Master the One-Handed Punch Volley in Pickleball

Consistency-wise, I think my backhand volleys and punch volleys, slams, whatever, are struggling a little bit. I either get too tentative and I pop it up or I hit it too hard and hit it out. Today's triple C is we're working on the ready position at the net, being ready for speed-ups, blocks, and counters. We're specifically working on his backhand mostly. So I'm gonna feed him and then we're gonna work that out. So let's do a little bit of dinking. I'm gonna give you a couple of kind of off-speed balls. I want you just to practice. Right now, we're gonna practice just blocking because that's the foundation of becoming a little bit more offensive, right? We need to see more of that. Yeah, sounds good. Okay, pause for a second, Gabe. Try not to slide into that forehand. Every once in a while is fine, especially if it's going to become more offensive, but right now I want you to block everything with your backhand. So we're just getting a little bit of more of a reset kind of block. I'm wanting him just to see it right there first with the backhand. So this one, there we go. See, he's resetting well now. Perfect. Reset city, let's go! I'm gonna give him a couple more. There you go. Really good on the resetting. Since you're getting that so well already, I wanna just have you practice some reps on the counter, the punch. And I'm gonna show you that first. I'm gonna show you, and then I want you to try to practice that. Replicate it. Oh, I hit the camera, nice. Okay, so that's a roll, right? Yeah. I'm rolling that ball. And then this is a punch. That was sort of a hybrid, right? The ones that are dipping, I have to kind of come over it, but the ones that are up like this, I'm gonna go from almost like this, down. Right. Similar to, I think we might've worked on that forehand one. It's very similar. Okay, because I want it to go at the feet as much as possible. I'm gonna be feeding him some balls to work on the backhand punch volley. Good. Okay, pause. So do you feel yourself backswing? Yeah. So from here to here, instead of going like this. Right. Less wrist, more locking of the wrist. Yeah, yeah, my wrist was loose. Okay. Lean from your shoulder. Yeah, and forearm like. I'm gonna come like this instead of like this. Yeah, I'm using my wrist still. Yeah. Bend your knees a little bit. Good. Good, that's better. Good. I want you to hold it there. Yeah, hold it there. And then start from there. I'm gonna give it right to you. Cool. Hold it there to there. And I want you to use some force with the forearm. Better, better. Yeah, it's a little cleaner now. There it is. Good, that's it. Very short swing, right? Good. So to get him to understand the mechanics and the technical part, I was having him hold the paddle to feel it and keep it compact. But now I'm gonna have him bring his paddle back in the middle and practice going there and bringing it back to the ready position. Yes, there it is. Nice. That's nice. Good. I wanna throw a curve ball at you. I want you to go from forehand to backhand. Cool. So it'll be every single time, like forehand and backhand, forehand and backhand. Cool. Good, back. Shorten your swing on the forehand. Okay, I love it. But I want you to accelerate faster with the forehand. Give me like a punch. Yeah. Like it's known for that, right? A punch volley. Good. Nice. Good. Boom, baby. Hell yeah. With that drill, we got him to kind of see how everything needs to remain out in front, right? And also just remain very compact. I think with more reps, he's gonna get it. He's picking it up fast.