350 Series: Skills & Drills Lab
Drop ShotsĀ &Ā Transition Attacks
Takeaways & Training Tasks
Keep the momentum rolling with these quick steps:
- Refresh your memory with the 2 skills, 2 drills, and training video.
- Knock out the drills 2ā€“3x before we meet again.
- Each time you play, pick one skill and make it your mission to useĀ it often and on purpose.
Drop Shots
- Grip: Continental or Eastern Forehand/Backhand
- Stance: Open or Semi Open based on set up to the ball
- Paddle Prep: 1/2 back swing with a low to high swing planeĀ
- Contact Point: Out in front of body and off to the side with weight
transferring forward through the shot - Follow Through: Out in front towards target with non dominant hand as counter balance
Drop Shot Arc Challenge - Height
- Set up 1 Player at NVZ 1 Player at Baseline cross court on the skinny
- Hitter is alternating between higher arc drop and lower arc drop with both forehand and backhand
- 1- Partner feed - NVZ partner feeds 2 to the forehand and 2 to the backhand
- 2- Partner Rally - Players now hit a continuous rally still with baseline player alternating high arc and low arc
- Perform both directions cross court and down the line.
Transition Zone Swing Volley
- Weight Transfer: Load and rotate to allow weight to flow forward into your shot. Plant and then push through contact.
- Body Positioning: Step into the shot using weight transfer for power.
- Multiple small prep steps are better than fewer large steps.
- Hands: Eastern grip with laid back wrist.
- Swing: Swing through the ball like drawing a Nike swoosh to the side of you. Low to high swing plane. No backswing behind the body.
Drop Attack Volley
- Set up 3 cones on the sideline as guides: 1 baseline, 1 midcourt, 1 NVZ.
- 1 player at the baseline and 1 player at NVZ straight on.
- NVZ player feeds a ball to each cone depth.
- Baseline player hits a drop from the baseline walks forward to transition, hits a swing volley attack at midcourt, then a volley from NVZ.
- Focus is on footwork and not overrunning the attackable ball.
- Accelerate forward to attack the ball and use your weight transfer to create power.
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