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Comfort in the transition zone
Paul from Pickleball Daily
February 20, 2026
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Tip of the day
Josh J Pickleball provides a comprehensive coaching session focused on improving the efficiency of transitioning from the baseline to the kitchen line.
The primary objective for any player in the transition zone is not necessarily to win the point immediately but to hit a reset shot that allows them to reach the non-volley zone.
When hitting third-shot drops, maintaining a stable base and making contact well in front of the body allows for a full range of motion and better control.
Keeping your head down during the point of impact is crucial to ensuring you stay low enough to get the paddle under the ball for a proper arc.
While a topspin drop is aggressive and effective, having a reliable slice drop as a backup is essential for handling returns with heavy topspin.
In the midcourt transition area, you should prioritize height and margin over power to give yourself the time needed to move forward safely.
A successful reset often involves using an open paddle face and a quiet, controlled motion rather than a large, risky swing.
Short-hopping the ball requires getting the paddle head down early and using the opponent's momentum to guide the ball back into the kitchen.
When caught late or pushed back by a deep shot, an 80% power drive followed by a reset can be a safer recovery option than attempting a difficult drop.
Transitioning players should avoid changing the ball's direction and instead focus on hitting the reset back toward where it came from.
Key Points:
Focus on reaching the kitchen line rather than trying to hit a winner from the transition zone.
Contact the ball in front of your lead foot to maintain balance and a repeatable swing path.
Use a slice drop when receiving heavy topspin returns to increase your consistency and margin for error.
Keep your paddle face open and your movements quiet when resetting balls from the midcourt.
Prioritize height on your transition shots to buy the time necessary to establish a position at the net.
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So clean 🤣
That’s it for today! As always, thank you for reading. 🙏
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Happy pickling,
Paul