee; the stepping knee is now flexing and getting closer to the ground.  Your weight is on your heels throughout the movement and the rest of your body should not be leaning forward; the upper body is vertical with the chest up and the abs are contracting.  Hold lunge for a few seconds and then slowly return the leg to the starting postion and repeat.  The main muscles being worked with the side lunge are the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius/minimus, quadriceps, and adductors.  This benefits the forehand because when on the run, you will be moving faster, stretching farther, and the weight on that leg will be heavier.  Therefore, the side lunge will increase your flexibility and help prevent those muscles from getting torn.