Lob Game
Four on one court? Only one ball may be hit hard at a time.
Throw It Down
A tosses high balls, and B throws them down by hand first, then hits the same motion with the paddle as an overhead.
How to play
- An overhead is a hard shot hit from above your head, like a tennis serve. B stands near the baseline. A tosses slow, high, predictable balls to B.
- First without paddles: B uses the empty hand and the natural throwing motion. Step, pull the elbow back, reach up, throw down.
- The elbow and the feet move at the same time.
- Then with the paddle in the throwing hand: A plays high balls, and B keeps the same order: elbow back, reach up, hit down.
- Point your free hand at the ball. That gives you the distance and gets you to hit high and in front.
- Swap roles after about 5 minutes.
Too easy? Too hard?
Too easy: A mixes the depth and pace: one step for a near ball, two or more for a deep one. Even harder: A now and then tosses a wrong ball (too short or too deep), and B decides: overhead or reset.
Too hard: Stay longer without the paddle, until the throwing motion and the footwork work together.
Good looks like: Contact high and in front, the free arm stays up, and the paddle finishes across to the opposite hip.
Lob Over the Paddle
A holds a paddle up high as a marker, and B calls the lob and sends it just over, about 60 cm above the paddle.
How to play
- A stands on the other side of the net at the kitchen line and holds a paddle straight up, as high as possible. That is the height marker.
- B calls "lob" first, then lobs. Target: about 60 cm above A's paddle, no higher.
- Same stroke as a dink: open paddle face, just more speed. Do not change the technique.
- Take the ball as early as you can. The earlier you hit it, the higher it goes on the other side.
- Off the bounce, make the motion bigger and get the power from your legs: stand up quickly as you hit.
- Aim at A's backhand side. Swap roles after about 5 minutes.
Too easy? Too hard?
Too easy: Dink rally with no call: B lobs only when the ball is short or can be taken out of the air, and A may answer with an overhead. Even harder: take the marker away, and A steps back or holds, so B reads it and decides: lob, flick or dink.
Too hard: Lob only when your feet are set. If you still have to move to reach the ball, dink instead.
Good looks like: The lob stays low over A's paddle, goes to the backhand side, and only comes off a ball you can attack.
Lob Starts the Point
Dink on half the court until A lobs over B. B answers with an overhead or lets it bounce, then you start again.
How to play
- Both on one diagonal half of the court. A is the lobber, B defends with the overhead.
- B starts with a drop and moves up to the kitchen line. Then dink, no hard hits.
- A looks for the moment to lob over B's head: deep, 60 to 90 cm inside the baseline, not onto the line.
- B gets back and hits an overhead (forehand, backhand, or a hook-shot style overhead when running back), or lets the ball bounce and plays a drop. Then start again.
- No score, just reps. Aim for about 8 of 10 lobs deep and controlled, and about 7 of 10 overheads down the middle.
- Swap roles, and change court spots so each of you plays both roles from both sides.
Too easy? Too hard?
Too easy: Play to 11, but a point only counts once a lob has been hit. A lob that works scores 2 points. Even harder: B starts deeper, or A has to call where the lob is going.
Too hard: Stay with no score, and A lobs only over B's backhand shoulder, so B knows where it is coming.
Good looks like: Every rally has a lob and an overhead in it, the lobs land deep but in, and the overheads go down the middle.
That's 30 minutes.Good rally, everyone.