The Lob Serve
Welcome back, pickleball enthusiasts, to Day 3 of the Z Sisters Pickleball 30-Day Pickleball Serving Challenge! We’re having a blast exploring the nuances of the serve, and today, we’re adding a touch of surprise and strategy to your game with one of our favorite serves: the lob serve!
Are you tired of hitting the same flat, predictable serves? Do you want a way to disrupt your opponent’s rhythm and keep them guessing? Then it’s time to embrace the beauty and effectiveness of the lob serve. Trust us, this seemingly simple serve can be a real game-changer, adding another valuable tool to your pickleball arsenal.
In today’s challenge video (check it out below!), we dive into the mechanics of the lob serve. The secret? It’s all about opening up that paddle face and giving the ball some serious airtime. Think of it as sending a little high-flying messenger over the net, designed to land deep in your opponent’s court.
Why the Lob Serve? The Tactical Advantage
The lob serve isn’t just about hitting the ball high; it’s a strategic weapon with several key advantages:
- The Element of Surprise: In a game often dominated by faster serves, a well-placed lob can completely catch your opponent off guard. They might be anticipating a hard drive, and suddenly, they’re dealing with a high, floating ball. This hesitation can be all the advantage you need.
- Keeping Opponents Deep: A good lob serve forces your opponents to retreat to the back of the court. This often results in a weaker, shorter return, giving you more time to set up your next shot and potentially attack the net.
- Disrupting Rhythm and Timing: If your opponents are in a groove, anticipating your usual serve, the change of pace from a lob serve can throw off their timing and disrupt their flow. It’s like changing the tempo in a song – it keeps things interesting and can make them uncomfortable.
- Slowing Down the Game: Pickleball can be a fast-paced sport, and sometimes you need a way to slow things down. The lob serve provides that opportunity, giving you and your partner more time to react and strategize.
- Exploiting the “Softball Swing”: As we mentioned in the video, many players tend to swing upwards when returning a high serve, much like in slow-pitch softball. This can lead to overhitting the ball and sending it long – a definite win for you!
Day 3 Challenge: Lob It Like You Mean It!
Today’s challenge is simple but crucial for developing consistency with your lob serve. Head to the court and practice your lob serve from both the right and left sides. Focus on getting the height and depth right.
Your mission for Day 3: How many successful lob serves can you land deep in the court (within the baseline) out of 10 attempts on your right side? And how many out of 10 from the left court? Keep track of your scores and let us know in the comments below!
Here is your FREE Pickleball Serving Challenge Worksheet (link). Click here or comment: “Z Sisters Worksheet” in the comments below.
Remember, the 30-Day Pickleball Serving Challenge is all about adding new skills and refining your existing ones in a fun and engaging way. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see how the lob serve can elevate your game. You might just surprise yourself (and your opponents!).
Stay tuned for Day 4 of the 30-Day Pickleball Serving Challenge for more exciting serving drills and tips from Z Sisters Pickleball. Let’s keep having fun and improving our game together!
Watch the Day 3 Lob Serve Video Here: (link)
**#Pickleball #ServingChallenge #LobServe #PickleballTips #ZSistersPickleball
