TennisOne Lessons

The Dynamics of Throwing a Ball -
and Hitting Your Serve and Forehand

The dynamics of throwing a ball provide an excellent model for training how to hit both the serve and the forehand. Shift of weight, use of both arms, rhythmically connecting the left and right sides of the body-these are issues both on the forehand, the serve, or the throw. This lesson was developed from a close application of the "Mechanics of Pitching Checklist," written by Dr. Joe Bramhall, University of Texas. Bramhall developed this checklist by examining the pitching mechanics of 40 professional baseball players, and then generalizing about the features that they all had in common. I have just applied his checklist to tennis.

Note in the first photo my hands are together, my weight on my back foot, my elbows are up, and my posture is erect and balanced. This preparatory motion looks nearly identical to Pete Sampras' first movement in his forehand turn. Look again at the first photo and imagine a pitcher holding the ball in his glove, and preparing to deliver a pitch to the batter. One key element is that the hands come together and touch. This ensures that the left arm will be involved in the throwing motion. In the second photo, I have wound up even further. The hands still touch, but with my left leg coiling and my left knee up, I have placed all my weight on the back foot.

The uncoiling left leg will help generate angular momentum (turning energy) before I throw. In the third photo my hands have split and I have shifted my weight to the front foot. If you practice as you read this, it should feel like your left hand and left foot move at the same time, rhythmically. Can this really be so important? The answer is an emphatic, yes! Closely watch someone who can't throw very well. You will always see a hanging left arm (that isn't being used) and very little weight shift. Then compare this with someone you know who does throw well, and most, if not all of these key movements below will be dramatically present. In the next sequence, we'll see how mastering these movements this will help your serve and forehand.

Before we shift to the technical analysis and photos below, let me share a personal testimonial of Dr. Bramhall's "Mechanics of Pitching Checklist" - and pardon the "proud papa" syndrome. I first read the checklist in 1992, and thinking Bramhall's theory was sound, I put the theory to the test-on my four year old son. We practiced with the turn with his hands starting together. He would hold two tennis balls, and he had to have the balls touch as he turned. Once he was comfortable with this, he then practiced holding up his left knee as the balls touched. From there he threw, and threw and threw. Not for power or length, but just as his starting style. Now at age eight, he can throw further and faster than almost any of the kids in his age group. I give credit top Bramhall's checklist, with its emphasis on bringing the hands together as the knee goes up. This is the key to starting a powerful throwing motion, and will be equally vital to improving your forehand or serve.

In the previous sequence of photos, I started with my hands together, sideways to the target, weight on the back foot. Then I split my hands, shifted forward and began to unwind. Now in the first photo below I have continued to unwind. Notice how my chest bows. You can see the identical position prior to Sampras' swing into the serve. The left arm has cleared, the right elbow remains flexed, and the ball is trailing. This is quite similar to the forehand where the racquet is the last thing to come through in the swing.

Looking at the second photo (middle) in the sequence, and notice both that the elbow on my throwing arm slightly leads the hand, and my left arm has now come in to the body, lightly bent. The thrower (read server) swings the left arm and abruptly stops that same arm quickly to throw the angular momentum (turning energy) into the right arm. Professional players with big serves and forehands routinely swing the left arm and then pull it in just before the release. In the final photo notice that the shoulders have turned forward with the release. Looking at the entire sequence, it's obvious that the rhythmic coiling and uncoiling of my body is the key element of my throwing motion-and should be in your serve and forehand

Before we shift to the technical analysis and photos below, let me share a personal testimonial of Dr. Bramhall's "Mechanics of Pitching Checklist" - and pardon the "proud papa" syndrome. I first read the checklist in 1992, and thinking Bramhall's theory was sound, I put the theory to the test-on my four year old son. We practiced with the turn with his hands starting together. He would hold two tennis balls, and he had to have the balls touch as he turned. Once he was comfortable with this, he then practiced holding up his left knee as the balls touched. From there he threw, and threw and threw. Not for power or length, but just as his starting style. Now at age eight, he can throw further and faster than almost any of the kids in his age group. I give credit top Bramhall's checklist, with its emphasis on bringing the hands together as the knee goes up. This is the key to starting a powerful throwing motion, and will be equally vital to improving your forehand or serve.

In the previous sequence of photos, I started with my hands together, sideways to the target, weight on the back foot. Then I split my hands, shifted forward and began to unwind. Now in the first photo below I have continued to unwind. Notice how my chest bows. You can see the identical position prior to Sampras' swing into the serve. The left arm has cleared, the right elbow remains flexed, and the ball is trailing. This is quite similar to the forehand where the racquet is the last thing to come through in the swing.

Looking at the second photo (middle) in the sequence, and notice both that the elbow on my throwing arm slightly leads the hand, and my left arm has now come in to the body, lightly bent. The thrower (read server) swings the left arm and abruptly stops that same arm quickly to throw the angular momentum (turning energy) into the right arm. Professional players with big serves and forehands routinely swing the left arm and then pull it in just before the release. In the final photo notice that the shoulders have turned forward with the release. Looking at the entire sequence, it's obvious that the rhythmic coiling and uncoiling of my body is the key element of my throwing motion-and should be in your serve and forehand.