Notes & Homework

Skill: Offensive Lob

• This is a weapon - not a hail Mary!
• Contact Point: Out in front, off bounce or out of air.
• Weight Transfer: Use legs to lift both fwd & up to generate height and depth.
• Body Positioning: Balanced & in position.
• Swing: Guide ball as if trying to keep it on your paddle as long as possible.

Drill: Dinking with Lobs

• Place target rings deep in court behind each player.
• Players straight on at NVZ and dink rally starts.
• Players wait for the right ball to hit the lob over their opponent and aim for the target rings.
• Opponent does not run down the lob in this drill.
• Players take turns who is hitting the lob.

Skill: Rescue Lob

• Use this when pulled out of position
• Weight Transfer: Breathe and Lift up with legs in this shot.
• Hands: VERY soft & relaxed with cont. grip, lay back wrist.
• Swing: Lift up and try to carry ball on your paddle as long as possible
• Strategy: Focus on aiming cross court over your opponents

Drill: Rescue Lob Drill

• Place cones in a square for lob target, deep cross court from lobber.
• Players set up at NVZ cross court from each other
• 1 Player feeds cross court dinks into outside quadrant. 1 Player hits rescue lobs at target in back corner
• Can perform with just a 1x feed each lob or engage in a rally.
• Option: Alternate between rescue lob and rescue dink.

Drill: Pop & Pressure

• Players stand straight on at NVZ. Start cooperative dink rally until one player intentionally pops up a dink.
• Opponent cooperatively smashes the ball mid paced allowing partner to step back and attempt to reset the smash.
• Resetting player must stay back until they hit a neutral ball that they can move forward on or until the ball is dead. Alternate who is popping and smashing each rally.
• IMPORTANT: this is cooperative - do not smash these hard. Give each other a chance to reset properly and then get more aggressive as you and your partner become more proficient at resetting.