Pickleball Dwell Time: Professional pickleball player and coach James Ignatowich explained the importance of “dwell time” and how to master both offensive and defensive lobs during his recent show. He shared insights into how players can improve paddle control and add new tools to their game.
What Is Dwell Time and Why Does It Matter
James Ignatowich defined dwell time as the amount of time a ball stays on the paddle during contact. A paddle with low dwell time will cause the ball to bounce off quickly. A high dwell time paddle allows the ball to sink in slightly, helping with control, especially during dinks, drops, and resets.
According to James Ignatowich, “dwell time will actually also come from you in a way.” He explained that player technique matters too. A loose arm and active wrist during fast shots can increase dwell time. Tight, stiff movement results in short contact, which makes generating spin more difficult.
“The looser that you are, the more easily you’ll be able to go like this… especially with your wrist when you’re hitting a speed up or a drive.”
James Ignatowich also recommended using the legs to create more dwell time. Standing stiff makes the ball pop off quickly. Using leg power and staying low improves paddle-ball contact. Thicker paddles, usually 16mm or more, and soft-core materials like EVA foam or foam-filled honeycomb cores also increase dwell time.
Mastering Offensive and Defensive Lobs
James Ignatowich shared tips for both types of lob. Offensive lobs should go cross-court because there’s more room. He explained, “When you’re on offense and you want an aggressive lob, going crosscourt… there’s an extra four feet of space.”
For effective offensive lobs, players should:
- Use your legs to get under the ball
- Add topspin to bring the ball down
- Hit cross-court for more space
“If you’re trying to hit a topspin lob crosscourt, get low and use topspin.”
On defense, he advised hitting high lobs to the middle of the court. This tactic buys time, uses wind to confuse opponents, and lets players reset.
“If you throw it high up in the air, the ball will be moved around a lot by the wind and that can mess up your opponent.”
He also explained that defensive lobs with height allow players more time to return to position and prepare for overheads.
News in Brief: Pickleball Dwell Time
Professional pickleball player and coach James Ignatowich discussed how to improve “dwell time” and use offensive and defensive lobs effectively. He explained that loose arm movement and thicker paddles help increase paddle control. He also advised using cross-court topspin lobs for attack and high middle-court lobs for defense.
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