Third Shot Drop Blog

Picture this: You or your partner pop a ball up to your opponent. The alarm bells go off and you begin to retreat. Your goal is to get to the baseline to play some defense.

Ok, I whiffed on an overhead…again.

I finally made it to the court this week for the first time in...*checks calendar*...way too long. Let me tell ya, pickleball rust is a real thing. Reaction time decays and the feel for drops and resets suffers.

Class please say 'Hello' to Tommy. Tommy say 'Hello' to the class. Tommy Tomahawk may be the new kid in pickleball but according to Zane Navratil, the Tomahawk is not going anywhere.

Most pickleball players and coaches tend to think of third shot drops and third shot drives as very different techniques — almost opposites — from one another.

The most frustrating players to play against are the ones who beat you in the soft game. Here are some great tips to make sure you come out on top when the game slows down.

Time to choose: third shot drive or third shot drop?

Either answer works. You're both right. What you need to remember is: just because you chose one or the other, you're not stuck with that decision.

Pickleball/tennis grip names are the worst. Continental, Eastern, Semi-Western...are we holding a paddle, or joining Magellan's next expedition?

You and your partner are back by the baseline. Your opponents get cheeky and sprinkle a drop shot in the kitchen.

The alarms go off and you sprint for the dropper. You make it to the descending ball just in the nick of time.

Where do you hit your third shot drop? Middle? Sideline? Or do you just close your eyes and hope for the best? Many top players recommend targeting the backhand of the left-side player.

The backhand flick is a shot that separates the men/women from the boys/girls on the pickleball court. The flick is a backhand roll shot that is used to attack an opponent. It is typically deployed as a speedup volley during a dink battle.

Ready, React, Execute, Improve. These four steps apply to every shot on the court. Each is made easier by properly carrying out the preceding step.  Ready, React, Execute, Improve. These four steps apply to every shot on the court. Each is made easier by properly carrying out the preceding step. Ready - Ready position is the first step in this journey. You should be balanced, feet shoulder width apart, paddle up. This is known as a neutral body position. React - While your opponent is executing their shot, it's time to react. 

Newton's Second Law: the acceleration of an object depends on the mass of the object and the amount of force applied. It's important to keep this top of mind when switching from tennis to pickleball. A pickleball is less than half the mass of a tennis ball. According to Sir Issac, that means half the force is required to accelerate the ball to the same speed. So why are you winding up like you're Rafa Nadal on your forehand drive?

What is tennis elbow?

Lateral epicondylitis—aka tennis elbow—occurs when the tendons adjoined to the outer part of the elbow become inflamed. Tendons are the strong connective tissues that connect muscles to bones. Tennis elbow specifically has to do with the tendons of the extensor muscles in the forearm (the muscles that pull the wrist back and extend the fingers). These muscles connect to the outer boney protrusion of the humerus (the arm bone) at the elbow.

Not everyone can pack the same power into a serve as some players. But what almost everyone can do is mix it up.

Great baseball pitchers don’t last long throwing straight fastballs. It is the variety of pitches and command of the strike zone that sets them apart. Is there a pickleball equivalent? Yes!!

Do you experience foot pain during or after playing pickleball? If so you are certainly not alone. It’s not uncommon for many people, especially when doing a lot of running, to experience a variety of foot issues. Sometimes people assume they have an ill-fitting shoe when in fact simply lacing the shoe in a different way can alleviate the discomfort. The illustration and following explanations below shows lacing techniques for addressing five of the most common foot types and issues. Experimenting with these might help you turn a pair of shoes you thought did not fit quite right into your new favorite pair.

Springtime is upon us, which means only one thing — it’s time to shout “Pickle!” and give your buddies the most epic ace serve they’ve ever seen! But if you’re going to do that, you’ll need the right tool for the job; meaning a pickleball paddle that matches your.