Fourth Shot: Topspin to the Feet, Don’t Blast the Chest

Summary

Elite Pickleball Coaching flags a common fourth-shot mistake: when the opponent pops up a third and you’re taking it out of the air, most players try to crush it at the person still in transition.

Instead, put topspin on the fourth and land it at their feet. Players drill chest/waist resets constantly but struggle more with balls that die at the toes — force that reset, earn the next pop-up, then finish.

Key takeaways

• Fourth after a pop-up ≠ maximum pace at the chest
• Topspin to the feet makes the hard reset
• Harder reset → likelier next pop-up → putaway

Action items

• Partner feeds floaty thirds; your only goal is feet with topspin
• One game: fourth-shot winners only count if they bounce at or below the knee