Tips to Master The 3rd Shot Drop In 5 Minutes
Are you struggling to hit your third shot drop effectively? In this article (and the video linked at the bottom), we’re going to help you understand and improve the third shot drop in five minutes.
Which means there’s no time to waste. Let’s get started!
How to Master the Third Shot Drop
We must work on several steps to begin mastering this all-important shot in every pickleball match.
The Correct Swing Path
The third shot drop is about adding an arc to your ball and dropping it into the kitchen area. This means that your swing path should go from low to high. If you have a level swing, you’re not going to get enough height, and the drop shot won’t be effective. It’s also best not to use a loop or long backswing because that causes you to lose control and feel of your ball.
Use a short backswing and take your paddle back directly behind the ball–this helps you hit the ball cleanly and with the center of your paddle more often. Then extend your paddle up as you make contact with the ball. A good visual is to think of it as a basketball shot. To make a good shot in basketball, you have to put enough arc on the ball to go over and into the hoop.
Don’t Use Too Much Wrist
If you use too much wrist, you’ll lose control and accuracy. Keeping your wrist steady gives you the best possible chance to hit the ball in the center of the paddle with the right amount of power. But, this doesn’t mean that your wrist should be tight! Keep your grip at a 2 or 3 (out of 10) on the tightness scale to give yourself a better feel and touch.
Footwork Matters
Another crucial aspect of hitting good third-shot drops is your footwork. Because drops are an accuracy-based shot (you’re aiming for the kitchen or a little past it), if you’re off-balance when you hit them, there’s a good chance you’ll miss or pop the ball up for your opponents to get an aggressive shot away. Having proper footwork can help you keep your paddle in the right spot and hit the ball in a way that will keep your opponent from returning it for a putaway.
The proper position to hit any shot is with your paddle out in front of your body. When players aren’t able to do that, it’s typically their footwork that causes it. To do this, simply shift your weight as you swing your paddle through the ball. If you find yourself falling back to hit the third shot, then it’s a sure sign that your footwork is not where it needs to be.
The Slice Drop VS the Topspin Drop
On the slice drop, the goal is to lead with the bottom edge of the paddle so that the ball spins back toward you. On the topspin drop, you brush up on the ball, causing it to spin away from you. While both types of drops are effective, generally, it’s easier to learn the slice drop.
So, that’s where we will focus for now–on the slice drop.
When performing the slice drop, you want to ensure that you aren’t chopping at the ball. We aren’t going for a ton of spin, and chopping will make us lose a ton of accuracy on our shot. We just want to lead with the bottom edge and this naturally gives the ball a little underspin. Having more spin isn’t really going to help. The goal is consistency, and by leading the paddle through the ball correctly, it’s easier to stay consistent.
Mastering the third shot drop is a great way to earn more points and win more matches. Good luck!
Check out the video from Enhance Pickleball here.
