Week 6

Coming back from vacation, my kitchen game started rough but I found my rhythm by day 3. This week was all about adding new weapons to my arsenal - roll shots and a specialized backhand slice dink that creates tough angles. Cam had us working on that "scoop" technique where you cock your wrist and angle the paddle face exactly where you want the ball to go. When I hit it right, it feels incredible.

My counter game is finally improving too - I'm more comfortable in hands battles and reading attacks better. And those forehand drives we practiced daily from the baseline? After pushing through cone drills for depth, they started feeling natural whether I was waiting for the ball to descend or ripping one off a short hop. Progress isn't always pretty, but I'm starting to see it.

• Kitchen Consistency: My dink game is still inconsistent after vacation. While I'm getting better at placement, I'm rushing shots under pressure and missing opportunities to use that new backhand slice effectively. Need to slow down mentally and trust the technique Cam's teaching.
• Counter Confidence: I'm hanging in hands battles longer, but still bail out too early when things get really fast. Need to commit fully to the counter game and trust my reactions instead of second-guessing.
• Forehand Drive Depth: While the feeling is improving, I'm still not consistently hitting my depth targets on drives. Too many are landing mid-court where they can be attacked. Need more reps with those cone drills to lock in that muscle memory.
• Roll Shot Execution: The concept makes perfect sense, but my execution is hit-or-miss. When I nail it, it's a weapon. When I miss, it's an easy put-away for opponents. Need to develop consistency before relying on it in matches.

Had a breakthrough moment during a live point this week. After struggling with my kitchen game coming back from vacation, everything suddenly clicked. I moved through the transition zone with control, stayed low, reset three tough shots in a row, then executed that new backhand slice dink Cam's been drilling us on—creating an angle my opponent couldn't handle.

That "scoop" technique with the cocked wrist? When it works, it's magic. For just that one point, placement truly trumped power, and I felt what it's like to play at that next level. Not consistent yet, but now I know what it feels like when all the pieces come together. Raw, unfiltered truth: I felt like a 5.0 for half a second. I'll take those small victories.

Next week I'm diving deep into footwork and resets while moving — the exact areas Cam says are holding me back. I'll also be building my counter game under pressure with some brutal drills Cam's designing specifically to push my comfort zone. Not gonna lie, I'm nervous but hungry for it. This is exactly where growth happens — in that uncomfortable space between what I can do now and what I need to master to hit that next level.