Tip 1
The reset is an incredibly important shot to have because it allows you to slow down the pace of a point and recover from an uncomfortable position.
A reset is a defensive shot where you redirect a hard offensive shot softly into your opponent’s kitchen, as opposed to counter-attacking with a powerful shot.
Here are some things you should focus on when hitting your resets:
- Stop your body as your opponent makes contact. It’s usually harder to execute a good shot when you’re running and hitting simultaneously. Running and hitting at the same time will cause the ball to pop up.
- Keep your paddle out in front in your ready position so you can easily track the ball onto your forehand or backhand side.
- Keep your motion as compact as possible by contacting your ball in front of your body. The reset requires zero backswing. Any backswing will cause the ball to pop up.
- Loosening your grip strength will help you absorb the pace of the ball. If you grip the paddle too tight, the ball may go farther than you intend.
It’s always important to remember that the reset is a tool to get you back to a neutral position after being put on defense. That means that if you successfully reset from the transition zone, you should follow the ball back up to the kitchen!
Tip 2
Making the decision on which balls to reset can be difficult, especially during the flow of a game when everything is moving at a fast pace. But, there is one black and white metric that can help you determine which shots to reset most of the time. When the ball is traveling down at you off of your opponent’s paddle, you should reset it. This is because it is very difficult to attack from below the net. Just about any shot that your opponent hits downwards towards you will be near impossible to attack. If you attack a ball that is coming down at you, you will be hitting it upwards towards your opponents, who will in turn be able to slam it back down.
Remember, it’s always easiest to attack from above shoulder height! So, on the other hand, if the ball is traveling up to you, you should attack it by slamming it back down towards your opponents’ feet.
The post What Is A Pickleball Reset Shot and How To Hit It first appeared on USA Pickleball.