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- Throwback, Vapor Power, Returns, & Dinking Strategies!
Throwback, Vapor Power, Returns, & Dinking Strategies!
Welcome to YOUR Pickleball Journey!
Keagan Forst-Jerden & Justin Ancona
March 17, 2025
This is the FIRST video on our channel! If you enjoy the throwbacks let us know! We hope you find some gold in this video!
Once you and your partner get the hang of it, you can make a game out of it! Not only does this work on your reflexes, but your defense, your footwork, calmness/not panicking, and point neutralization!
Reflex Drill #1 - You will stand in transition zone, while your partner stands at the opposing kitchen line!
Your goal at mid-court is to give slight pop ups to your partner at the kitchen, so they can attack and hit downwards, forcing you to practice being ready for punch volleys, and overheads!
Reflex Drill #2 - The same as the last one! But….
This time your goal is to neutralize the point by making resets in the kitchen, and working your way up!
Watch the rest of our tips and get visuals with a 1on1 teaching session here!
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TIP #1 - Positioning
If your opponent has a strong serve you can take a couple steps off of the baseline to ensure you won’t be forced backwards. If your opponent has a weak or shallow serve, you can stand a little closer to the line! Yet, the safest bet is to take 1-2 steps off of the line to guarantee yourself more time to react, and get prepared.
If your forehand is stronger, position yourself to hit the return with your forehand, visa versa with the backhand!
TIP #2 - Steps to Hit a Return
As your opponent serves, take a split step, pivot your dominant foot outwards, turn sideways, hit the ball and follow through! Following these steps consistently can make sure your returns are a reliable shot in your arsenal!
TIP #3 - Stop Running Forward
A lot of people like to run while making contact with the ball. Your best bet is to split step, hit the ball, then move forward!
Watch the rest of Catherine’s video here!
Subscribe to Catherine here!
TIP #1 - Pinching Strategy
Pinching is where both you and your partner pick a kitchen corner to dink to, applying pressure consistently to 1 opponent, making them step back, hopefully opening some spots up or a pop up!
TIP #2 - Offensive Strategy
When your opponents give you a “dead dink” you can use an off pace speed up, or dink to make your opponents think about multiple options. If they’re impatient, they will try a hard counter and likely hit it out, if they’re patient and wait for a bounce they’ll be forced to step back and likely pop it up. There are many ways to use an off speed dink/attack.
TIP #3 - ALW Dinks
Maybe your dinks are off, or you’re popping up dinks. Sometimes Anna Leigh Waters will take 1-2 steps back off the kitchen line, giving herself time to hit more aggressive dinks. When you do this, your opponents can get used to trying to hit so far past the kitchen line at your feet, that when you’re ready you can potentially sneak back up to the line, and attack their dinks!
Watch the rest of Pickleball Playbook’s video here!
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Thanks for reading. Share with your pickle people and we can grow more for big giveaways, exclusive deals, and offers! See you next time!
- The Pickleball Journey Team