What counts as a volley
A volley is any shot struck before the ball bounces. At the net, most exchanges are volleys — quick reaction shots with little time to think. This is why footwork and the split step matter so much here: your body needs to already be moving before the ball arrives.
The block reset: absorbing pace
Against a hard-driven ball, the instinct to swing back is usually wrong. Instead, hold the paddle firm with a stable wrist and let the ball rebound off the face — a block, not a hit. This absorbs the incoming pace and, done correctly, drops the ball short into the kitchen rather than sending it back with interest.
This is the core defensive skill discussed in beating bangers — the block reset is the technique that makes that whole strategy possible.
Paddle angle for a soft landing
Angle the paddle face slightly open (tilted back) and hold it still. The steeper the incoming ball's pace, the more the paddle naturally absorbs and redirects it downward. Practising this angle against increasingly hard-fed balls builds the feel needed to do it instinctively in a match.
A simple drill
Have a partner drive balls at you from the baseline while you stand at the kitchen line and practise blocking each one back short and soft. Start at moderate pace and increase gradually. Track how many land in the kitchen versus how many pop up — popped-up blocks usually mean the paddle face was too closed or too much wrist movement crept in.
