Put Your Lob to Work for You
by Mat Galemmo

Start groundstroke to groundstroke lobs from deep in the backcourt by hitting moonballs back and forth, hit crosscourt keeping a 45 degree angle on the ball. This will help develop a good offensive lob technique. This exercise will give you and your partner a chance to develop an offensive lob and overhead smash. One player hits lobs exclusively while the other player hits overheads exclusively. As both players gain experience with this exercise, overheads should be directed alternately to the right and left backcourt corners. It is important that you:

• Watch the ball all the way to the strings.
• Hit the ball with an awareness of racket pitch at impact.
• Maintain a firm wrist at impact.
• Use low to high strokes.
• The angle of the stroke is equal to the angle of the ball's descent.
• Turn your shoulders to the proper position on offensive lobs.
• Use full strokes; follow-through completely on offensive lobs.
• Hit your defensive lobs from a motionless, balanced position whenever possible.
• Recover quickly back to the ready position after you hit a defensive lob.
• On your overheads, turn sideways as you raise your racquet pointing at the ball with your free hand.
• Move under the ball with small steps, (keeping an arm's length from the ball.) Don't allow the ball to get behind you or directly over your head.
• Keep your head up and watch the ball all the way to the strings.
• Drop your racket down behind your back and come up to strike the ball with an accelerating racket head.
• Pronate your forearm as you do for your serve