At times, pickleball players will mishit their backhand shots – for instance, their backhand dinks – because they pull their paddle-side shoulder and open up. For those pickleball players that are turning prematurely, try bringing your hands together on the pickleball paddle prior to contact, and then throwing your non-paddle hand backward in the opposite direction of your paddle striking the pickleball. Think of this like you are spreading your arms at contact (with a light bend in your elbow). By throwing your non-paddle hand backward in the opposite direction, you are balancing your body out ⚖️ and will be less likely to turn out and open your shoulder. As a result, by using your non-paddle hand for balance, you will also have less mishits on the pickleball court.
For a deeper dive on tips to improve your backhand shots, click here.
