Overhead Slam Your Way to Victory

Welcome to The Pickleball Clinic Coaching Newsletter!

Have you ever met a pickleball player who doesn’t love hitting the ball hard?

We haven’t! Even the softest of dinkers love the opportunity to crush the ball when it comes around.

But… there’s nothing worse than earning an opportunity to slam the ball and still losing the rally.

So today, we’re going to break down the overhead slam, with a few key tips to maximize your power AND control through your technique.

Let’s dive in 👇

When you get a popup in pickleball, it means that you’ve earned the opportunity to win the rally. Whether you forced your opponent into a tough position, or they went for a lob but hit it too low, you’ve got a huge advantage. So when that happens, you better be ready to put the ball away!

Yet, so many players aren’t taking advantage of these opportunities simply because they aren’t hitting their overheads hard enough.

Believe it or not, how hard you hit an overhead has almost nothing to do with your physical strength—it has almost everything to do with your technique.

The overhead slam is one of the more complex motions in pickleball, but by utilizing a few key tips you’ll be on your way to hitting rockets and finishing more rallies than ever.

Turn Sideways and Utilize the Trophy Position

As with everything else in pickleball, preparation is key. When the ball goes over your head, the very first thing you should always do is turn sideways.

Never backpedal in pickleball, not for the overhead, or any other shot. It’s a safety hazard!

As you turn sideways, raise both arms up to assume the trophy position. The trophy position is when you have your paddle arm up at a 90° angle and your non-hitting arm stretched up towards the ball. Turning sideways and getting into the trophy position allows you to get behind the ball and coil up, so that you can generate velocity by rotating your body as you hit the ball. The more you turn, the more you can accelerate your paddle. So if you don’t turn your shoulders, you won’t be able to generate as much power.

Pretend You’re Throwing Your Paddle… Just Don’t Let Go!

The actual swing for the overhead is very similar to throwing a ball. In fact, if you pretend you’re going to throw your paddle super hard without letting go, you’ll already have the swing down.

As you swing, make sure that your arm is super relaxed. Lead with your elbow and “aim” for the other side of the court. Keep in mind that you want to hit the ball out in front, so time your “throw” so that you begin the motion when the ball starts coming down.

As you swing forward towards the ball, the paddle should drop back behind your head, before extending upwards to your target.

Reach Up and Make Contact With a Straight Arm

This is one of the most underrated tips that I have for the overhead slam. I say it’s underrated because it’s super simple, yet incredibly consequential. Contact the ball with a straight arm. You lose so much power when you make contact with a bent arm, yet it is one of the most common mistakes on the overhead! You should feel your elbow fully straighten as you make contact with the ball. It’s almost like you’re trying to “high-five” the ball with a straight arm.

If you practice those three tips, you’ll be able to improve power and consistency on your overheads without gaining any physical strength. It’s all in the technique!

See you on the courts!

- Matt Slowinski (Co-Founder, Pro Player & Coach)

When the ball goes up, it’s time to get back! Notice how the player on the near right turns sideways and gets into her trophy position as soon as the ball goes up for the overhead. Followed by some nice teamwork to finish off the rally. 😉

Your Gear Matters More Than You Think

Sure, your paddle won’t magically transform your game, but there is a reason why you don’t see advanced players playing with entry-level equipment.

When you get a JOOLA product, you’re getting the best there is. You want the best paddles made? Then check out JOOLA’s 3s or Mod TA-15. You want the best sun and protective glasses? Then you’re looking at JOOLA’s RJX eyewear. And if you want to look and feel good on the courts, then you want their latest apparel, from shirts and pants to pullovers and hoodies. Check them all out here.

Insights from Pickleball Pro, Coach, and Creator Tanner Tomassi

The overhead slam is a must have shot! This allows you to punish your opponents when a ball is left too high.

There are three keys to this shot:

#1 - Point at the ball with your off-hand to turn your shoulders and help with coordination. This is seen very often in tennis and helps use your entire kinetic chain to strike the ball.

#2 - Snap your wrist on contact. Many times, players mishit the ball because they swipe at the ball. You must fully commit or you’ll run into trouble!

#3 - Swing at 70% power. When you have this shot, it’s a kill shot. I often seen people swing out fully and lose control of their shot. You’re at such an advantage, it’s best to take some pace off and ensure you hit a quality ball.See you all for my next bulletin!

For more from Tanner, follow @tanner.pickleball on Instagram & YouTube!

When it comes to a technical shot like the overhead, it’s best to have a visual understanding of what the shot is supposed to look like. Check out Matt’s video below, breaking down the overhead step by step. ⬇️

Before you try it on the court, practice your swing at home without the ball. Better yet, practice in front of the mirror so that you can confirm that you’re using the proper swing.

Well, that’s a wrap… so let’s recap what we learned this week about overheads.

• Turn sideways and get into the trophy position. Not only is backpedaling unsafe, you can get the most power if you turn sideways

• Pretend you’re going to throw your paddle, just don’t let go!

• Make contact with a straight arm

Thanks for reading! We hope you can put these tips to good use the next time you’re out on the courts!

Reply to this email with anything you want to see in our future newsletters 😄 

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic