🥒🏓 Transition Zone Drill

⭐️ Player at the kitchen line aims to apply max pressure on the opponents at transition by hitting balls hard and as low as possible without hitting the ball into the net.

⭐️ Players in transition aim to split step before the kitchen player strikes the ball, so they can accurately decide whether they should absorb the pace of the ball to place it into the kitchen or attack the ball by aiming just above the net cord.

👇🏻This help improve your abilities to 👇🏻

1️⃣ Reset low balls when in the transition zone to get your team to the kitchen line to even the rally

2️⃣ Attack balls in the transition zone effectively to win more rallies

3️⃣ Feel comfortable hitting balls hard at your opponents when they are in transition & playing the next ball to win the rally

🚨This is a flexible drill that you can do effectively with 2 people instead of 3

🚀 Appreciate egoathletica providing me with a tank & light shorts to keep me comfortable & cool throughout 2 hour drill sessions! Use code DEAN at checkout for 15% off all gear from egoathletica 👍🏻
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🥒🏓 Tip To Fool Opponents

1️⃣ Hit aggressive dinks & speed ups off the bounce from the same position, to keep your opponents on their heels. This allows you to become unpredictable.

2️⃣ When finally throwing your attack off the bounce after establishing aggressive dinks, make contact slightly earlier to cause your opponents to be late on their counter 👍🏻

🚨NOTE: I really like how tommyy.hoff baited this attack throughout the rally, as many people would have sped up down the line earlier in the rally and/or sped up without patiently setting up the attack & intently focusing on hitting a specific spot , which would have led him to execute a winning counter. I do recommend experimenting with such baiting tactics in your games, as you may generate easy points!

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🥒🏓 Tip On How To Sequence Attacks

⭐️ Sequence your attacks as if you are a ⚾️ or 🥎 pitcher - the goal is to be unpredictable to put your opponents on their heels, unable to successfully anticipate what your plan is!

⭐️ Practice hitting multiple attacks from the same arm slot, so you can successfully execute such attacks in a game situation

⭐️ Just like a ⚾️ or 🥎 pitcher, you will not read your opponent well 100% of the time. If you win on 6 of 10 of your attacks in a game that you have to win about 55% of rallies to win a match, it`s worth the 4 attacks that do not work in your favor!

⭐️ Felt great rocking egoathletica tank that fits me well and keeps me cool on court & their light shorts to help me shuffle with ease! Use code DEAN at checkout for 15% off all gear from egoathletica 👍🏻
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🥒🏓 Drill To Win More Hands 👋🏻 Battles

1️⃣ Feed a dead dink

2️⃣ Partner hits a speed up to a specific spot

3️⃣ Counter their speed up to engage in a firefight 🔥🧯

📈 Comfort w/ high speed in hands battles

📈 Ability to predict where the next ball will be as the player speeding up the ball experiments with different spots

📈 Technique and know-how in game situations

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Looking To Win More 🥒🏓 Dink Battles?

1️⃣ Consider the type of dinks that you find toughest to return

2️⃣ Practice those dinks endlessly so you have the confidence to hit them in game situations

🚨If your technique is preventing you from developing consistency, take a lesson with a formidable instructor to help clean up your technique (Just about every lesson I have taken was due to hitting a wall towards figuring out certain physical techniques. I took the lessons with pros who I studied hitting the shots I needed to execute. It`s a part of the process towards getting better, achieving goals, and further enjoying the game)🚨

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A 🥒🏓 Drill For Countering 3rd Shot Drives

1️⃣ Feed a ball your drilling partner can effectively drive

2️⃣ Volley the ball hard & down, aiming for the back 1/3 of the court (I have yellow mats there, but the net cord is blocking the view of them)

3️⃣ Drilling partner will respond with a drop to work on their 5th shot drop, allowing you to feed the next ball, & allow themselves to regroup to drive the next ball

🚨 VARIATIONS FOR SPECIFIC FOCUSES🚨

Have your drilling partner

⭐️ Drive to a specific spot that you are struggling with (ex. right hip)

⭐️ Intentionally drive some balls OUT deep to work on letting more out balls go out

