How to Short Hop Better
Summary
Richard explains why so many players struggle with short hops: paddle positioning. Hitting a short hop while standing tall makes the ball very hard to control.
Get your body low first, then turn the paddle face up. Keep the wrist in place and use your arm, almost like a scoop. That gives you control, lets you get around the ball, and keeps it short in the kitchen.
Key takeaways
- Get low before anything else
- Open the paddle face
- Keep the wrist quiet
- Scoop with the arm and shoulder
Action items
- Have a partner feed balls at your feet and practice the low, open-face scoop
- Count how many short hops land in the kitchen out of 20
- Check that your wrist isn’t flicking at contact