3 Simple Steps to Master the 3rd Shot Drop in Pickleball
If you’ve been wondering how to master the 3rd shot drop, then this article is for you. The 3rd shot drop is a difficult shot to get really good at, but it’s probably the most important shot you can put in your arsenal if you want to win more pickleball matches.
Let’s get into it.
#1 - 2 & 1 Drill
The 3rd shot drop is very similar to a dink shot. It’s a similar technique and execution. So, want you want to do to master the 3rd shot drop is start with basic lift dinks. Your goal with each is to lift your dink shot enough so that it lands softly inside your opponent’s kitchen. The reason this is called the 2 & 1 Drill is because for every two dink shots, you want to take one step back toward the baseline.
This drill teaches you that as you get farther from the net, you have to adjust your follow-through and backswing so that the ball will have enough power to get across the net.
Here are a few keys to remember while doing this drill:
Your goal is to land the ball softly inside the kitchen
Stay stable and balanced as you take each shot
Make sure to contact the ball while it’s out in front of your body
Use your legs as you lift the ball, not just your arm and shoulder
A good 3rd shot drop forces your opponent to hit from below the net. As you practice, try your forehand and backhand and once you’re to the baseline, simply reset and go again. If at any time you miss the kitchen or hit a bad shot, you can start from where you left off or reset and start again.
#2 - Drop Domination
Now we’re going to take the drill above to another level. Why? Because mastering a shot takes a lot of practice. Instead of starting at the NVZ line, begin about a foot behind the baseline. Have your partner stand at the kitchen line on the other side and feed you balls.
Your goal is to stay as far back as you can and hit successful drop shots just over the net and into the kitchen. Remember that sometimes you’ll hit bad shots that either hit the net or go beyond the kitchen.
Try your best to land a proper drop shot, however. Even if you have to aim higher over the net to get there. A shot that’s higher over the net is better than one that’s too low.
Practice your forehand and backhand, and don’t be afraid to move around and get into a good position before each hit.
#3 - Serve and Drop
Now it’s time to make practice as realistic to a game as possible. In this drill, you’ll serve the ball and have your partner return it like they normally would. And then you’ll hit a third shot drop as you would attempt in the game.
After this progression, you can either stop after the third shot drop or play the point out.
Playing the point out will help you learn when to transition and when to not. For example, if your attempted third shot drop ends up high, you may want to stay back so that your opponent doesn’t have an easy shot back at your feet while you’re attempting to move forward.
But if your 3rd shot drop is successful, then go ahead and transition to the middle of the court or the NVZ line.
How did you do? Do you feel like you’ve developed a better third-shot drop? If not, start over with drill number one and work through to drill number three. Practice this progression of steps a few minutes every practice, and you’ll be a master of the 3rd shot drop in no time!
If you’d like to see this progression in action, be sure to watch the video from Briones Pickleball and subscribe to their channel.
