Easier to go cross-court because of paddle face. To go down the line, you either need to bend the wrist even more or wait a tad longer for the ball to be closer to you so your paddle face can aim left (line) as opposed to the right. At neutral grip or ready position, the backhand paddle face is already facing to the right side, so that shot is easier or quicker to get out of the air.
I was at the 2024 Mesa AZ PPA tournament - hope your shoulder is doing better. I appreciate your podcast but for those of us who are more visual, it would be fantastic of you could include some samples of what you are describing - such as the back hand flicks cross court vs down the line - especially with your opponent being a right handed player waiting set up with their forehand and chicken-winging them. It is easy for me to understand but seeing it in action is definitely different.
Great show. Please turn down the volume of the ending outro loud noise. We wear earbuds and we turn the volume up real loud to hear voices talking. And at the end the super loud outro noise sound effect blows out your ear drums.
If you want the math - there is approximately 10" from the wrist (the fulcrum or pivot point) to the center of the sweet spot. If you compare where you would contact the ball with your paddle parallel to the net (line shot) vs at a 45 degree angle (cross court shot) then you are capable of reaching a ball about 7" further away from you. If you catch it with the end of an elongated paddle which is around 14" from your wrist then your additional reach goes to almost 10".
Thanks James, always good stuff. Appreciate the time you took with me while you and Anna were in Ocean Reef to shoot the quick shout out video to our South Carolina PB coach.
Hey Man, I just discovered this - "the Dink" brought me here. Good talk. New subscriber. As a relative rookie, 6 months with no other experience (hoops), I learned myself that I do better long on a low trajectory than a lofty 3rd shot drop. Kind of a slower topspin dive drop if that makes any sense. I'm still new at this, but when my high 3rds go long, they're toast. When my low balls go long, the fourth shot is usually not as aggressive. And many times can be baked. Thanks
Loved this on the defensive choices and xcourt rip backhand volley. I can get lots of shotmaking/stroke vid on line...but I enjoy just listening to your choices and how your pickleball mind works out the choices and reasons, Well done & thanks!
James, so the reason you can reach farther in to hit the backhand cross it’s because you have to hit it further in front of your body. Whereas the down the line shot you need to wait a fractional amount of time to take the ball down the line so you’re technically waiting for the ball to come to you so that you can hit the ball down the line versus hitting it cross court where you can reach for it and hitting it further in front of you. That’s my two cents.
The reason is because you can extend your follow-through further then going straight down the line. Like your arm reaches full extension. But cross court you can continue to push the ball further. Cole Russel- training to be a pro full time worth my coach Eva Welsher. Pleasure to help!
