400 Series: Skills & Drills Lab
Baseline Back Spin
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.
Slice Return
- Grip: Continental with V Wrist
- Stance: Semi Open pushing forward through the shot
- Paddle Prep: 3/4 back swing. High to low swing plane in a straight line, avoid
scooping up at the end. - Contact Point: In front and to the side, transferring weight into the shot and
keeping front shoulder low. Lead with bottom edge of the paddle - Follow Through: Out in front and low towards the target with non dominant
hand acting as counter balance
Slice Return
- Players set up cross court from each other on baseline.
- Server will cooperatively serve to partner working on accuracy. Forehands first then backhands.
- Returner is working on slice return with every return
- Can add depth and direction targets if more challenge is needed.
Slice Drop Shot
- Grip: Continental with V Wrist
- Stance: Semi Open pushing forward through the shot
- Paddle Prep: High to low swing plane in a straight line, avoid scooping up at the end.
- Contact Point: In front and to the side, transferring weight into the shot and keeping front shoulder low. Lead with bottom edge of the paddle
- Follow Through: Out in front and low towards the target with non dominant hand acting as counter balance
Transition Zone Spin Approach Rally
- Players set up 1 at the NVZ and 1 at the baseline.
- Engage in a competitive rally where baseline player approaches the net and
point is played out. - Top spin or slice is assigned to each player and every shot they hit must be
performed with that spin. eg. top v top, top v slice, slice v top, slice v slice.
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