Wall Height Reads
Why this drill
The wall usually trains strokes; this drill trains the decision. Every rebound gets read against the tape line — attack the high ball, reset the low one — so the attack-or-defend choice that governs kitchen play gets hundreds of reps an hour, alone.
Setup
Wall with the 34-inch tape line. Stand 8 to 10 feet back, paddle up. A few spare balls in your pocket.
The drill
Start a rally against the wall at medium pace, mixing firm and soft balls on purpose so the rebounds vary. The rule: any rebound you take above tape height, punch firm; any rebound below it, soften into a touch ball above the tape. Call your read out loud — "high!" or "low!" — before contact. Rally to 20 with correct calls and correct responses; a firm ball hit off a low read, or a soft poke off a high one, resets the count. The out-loud call is not decoration: it keeps the eyes on height instead of autopilot.
One thought to take on court
Read the ball's height at the tape, not at your paddle — the decision happens a beat before the shot does.