The Overhead Smash in Pickleball
The overhead smash in pickleball is one of the skills you should practice on a regular basis. If you watch a lot of professional matches you probably don’t think the lob is a large part of the game but that is because the really good pickleball players will use one smash to put the ball away. For your average or rec player the lob can be an important strategy in the game and the ability to end the point with one overhead smash is an fantastic skill to have.
Overhead Fundamentals
With any shot footwork is the most important part. If you don’t use your feet to put your body in the correct position what could be an easy shot becomes a difficult shot quickly and often ends in a mishit going into the net or landing out of bounds.
The next fundamental is getting your body turned sideways. A good overhead takes using your whole body to swing and rotate through the shot, not just swinging or flicking you arm from the shoulder or elbow.
Here is great video that breaks down the different elements including footwork, rotating your body, how to grip the paddle, etc.
This video is from Third Shot Sports
For more on pickleball strategy check out our skills and strategy posts