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.
Return Setup: Never Take a First Step Backward
John Cincola pins weak returns on starting too close to the baseline. Pros stand farther back because the worst first move on a return is stepping backward.
Warm-Up: Sideline-to-Sideline Beats Lazy Middle Rallies
Troy Akin pushes back on the default “let’s just rally down the middle to get warm.” He’s always more warmed up after sideline-to-sideline rallies that force real lateral movement.
Aggressive FH Dinks: Feet, Tip Down, Aim Away
Tanner Pickleball compresses aggressive forehand dink mistakes into under a minute. First: cement feet — standing still and arming it.
Three Stamina Drills: Dink-and-Go, Drop-and-Crash, Butterfly
Troy Akin’s point: late in game 3 it’s often your legs, not your strokes, that fall apart. Three stealable drills for the week.
Rebuild the Forehand Drive: Torso Engine, Dip, Lag, Contact Point
Backpaddle films a full rebuild of his forehand drive with Coach Naveen (top-10 A pro, tennis background).
Singles Passing Rapid-Fire: DTL Deep, Cross Shallow
John Cincola’s Titan singles passing drill puts the machine at center baseline and you in midcourt opposite. Feeds come six at a time, alternating backhand and forehand, with a short break between sets.
Magnet Mindset: Recover to Center, Live at the NVZ
Coach Matthew Haley (Selkirk TV) closes a positioning series with the magnet mindset. After you get stretched wide, recover to a small magnet near your home spot — don’t camp where the last ball took you.
Disguise the BH Flick: Step Aside for All Three Lines
Tanner’s disguise cue for the backhand flick: amateurs stay planted in their box on an attackable dink, which makes a true down-the-line flick almost impossible — you’re stuck going through the middle.
Transition Volley Ladder: FH, BH, Then Alternating
Ed Ju’s transition drill starts four steps off the kitchen. Hit 20 forehand volleys with a full follow-through and consistent sweet-spot contact, then switch to 20 backhands.