PICKLEBALL INSTRUCTION
The
Two-Handed
B A CK H A ND
I
n pickleball today, you will see many backhand
variations even among the top players in the game.
Of course you still see the one-handed backhand
that has been used since the creation of the game.
However, in recent years the two-handed backhand
has entered the game and become popular, especially
with some of the top female pickleball players coming
from backgrounds in tennis. Both are highly effective
but allow different alternatives. The two-handed
backhand gives players the additional power and
stability from the second hand when it is needed.
Getting into more of the “nitty gritty,” the different
strokes also allow a player to be able to hit a variation
of “spins” on the ball, which has also become the
new rage on the tournament circuit and has helped
elevate the game of pickleball to exciting levels. The
best of the players are now able to mix up their shots
and hit with more power, which has made the game
more challenging. With a tweak of the ground stroke,
the ball can have backspin, top spin, or have no spin
(flat). The one-handed backhand is typically used
to hit backspin with a slice or chip, or used to hit a
flat ball. However, the two-handed backhand stroke
allows a player to more easily hit top spin and also a
flat drive ball. Top spin can be advantageous because
it helps the ball to stay in the court longer, allowing
for more power to be put on the ball as well as angles.
This article will focus on the two-handed backhand
groundstroke and give instruction on how to execute
the stroke. The two-hander can be used to dink
or drive the ball. When you are feeling up to the
challenge, give it a try!
12
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTION ON HITTING THE
TWO-HANDED BACKHAND GROUNDSTROKE
1
2
3
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Step 1: Move your feet to get into position.
You will not want to be hitting off your back
foot, which will make your shot more defensive.
Therefore, you need to use your footwork to set
yourself up so that you have plenty of time to step
into the ball.
Step 2: Pull your
paddle back once
you are in position
behind the ball.
Step 3: If you
are right-handed,
you will want to
step forward with
your right foot to
ensure that you are
stepping into the
ball (vice versa if you
are left-handed).