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             Tipbit #20 – Turn! Turn! Turn!

I graduated from high school in 1965 and one of my favorite songs was “Turn! Turn! Turn!”  by the Byrds. The lyrics were taken almost verbatim from the book of Ecclesiastes in the King James Bible. When I teach my clinics or just watching RFPBA members on our Glen Park courts I often instruct my students or call out to those members to “Turn! Turn! Turn"!  It’s true on a lot of strokes; examples are the backhand groundstroke and the overhead. But the focus of Tipbit #20 is the . . . . forehand groundstroke.

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I’m always reminded of the first tennis clinic I attended at Chris Evert’s (I still have and cherish my signed framed poster of Chris Evert) academy in Boca Raton, FL, where she continually emphasized the importance of turning. She would list the benefits of turning and pointing at the incoming ball. These same benefits are transferable to pickleball.

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  • By pointing at the incoming ball it helps you maintain Focus on the approaching ball and is also a great trick to getting prepared early.

  • By pointing it forces you to rotate your body 90 degrees (forcing a shoulder turn which equals more power potential); you’re Coiled and now ready to uncoil into your shot.

  • By pointing it increases your Balance before, during and after your stroke; your dominant and non-dominant arms are both extended.
     

Below are three pictures of pro pickleball players demonstrating my above points. This unnamed pro points at that incoming ball to improve . . . Focus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here Anna Bright turns her shoulder so she is . . . Coiled as she is about to step forward into her shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The #1 player in the world, Anna Leigh Waters, demonstrates the value of her non-dominant arm giving her . . . Balance

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Notice that all of these pictures are of players in or near the backcourt. As you approach the transition area or forecourt you won’t have time to make a turn. You'll need to shorten up your stroke.

 

So when your hitting your forehand from the backcourt get your belly off the net and use your non-dominant arm; I'll be watching :-)

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