Advanced kitchen defense: stabilize height, aim to the middle, and turn chaos into neutral control—then offense.

When the firefight starts at the NVZ, the winners aren’t faster—they’re calmer. Defensive dinks are the emergency brake of tournament play: they stabilize the rally, remove angles, and give you time to recover shape before you counter.

Core Strategy

Think “net-high plus a fist” and “toes or middle.” A defensive dink should never flirt with the tape or the line; your first goal is height control. Aim to the middle third to force agreement between opponents, or place softly to the lead foot to keep their contact below net height. Shrink your follow-through and keep the paddle in front of your chest; you’re managing chaos, not creating it.

When opponents speed up, block with a quiet wrist and send the next ball low and boring. Two calm dinks can turn a firefight into a neutral exchange—and the very next sitter becomes yours.

Practice Drill

Calm‑Under‑Fire. Partner stands at NVZ and alternates firm speed‑ups and soft dinks to your forehand/backhand. Your job: block, then float a soft defensive dink to the middle. Count consecutive “block‑then‑dink” reps; target 15, then 25. Add footwork by starting one step behind the line and recovering forward after each contact.

Bring It to Life

At 10–9, they speed up at your hip. Instead of swatting, block to middle, step in balanced, and send a defensive dink to the lead foot. Opponent lifts; you counter through the body and finish. That sequence wins medals because it resists panic and rewards discipline.

Related: Fast Hands, Calm Eyes • Shot Selection Under Pressure • Winning the Kitchen Battle

Question: In your next firefight, will your first instinct be to hit harder—or to lower the ball and take control?