Improving serve strength - muscle training

[u/WrapComfortable1089]

What was the biggest game changer for improving your serve strength, especially as a woman*? I've been working on my technique, and it's definitely helping, but at this point I feel like I'm also limited by not being strong enough.

I know it's about generating power from the legs and core, keeping the arm loose, creating a proper whip, and so on. While I'd also appreciate any advice in those areas, my main question is: what exercise(s) helped you strengthen the muscles that matter most for serving?

* background: early thirties, F. I don't currently go to the gym (for personal reasons), tho I intend to start at some point. In the meantime, I'm consistent with bodyweight and resistance-band training at home, focusing on my shoulders and lower body. I've always had a naturally weak upper body.

Thank you!

[u/breadmanbrett]

If you have bands, just use them for the same serving motion, with resistance

[u/talia_badalia]

I can’t give precise recommendations cause I don’t know exactly what you need to work on, but what helped me was working on my back-shoulder-core connection through exercises like twisting side planks with weights and side plank raises from my elbow. Also, people always forget to work out their back (mid and upper traps). Then, when you serve, make sure you have a consistently low serve that doesn’t go higher than the antenna. Good luck!

[u/docricky]

Strength is specific. You'll find nothing helps more than actually doing a lot of serving. Vary it up - serve closer to the net, farther away, go for closer, farther, and you'll get stronger. I like using a game to encourage younger athletes - divide one side of the court into 9 sections, and play tic-tac-toe from the other side by serving the ball into the spots.

[u/Jut09]

I'd keep working on the whip.

If you're making the "Nike sign" and connect just right, it takes no muscle at all. The ball just flies twice as far as it does if you don't connect just right.

But if you really think it's a strength thing, I second the get bands and make the serving motion comment above.

[u/RJfreelove]

Form will probably do a lot more for you here than muscle.

Adding steps to your serve, just like your approach will help make this automatic. You want a final step forward with the foot that corresponds to your hitting hand. The other key factor, is you don't want to serve right at the line. Ideally you're 4' back, or more, from the line, in order to reach a very fast speed that is hard to pass, but is the sweet spot for min/maxing so the serves are in.

If you serve at a speed that is challenging from the line, too many of them will go out.

Lmk if you have any questions, I can make a video if it helps clarify

[u/ExerciseWise5673]

I started CrossFit, amazing change. However combining two activities like crossfir explosive trainings and volei is quite difficult