Once you get a taste of playing pickleball, you most likely can’t wait to level up. Especially once you start playing in a rec group with better-skilled players. So here are must-know pickleball shots you need to learn in order to level up from a beginner.
Must-Know Pickleball Skills To Level Up From A Beginner
Back-hand Returns
Being a good pickleball player is not only being able to hit the right shots but people able to exploit your opponent’s weakness. If you have been playing consistently for a couple of weeks or months, you will learn really quickly that many pickleball players have a weak backhand.
That is because most people are naturally more comfortable hitting with their forehand. The exception may be some seasoned badminton players that can have a better backhand than their forehand. But too often, you will see players run around a ball that is served to their backhand to hit it back with their forehand when they should be returning it with a backhand.
The main thing to keep in mind when you’re drilling or practicing your backhand returns is how you position your body. You will need to step one foot forward and your body perpendicular to the net as you take the backhand shot.
In order to level up as a beginner and improve in pickleball, you need to learn a backhand shot, whether it is a return shot far back from the baseline or a crosscourt dink. Many people use both hands to return with their backhand for more control. Practice with what works for you but don’t put off or avoid using your backhand.
Blocking
There are some players that really like to drive the ball. They’re called bangers in pickleball. When the ball is constantly driven at you, specifically your body, you need to learn how to block. This is especially crucial at the kitchen line.
One effective way to block in pickleball is to hold your paddle in a backband position, angled slightly upwards. You also want to make sure that you’re not holding the ball super tight, otherwise, the ball will get back to your opponent as an easily attackable ball or it may go out of the court.
Another way to be able to block is by anticipating the drive that is coming. When your opponent is about to take a hard drive, you will see their body wind up. When you see the build-up, expect a hard shot and position your paddle to block.
Drop Shots
Drop shots are shots that are normally taken from further back. Like dinks, you want to hit a drop shot just enough that it gets over the net. Drop shots will end in the kitchen and make great third shots. It makes the ball unattackable because the ball will not bounce up high.
Drop shots are also a great way to slow down the game. When you can slow down the game from a bunch of drives, slams, and smashes, you can strategize so you can do the attacking.
Drive Shots
In pickleball, drive shots are normally forehand shots that are hard and fast. Even though it has power, it is often done with topspin to keep the ball from going outside the lines.
Drive shots are a great way to return balls with spins, which tend to be harder to do drop shots with. Or if a ball comes to you high. While drive shots may not be a finishing move, they can be if you’re aiming directly down the middle or down the sides.
Dinking
If you haven’t learned how to dink as a beginner and got away with it, you shouldn’t expect the same luck when you’re trying to level up your game. Dinking is so important because it creates an unattackable ball for your opponent when everyone is at the net.
Read Also: 3 Basic Pickleball Shots To Learn As A Beginner
Dinking is effective because it tests many people’s patience, forcing human errors such as propping up the ball in an attempt to prematurely attack or hitting the ball too softly that it hits the net.
Learning how to dink is also the easiest way to warm up, that takes the least amount of effort.
Last Tips
If you haven’t tried any of these pickleball shots, give it a go on your next game. You may be surprised how it changes the pace of your game to make it even more enjoyable.