If you have mastered your basic drop shot, then you may be ready to add two other drop shots to your skill set—(1) the inside out drop and (2) the top spin drop. An inside out drop is an effective shot that generates horizontal spin on the pickleball. This spin will cause the pickleball to hook or curve—similar to your inside out drive or your inside out serve. An inside out drop will travel crosscourt from left to right for a righty, and from right to left for a lefty. As a result, the inside out drop will probably be most effective for a right-handed player from the odd/left-handed side of the court, and for a left-handed player from the even/right-handed side of the court.

To hit an inside out drop:

1. Prepare for your shot in the same way as your basic drop, which means:

a. Move behind the pickleball and slightly turn your body;

b. Prepare your paddle out in front of your body with your paddle slightly down and your paddle face open; and

c. Take a short backswing;

2. Move your paddle across the backside of the pickleball as if you were trying to sand the backside of the pickleball in a horizontal fashion with your paddle (i.e. from right to left for a righty or from left to right for a lefty); and

3. Finish your drop by finishing your paddle swing up and through the pickleball. You should finish your paddle swing with a flat paddle up toward the sky, as if you were a waiter or waitress carrying drinks.

As a reminder, like your basic drop, your contact point on your inside out drop should be out in front of your body between your waist and your knees.

Another advanced drop shot that is becoming more and more common in the game is a top spin drop, which will generate forward spin toward your opponents. This top spin will cause the pickleball to generate more speed and take a bigger bounce off of the court. It will also cause the pickleball to take a bigger dive out of the air. To hit a top spin drop:

1. Prepare for your shot in the same way as your basic drop by moving behind the pickleball, slightly turning your body, and taking a shot backswing;

2. Prepare your paddle out in front of your body with your paddle slightly down and your paddle face slightly closed—this is different than your basic drop and your inside out drop;

3. Brush the backside of the pickleball from low to high with your paddle, as if you are sanding the backside of the pickleball with sandpaper; and

4. Finish your drop by finishing your paddle swing up, through, and above the pickleball, and slightly across your body.

Again, as a reminder, like your basic drop, your contact point on your inside out drop should be out in front of your body between your waist and your knees.

Key Takeaways:

1. If you have mastered your basic drop, try the inside out drop and the top spin drop, which will generate some spin on the pickleball and make for a more difficult shot for your opponents to handle.

2. Try an inside out drop to send the pickleball crosscourt with horizontal spin. To hit an inside out drop:

a. Prepare for your shot as if you were to hit a basic drop;

b. Brush the backside of the pickleball with your paddle in a horizontal fashion; and

c. Finish up and through the pickleball with a flat paddle.

3. Try a top spin drop to generate some pace on the pickleball and cause the pickleball to take a bigger dive in the air. To hit a top spin drop:

a. Prepare for your shot as if you were to hit a basic drop, except, rather than having an open paddle face, slightly close your paddle face;

b. Brush the backside of the pickleball with your paddle from low to high; and

c. Finish up, through, and above the pickleball, and slightly across your body.