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CJ Johnson
Tony Roig
Pickleball Reset Shot: Don’t Get Caught In “No Man’s Land”
Are you noticing that as you move up in levels, you’re required to hit different shots? Do you need a shot, to get from the baseline to the non-volley zone, a shot that works in the transition area? You need a reset shot.
One shot you need to acquire to become a better player is a reset shot. In my opinion, it’s the second toughest pickleball shot to learn.
New players typically return hard hit shots with equal or more power. It’s easier to respond to power with power. At some point, softness and finesse are required to allow the team in the transition zone to move to the net.
The reset shot is taking a hard shot and creating a soft response. It looks and acts more like the drop shot.
In this post, I’m sharing my favorite reset shot drill.
Click this link if you want to learn more about the technique for this shot.
Using half of the court, one player stands at the NVZ and the other at the baseline. The player at the NVZ puts the ball in play with a deep shot to the baseline.
The player at the baseline starts by hitting a low drive back toward the player at the NVZ. After hitting the drive, the player should take one or two steps into the transition zone (no man’s land) and prepare to defend the block. This simulates the movement and strategy of the serving team when one of the players hits the third shot drive.
The player at the NVZ needs to block the ball back at the player’s feet. Hit the shot as hard and deep as possible.
The player in the transition zone needs to hit the next shot into the kitchen. The goal is to hit it softly into the NVZ making the player at the net bend down to hit the next shot. That means they have to hit up on the ball, and they are no longer in a position to attack, which allows the player in the transition zone to move to the non-volley zone.
Make a game out of the drill. Hit five shots counting the number of times the ball lands in the NVZ and switch positions with your drilling partner.
Need more help hitting the soft shot? Check this out
CJ Johnson Better Pickleball Age Well with C.J. Train Smart · Live Bold · Age Well
Email: CJ@BetterPickleball.com
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CJ Johnson
Hey there — I’m a professional three-sport athlete and coach who has spent my entire adult life earning a living from playing and coaching sports. Since I started coaching more than three decades ago, one thing has remained the same: My commitment to see students not as they are but as what they can become and to move heaven and earth to help them realize their untapped potential. You should know that when it comes to helping pickleball players over 50 live their best lives on and off the courts, I'm an expert. Good pickleball is not just technique; it's the mind and body working holistically. That's why I'm also a personal trainer and weight management specialist. When I’m chillin', you'll find me watching Star Trek with my husband John and our two fur babies, Shirley and Ralph. (Yes, Happy Days)
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Joey Farias calls “no man’s land” the land of opportunity.
I haven’t heard that one, but I like it.
CJ, thank you very much for the good strategy of the reset shot to advance to the NVZ.
You’re welcome
Dink shot: put backspin on the ball and keep it short, it will come back into the net.
I try to hit a softer drive or deep shot to the backhand that’s high but (not too high they can hit it down) to get some time to get to nvz
Sounds like a good plan.
You said A hard shot back to the person trying to get up From the baseline. Would this be a block?
Hi Margaret, Yes the person at the NVZ is blocking the drive.