Pickleball Third Shot Drop Tips: A pickleball coach shared five key changes that helped him improve his third shot drops. The coach, who admitted struggling with thirds six or seven years ago, explained how small adjustments made a big difference in his game. He used simple analogies and on-court demonstrations to help players learn to control their shots better, reduce errors, and feel less pressure during pickleball matches.
The tips were filmed on a pickleball court with help from a training partner named Linda, and the lessons are designed for everyday players looking to become more consistent.
Smooth Swing Like Tossing an Ice Cube
The coach began by comparing the third shot drop to tossing an ice cube into the sink.
“If you accelerate through the throw with that ice cube, you’re going to fling it all the way across your room,” he said.
He showed how swinging too hard or too soft can ruin the shot. The key is a smooth, relaxed swing without a sudden burst of speed. He encouraged players to focus on consistency and follow-through.
“You want to think about consistency in terms of the swing,” he said. “Just really notice how smoothly I’m swinging through the shot.”
He added, “Have confidence with the follow through. Notice how I followed all the way through there slowly, very slowly.”
Watch the Opponent First
The next tip focused on reacting to the opponent’s shot instead of just hitting the ball.
“You can’t understand what to give unless you understand what was given,” the coach said.
He explained that different returns, like high lobs or backspin shots, require different responses. In one example, Linda hit a lob, and he adjusted by changing his footwork.
“Okay. So, Linda gave me a little lobby thing there… If I had tried to hit that shot like a normal third, then I may have made an error,” he explained.
Another time, she hit a spinning ball. “Linda put backspin and side spin on the ball. What I did is I noticed that and I immediately ran forward because I know how spin is going to react on the court.”
Lead with the Wrist for Lower Shots
The third change was learning to keep the wrist in front of the paddle when swinging. This helps keep the ball low.
“If you hit the ball, guess what? It’s going to go straight up,” he warned. “But if my paddle faces like this, that ball is going to go straight forward.”
He advised players to relax the wrist and let it lead during the shot. He showed how keeping the paddle facing forward makes it easier to keep shots lower.
“See how my wrist was leading ahead? Now, watch it from this angle,” he said during one demonstration.
Don’t Expect a Perfect Third Shot
The coach said trying to hit perfect third shots every time leads to frustration. Instead, players should accept that sometimes they’ll need to hit a fifth shot too.
“Isn’t that just nice? Doesn’t that just take the pressure off?” he said. “You’re setting yourself up for failure… If that means that I’m reducing the pressure and the stress on myself to hit these whiffle balls over the net, that’s a good thing.”
He showed how a third shot that wasn’t great still allowed him to make a fifth shot and keep the rally going.
“I’m just gonna try to get this ball over the net. I don’t care what happens next because I can get the fifth and then the seventh and the ninth,” he said.
Learn to Loosen Your Grip
The final tip was to stop gripping the paddle too tightly. The coach said this was a big breakthrough for him, especially since he didn’t come from a racket sport background.
“So, how do you train yourself to stop death gripping the paddle? Very simple,” he said. “Hold the paddle with your thumb and your index finger like this.”
He demonstrated a drill where players hit the ball using only their thumb and index finger. This helps develop softer hands and better control.
“Make sure all the pressure is in your index finger and your thumb. Do not grip the paddle with your pinky, ring, or middle finger,” he advised.
As players grow more comfortable, they can slowly add fingers back on the paddle without squeezing tightly.
“That’s going to help you to have more finesse,” he said.
Why It Matters
These five simple changes can help everyday pickleball players become more consistent and confident with their third shot drops. By using smoother swings, adjusting to different returns, relaxing the wrist, letting go of the pressure, and softening the grip, players can reduce mistakes and enjoy their pickleball games more.
The coach ended by inviting viewers to get personalized advice through a new video review service he offers.
“I’m going to tell you what’s going on. I’m going to tell you what’s going wrong and I give you a plan on how to fix it,” he said.
News in Brief: Pickleball Third Shot Drop Tips
A pickleball coach shared five key changes that improved his third shot drops. Using simple analogies and live demos, he taught smoother swings, wrist control, opponent awareness, relaxed grips, and managing pressure. These changes help everyday players make better shots and enjoy the game with less stress.
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