Pickleball Tip of Week #13

Ok we have this weeks tip of the week and some other announcements.

First off the tip.

This weeks tip will be on the "oh xhit" lob. You are standing at the NVZ and try to do a  lob over your opponents head that all you do is succeed in giving them a ball that they are going to easily smash right back at you because it was a terrible lob.

When this happens, too many players try and move backwards. Your best bet in this instance is TO STAND YOUR GROUND. It takes too much time to move back to try and give yourself more time to read the oncoming smash. All you do is give your opponents your feet to smash at now since you are no further back than no mans land. Also the fact that you are still moving backwards when the smash comes means that you are off balance and not "set" to return the smash. In this case you have almost no chance in getting the smash back.

However if you stand your ground. Watch the ball and your opponents paddle. Bend your knees and get low and default to your backhand to get the ball back, you have a MUCH better chance. This sounds like a lot to do in very little time, but you are doing them all in the same time. The first couple of things are self explanatory. Watch the ball and your opponents paddle face so you already have some idea as to where they are going to smash it. Bend your knees so you are not flat footed and can move a step quickly one way or the other. Default to your backhand means you are going to try and return the smash with your backhand.

Why your backhand? Because you are able to cover much more area using your backhand right or left just as a hockey goaly would. Even if the ball comes to your forehand, you can still hit it back by using your backhand. Committing to using your backhand in this instance lets you cover the most amount of ground in the least amount of time.

Another advantage of using this is that you train your brain how to get back a ball that is being smashed at you from a close distance. Really good players have excellent odds of returning this smash because they have seen this smash 10,000 times before and stood their ground and learned from it.

Lastly , anyone that has not emailed timothy nelson and gotten on his free newsletter email list needs to do it TODAY. He has informed me that the next newsletter comes out tomorrow morning. Tim is the #1 player in the world, not just because of his physical skills but also because of his mental strategies. You dont want to miss this free newsletter. Email him asap at
Tnpuppetmaster@live.com and put in the email to him that you would like to get on his mailing list.

Quick note to Jim Wrights Clinic people that are receiving this email. I am fine with you distributing my tips to anyone you would like. HOWEVER if you get on Timothy Nelsons newsletter, make sure you have others get on it too. He DOES NOT want you to forward the info he puts out to others. They MUST get on his email list. I hope you will respect his wishes.