Thirds by Depth: Slice Drop, Regular Drop, or Drive
Elite Pickleball Coaching keeps third-shot choice simple: match the shot to where the ball is. When it’s short in the court, hit a slice drop.
Two-Hand BH Dinks: Arm Push, Not Wrist — Plus Space Early
Richard Pickleball names two reasons two-handed backhand dinks keep missing. First: too much wrist.
Fourth-Shot Decision Drill: Height Dictates Attack vs Concede
John Cincola’s Titan “fourth shot decision” drill uses rapid-fire from the transition zone (left or right).
Get Out of Jail Drill: Soft Out of Trouble vs Hands at the Line
John Cincola’s partner drill “Get Out of Jail”: both start near the kitchen and alternate feeding. The feeder hand-tosses an aggressive wide dink (FH or BH).
Middle Scenarios: Inside-Out, Inside-In + Ernie, Inside-Foot
Tanner Pickleball compresses middle-ball decisions into three reads. If they’re hugging the middle, hit an inside-out dink.
Three Pros’ Dinks: Scoop, Slice, or Topspin by Contact Point
All Things Pickleball: pros don’t force one dink from every position — they match the shot to where the ball is relative to the body.
Return and Run: Move Through Contact, Don’t Hit-Then-Sprint
Troy Akin says most players hit the return, stop, then run — and get burned on the third. Flip it: start the run while you’re returning so contact and forward momentum are the same motion.
Net Height: 36″ Sides, 34″ Center — Use the Dip
Aylex notes the pickleball net isn’t flat across: USA Pickleball requires 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at center — two inches lower in the middle.
C-Motion Drops + Slinky Drill: One Continuous Path In
Pickleball Playbook says most rec players load back-then-forward on the drop and end up late.
Let Out Balls Go: Waist at Baseline, Shoulders at Kitchen
Universal Rackets flags the habit of swinging at every ball into the chest — a lot of those were sailing long.