You Can Practice Pickleball on Your Own with This
If you’ve been looking for a training tool or focus training paddle, the Slam Master may be the perfect device to help you practice your pickleball game solo.
What is the Slam Master?
Gordon GG Gebert invented the Slam Master as a training aid for players, and it gained significant popularity during the worst of the pandemic as players could practice on their own. The Slam Master consists of a wood or composite paddle with a string attaching a pickleball to it.
What Does the Slam Master Do?
It's a training pickleball paddle that helps speed up your hand-eye coordination, teaches you how to control the ball, and master dinking, volleys, and returns. The Slam Master can be used for forehand or backhand training and can be used on a pickleball court or in an open space. The best part of this tool is that you don’t need a partner - you can warm up and practice sweet spot training whenever the mood strikes you!
Origins of the Slam Master
Gordon said that the universe aligned itself when he invented the Slam Master and Slam Master Pro (patent pending). He would have given up on his invention if he hadn't received encouragement from Ken Henderson, founder of NY City Pickleball. He was invited to play with him, and he agreed, not knowing that Ken was a pickleball champion. Ken commented on Gordon's quick hands when they were playing. Gordon told him about his idea, and Ken encouraged him to develop his practice paddle.
Gordon experimented with different lengths of string connecting the ball to the pickleball paddle. Ironically, he found a seven-foot-long string was ideal, which is the same distance as the kitchen line from the net.
Slam Master Pickleball Practice
Gordon says that the wrong thing to do with the Slam Master practice training paddle is to start by hitting the ball hard. The first step is to gain control of it – you have to go slow and slowly build stamina.
He encourages beginners to watch the tutorial videos that are free on his website, which show several drills that pickleball players can practice:
As you practice, you will learn ball control and be able to judge the recoil. Aside from developing hand-eye coordination, you can practice getting your hands back into the ready position fast enough to counter your opponent's shot.
Who Can Benefit from the Slam Master?
Gordon mentioned on the Pickleball Fire podcast that this paddle is not just for pro pickleball practice or just for the newbies – Slam Master pickleball training is beneficial for all skill levels. They have a wood paddle version and a pro graphite version to suit everybody's needs.
While this training paddle is not just for pros, pro players, including Collin Johns, believe in what this paddle can do. See it in action here:
Benefits of the Slam Master
Build speed, strength, and stamina
Develop better footwork
Develop better reaction time to beat bangers/slammers
Develop paddle and ball control
Improve eye/hand coordination
Self-corrects bad mechanics and habits
Where to Buy the Slam Master Training Tool
If you’re ready to purchase the ultimate drill paddle that will help you improve your game, head over to www.slammaster.net or Pickleball Galaxy to order your Slam Master training paddle and check out more pickleball tips and training drills here at Pickleball University.
