Underhand and overhand serves

In this video you will learn how to perform two types of serve.

We're going to look at how to do an underhand serve and an overhand serve.

First, the underhand serve.

Position yourself anywhere behind the baseline. During service you are never allowed to place your feet inside the court or on the baseline.

Point your shoulders towards the net, bend your knees slightly, and bring your weak foot forward. This will be your left foot if you are right handed.

Hold the ball in the hand that's on the same side as your weak foot. Hold the ball in front of you in line with your other arm at a height between your hips and waist. Your arm should be slightly bent.

Make a pendulum-like movement with your free arm and hit the ball from underneath. You can choose to hit the ball with either an open hand for greater precision, or a closed hand for greater power.

When you hit the ball, shift your body weight from your back foot to your front foot.

Don't try to hit the ball hard: the power of the serve comes from the ample movement and speed of your arm.

Next up, the overhand serve.

For this serve, extend the arm holding the ball and toss it into the air. The ball should be tossed just above your head, slightly in front of you and in line with your other arm.

With your other arm, hit the center of the ball with a flat hand sending it upwards and forwards. Keep your arm straight.

When you hit the ball, shift your body weight from your back foot to your front foot.

The underhand serve is the easiest to perform but also the easiest for you opponent to receive. With both serves, coordination and controlling your movements are essential to striking the ball at the right moment. So, time to get training!