The Changeover Podcast Dr. Mark Kovacs: The Truth About Serve Power, Creatine, Adderall, Nicotine & Caffeine in Tennis
Dec 6, 2025
Dr. Mark Kovacs, a sports scientist and former NCAA doubles champion, dives deep into the mechanics of the tennis serve. He explains the crucial role of leg drive versus arm action in generating power and debunks common myths surrounding serve techniques. The conversation shifts to the effects of supplements like creatine and caffeine on performance, while also discussing the risks associated with nicotine and Adderall. Dr. Kovacs emphasizes proper hydration strategies and the importance of individualized supplement approaches to enhance athletic performance.
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Serve Power Is A Whole-Body Chain
- Serve power comes from a summation of forces from the ground up through the body into the arm and racket.
- Legs can contribute roughly 20–50% but technique and arm speed are equally vital.
Explode Up, Not Deeper Down
- Improve back-hip vertical displacement by exploding quickly upward rather than relying on deeper knee bends.
- Pair fast hip drive with optimized arm action (racket drop through contact) for maximal serve speed.
Hip Bow Is A Symptom, Not The Cause
- 'Front hip out' (bowing) is a result of proper loading, not the cause of power.
- The actual cause is rotating and loading the back hip back and down to store energy for release.