The overhead and the serve have similar motions, but a surprising number of players with good serves have less effective smashes. This may be due to how the non-playing arm is being used (or not used) in each stroke.

On the serve, the non-dominant arm has the clear role of tossing the ball. This lifting motion helps bring the upper body into the coiled position that creates the momentum behind the stroke. Since no toss is needed on the overhead, many players fail to incorporate the proper lift-and-coil motion into their smashes. You can correct this problem with one simple change: point your elbow at the ball.

As you prepare to hit an overhead, raise the elbow of your non-playing arm toward the ball before you strike it. This will help you turn your upper body and move your weight onto your back foot. Though some players prefer to point just a finger at the ball, using the elbow is more effective because it insures the proper lift-and-coil, which isn't always true when you point your finger.

©Miller Sports Group LLC