⭐️ Mix up spots & speeds

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Forehand 🥒🏓 Dink Tip To 📈 Your Game!
👇🏻

✅ Split step just before your opponent dinks the ball

✅ Shuffle your feet to get into a stable position early

✅ Make contact inside your dominant foot

✅ Hit the right side of the ball (left side for lefties) to help you add more top spin

✅ Strike up on the ball following through in line with your dominant shoulder, keeping your wrist firm

🚀As shared in the video, I am excited to announce I formed a partnership with egoathletica ! I look forward to helping them further design comfortable, 🔥 looking clothing to help fill a big need in this 🥒🏓 community for all of us! 💯📈 Use code DEAN at checkout for 15% off 👍🏻
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How To Practice 3rd Shot 🥒🏓 Drops

✅ Have your drilling partner feed hard & deep from the baseline as this realistically simulates in-game feeds, so you can smoothly apply what you learn about your own technique in game situations

✅ Aim at the kitchen line or about a foot inside or outside the kitchen line, whichever leads to more consistency for you. This will lead to you executing aggressive drops in games, which will allow your team to get into better situations in games at any level in comparison to drops landing a few feet inside the kitchen that bounce high making it easier for your opponent to respond to

✅ Tirelessly strive to establish consistency in all areas from your breathing to mental prep to footwork, paddle angle, follow through, you name it! When I say tirelessly, I mean until you feel ultra confident to execute in game situations. No different than studying for a test, there is no time limit to studying & practicing, it`s all about the pursuit of achieving a result you are striding for! Some people by nature will take longer or shorter to reach this point, so simply focus on yourself 👍🏻

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Where To Hit Your 🥒🏓 BH Speed Ups

✅ Opponents dominant hip to shoulder area, which may jam up your opponent causing misses and/or weak chicken wing counter

✅ Low, down the middle being sure you locate your speed up in a spot that may cause your opponents to hesitate concerning who should counter the attack, as this will lead to either a winner in space, or your opponents will be late on the counter leading to an easy 2nd ball to put away

✅ Keeping the attacks low are critical to success as low attacks prevent your opponent from hitting down on the ball on their counter, making it much easier to play the 2nd ball and causes the opponents to hit more counters into the net or long!

❌ Hitting the speed up in the space down the line, as the opponent may bait you into that attack as they should be well aware that space exists and can effectively crank a forehand counter.

❌ Hitting the middle speed up with intention of hitting the ball there before the cross court opponent recovers to counter your middle attack. When your cross court opponent is pulled wide, their first thought will probably be "I have to hurry back into position to cover a middle attack". Thus, they too may be able to effectively crank a forehand counter.

** May you still be able to land a successful attack down the line and the previous middle attack advised against? Of course, if your opponents slacks on their responsibilities. However, in a sport in which you want to play the odds more times than not, I would advise the tips above to help you improve your backhand attacks on the left side. 👍🏻**

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How To Handle Toughest 🥒🏓 FH Dinks

Check out the tips above in the reel as well!

1️⃣ Anticipate that when your cross court opponent is responding to a dead dink, they may hit an aggressive, sharp angled, cross court dink that you may not have enough time to prep for an ATP.

2️⃣ Either lunge with your right foot heading out wide or take a quick, big shuffle step out wide to allow yourself to get behind the ball.

3️⃣ Cuff your wrist to allow yourself to be able to push the ball, with the power leading from your elbow, to the middle. This prevents easy Erne opportunities, minimizes opponents angles on the next shot, and effectively resets a rally quickly that was previously in your opponents hands.

** When I did a "3 n Me" session with andreidaescupkl tstock915 andypeeke this summer, Andrei used this dink 4 times in response to aggressive, sharp angled dinks I thought I was going to be beat him on, especially when tucking my shoulder. This may seem boring, but definitely a shot to practice, especially if a player who has won 🥇in 3 straight ppatour mens doubles tournaments is doing this!**

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3 minutes of non-stop pickleball magic from this weekend’s session at one of the many new clubs on Long Island - @lihealth_and_racquet.setauket @lihrsetauket Fun fact, I worked here in 1998 when it was World Gym.

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