PicklePod co-host Zane Navratil has hit a million dinks in practice so you don’t have to. He provides a shortcut to the lessons learned on his journey here:
1. Ready Position
When training, Zane suggests holding a ball in your off-hand to make sure you come back to ready position between shots. Audibly tap the paddle against the ball after each shot to make sure you’re in a neutral position for the next shot.
2. Strong Wrist
A stable wrist at contact prevents the paddle from rotating in your hand unexpectedly. If the ball doesn't strike your paddle dead center this will prevent the paddle face from opening and causing a popup.
3. Paddle in Vision
If your paddle leaves your field of vision, you’re taking too big of a backswing. Keep the strokes more compact and make sure your eyes follow the ball to contact with the paddle.
4. Offense vs. Defense
Have a goal when hitting a dink. A defensive dink will have a higher arc and land shorter in the kitchen. It is used to buy time and recover from a good shot.
An offensive dink will be more aggressive. It will be aimed deeper in the kitchen and pass over the net at a lower height. The offensive dink is used to put pressure on your opponent.
5. The Bare Minimum
Start with the bare minimum. Good fundamentals will take you a long way in the dink game. After you develop a solid base, you can start to add spin, deception, and more.
Remember consistency is key in the dink game. Start with good fundamentals and build your way up from there.
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