Your Opponents Will Never See This Shot Coming

The disguised lob breakdown and gifts for the pickleball dad in your life.

Author

Empower Pickleball
May 19, 2026

The lob is one of the most underused weapons in recreational pickleball—not because players don't know it exists, but because they give it away every time. This week we're breaking down how to disguise it completely, gift ideas for the pickleball dad in your life, and a quick look at the approaching Major League Pickleball season.

Inside:

  • The disguised lob: how to set it up without tipping your hand

  • Rally scoring vs. traditional scoring—honest pros and cons

  • Father's Day gift guide for every type of pickleball player

🏆 Major League Pickleball 2026 Season Is Here

Photo Credit: Columbus Sliders

The 2026 MLP season kicks off this week, with the opening event running May 22–25 in Dallas at Pickler Universe—and the offseason roster moves have set up some must-watch storylines right from the jump.

The big headlines going in:

  • The New Jersey 5s created the most dangerous duo in the women’s doubles game, stealing Jorja Johnson away from Dallas to pair with Anna Leigh Waters 

  • The St. Louis Shock showed they were willing to pay any cost to retain team captain Anna Bright

  • Defending champions, the Columbus Sliders, enter the season without Lea Jansen, a significant loss for a team that stunned everyone last year

The season runs through August 30, with a first-ever stop at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando (July 30–Aug 2) and playoffs in Dallas, San Diego, and New York City. It's shaping up to be the most competitive MLP season yet.

👉 Find more on MLP and the full 2026 calendar here.

🌎 Around the Picklesphere

👊 A grip change to add power to your game
🏎️ Get your counters up to speed
🤝 Staying levelheaded on the pickleball court
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Be a part of the Empower Pickleball Fam and save 30% with code EMPOWER30

🥸 How to Hit a Disguised Lob (Without Giving It Away)

The moment your opponents see you lean back or look up, they're already retreating. The real power of the lob isn't the shot itself—it's the disguise.

Set it up like a dink. Stay in your compact dinking stance—same paddle height, same posture, no glancing at the sky. The setup should be indistinguishable from your normal dink.

The adjustment happens at contact, not before. Open your paddle face slightly at the moment of contact and brush upward softly. Keep your follow-through low-to-mid—finishing high is the giveaway most players never notice they're making.

Placement is everything. Aim for the deep backhand corner, just inside the baseline. Cross-court is safer—lower net, more court to work with diagonally. Use it when your opponent is leaning into the kitchen or mid-dink rally. Avoid it in wind, against tall players, or when you're already out of position. A weak lob in the wrong moment is just a free overhead.

  • Setup: Identical dinking posture—stance, paddle height, eye contact unchanged

  • Contact: Open face at the last second; soft upward brush, low follow-through

  • Placement: Deep backhand corner, cross-court whenever possible

👉 Find the full guide with drills to improve your lobs here.

🔥 Still Tight After You Play? This is Usually Why

If you're finishing games sore, tight, or dragging the next day, it's not just "part of playing." It usually means your recovery is off.

This is where most people get it wrong. They stretch, hydrate, maybe ice—but never actually treat the soreness directly.

The Topical Relief Cream from ‘Āina Organics is built for that exact moment. It targets muscle and joint tension right where you feel it, so you don't wake up stiff or play through it the next day.

It goes on smooth, absorbs fast, and gives you that mix of warming + cooling relief that lets you know it's working. Not greasy, not overpowering, and not something you have to "wait and see" with.

 👉 Try it after your next match and take 10% off with code EMPOWER10.

🔢 Rally Scoring vs. Traditional Scoring: Pros and Cons

Pickleball purists will shudder at the thought, but there is more than one way to keep score in pickleball. Traditional scoring, also known as side-out scoring, is widely accepted, but has its fair share of problems.

Traditional scoring is the official format used in all sanctioned play. Only the serving team scores. Games go to 11, win by 2. The three-part call (server score, receiver score, server number) is the hallmark, but confusing to beginners.

Let’s take a look at the alternative.

Rally scoring awards a point on every rally regardless of who served. Games go to 15 or 21—already the standard in volleyball and badminton, and gaining real traction at busy recreational facilities.

Traditional:

  • Holding serve carries strategic weight; big comebacks are possible

  • Score calls confuse beginners; court time is hard to predict

Rally:

  • Faster, predictable game lengths—great for managing court rotation

  • Every rally has stakes; easier for new players to follow

Many clubs use rally scoring during open play and switch to traditional for league nights. There's no wrong answer—it depends on your group and your goals.

👉 Read the full breakdown here.

🎁 Don’t Forget Dad on Father’s Day

If pickleball is part of his routine, gifting gets a lot easier. Our full Father's Day guide is packed with picks he'll actually use—from on-court gear to recovery tools to a few things that'll make him laugh.

On-court style:

  • Good Get Apparel—lightweight, moisture-wicking performance gear built for the courts

  • Stria G1 Pro Court Shoe—wide base, ankle stability, and court feel for fast-paced play

  • Ria Eyewear Vantage—Court HD+ lenses that enhance contrast and ball tracking in bright conditions

  • Alter Ego Trotter Splash Hat—ultra-lightweight, moisture-wicking, built for long match days

Recovery picks: The Hyperice Hypersphere Go is a compact vibration massage ball for releasing tight muscles pre- and post-play. The Firefly Starter Pack uses neuromuscular stimulation to reduce leg heaviness between sessions and tournament days.

👉 Find the full gift guide here.

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