"Shoulder High, Let It Fly" Is Too High. Here's a Better Cutoff

Getting smacked around by hard-hit balls? The fix usually isn't hitting back harder. It's letting the ball go. The missing piece is knowing how high the ball actually has to be before you can let it fly. Most players know the old saying: shoulder high, let it fly. That saying is 100% accurate, and if you're just starting to work on this, shoulder high is a great place to begin. But it leaves a lot of free points on the table, because the real height of balls you should let go is much lower than you think. In this video, I take a monopod, a measuring tape, and some orange electrical tape onto the court and mark the spot: 43 inches. From 2 feet behind the NVZ line, I drive balls that pass under that mark and still land far enough out of bounds that you can't see them in the frame. Then we go into the Strategy Lab and look at why. It comes down to geometry. The pickleball net is nearly the same height as a tennis net, but the court is far smaller. And the closer the banger moves toward the net, the worse that geometry gets for them. We also break down real game footage so you can see this play out in a live rally, including a ball that never should have been touched. Here's what you'll walk away with: a clear picture of how low a hard-hit ball can be and still be sailing out, and a reason to trust your eyes the next time one comes at you. If you're tired of hard-hit balls coming your way and you're not sure what to do, we built a free course inside Tony Roig Pickleball. It includes the visualization technique from this video, which trains your mind to recognize these balls as balls you can let go. Link here: https://www.tonyroigpickleball.com/offers/SgF24pDB/checkout Be well, Tony —————————————————————— Tony Roig Pickleball helps players understand the game instead of just collecting tips: strategy, the mental game, and the decisions that decide pickleball rallies. 🌐 Website: tonyroigpickleball.com We recommend Pickleball Central for your pickleball needs. Using our affiliate link at https://pickleballcentral.com/tonyroig helps fund content like this. Customers will get up to a 10% discount. Discounts may vary by product, and some exclusions apply. We earn a commission on purchases. 🛒 Tony's Amazon storefront — books, training tools, and gear Tony uses: https://www.amazon.com/shop/tonyroigpickleballformerlyin2pickle?ccs_id=77992b29-49a7-48a5-a01b-9035a0cc01a2 As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 🎙 Pickleball Therapy Podcast — dedicated to your pickleball mindset and improvement: https://link.chtbl.com/pickleballtherapy Contact: hello@tonyroigpickleball.com Connect Instagram: @bestpickleballcoach Facebook: @tonyroigpickleball TikTok: bestpickleballcoach