PickleFitter

Pickleball backhand: dinks, drives, flicks and counters, with drills

How to build a backhand you can trust: the backhand dink, slice, block and counter with one hand, the two-handed backhand drive, and the flick, with drills from the wall to live four-player games, for 2.5 to 4.5+.

For players rated 2.5+

When to use it

Most players have a weaker backhand, and the other team finds it: they dink to it, drive at it and speed up to it. A backhand you trust closes the easiest target on your side of the court.

Build it in order: the soft shots first (the dink, the slice and the block), then the attacking ones (the drive and the flick). Most players drive the backhand with two hands, for power and stability, and play the soft shots and the quick exchanges at the net with one, for reach and faster hands.

The backhand toolbox

The backhand shots, soft to attacking. The soft ones keep you in the point; the attacking ones stop the other team from picking on that side.

Soft

Backhand dink

Push

A short push from the shoulder, the paddle face slightly open, lifting with the legs. Keep the wrist firm.

Backhand slice

Slice

High to low with an open face: the ball floats over the net, then stays low after the bounce. Good for dinks and drops.

Backhand block

Slice

The paddle out in front of your body, the face still, against a drive or a speed-up. The ball's pace does the work.

Attacking

Two-handed backhand drive

Topspin

The way most players drive the backhand: both hands on the grip, turn your shoulders, swing low to high and finish over your shoulder.

Backhand flick

Topspin

From a dink position, a quick snap of the forearm and wrist up through the ball: a speed-up with almost no backswing to read.

Backhand counter

Push

A short punch back at a ball sped up at you, the paddle out in front. Balls at your body are often easier on the backhand.

One backhand, three spins

The same backhand dink three ways. Watch the side view: the slice floats higher and stays low after the bounce, the push sits in between, and the topspin flies flatter, dips and bounces a little higher.

FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inAB
Push: steady, in between.

Drills, stage by stage

Your level
Practising

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Stage 1 · Solo

Build the stroke

Backhand-only reps at the wall, soft shots first, then drives, with nothing to react to.

  • Turn your shoulders before you swing, even on a dink.
  • Paddle in front of your body, wrist firm.
  • Every spin: push, slice and topspin.
  • Drive with two hands; dink, slice and block with one. Give each its own reps.

  1. 1.Backhand wall dinks

    Solo2.5–3.0

    Grooves a steady backhand dink with a firm wrist, then the slice.

    7 ft34 inAIMnet height
    Backhand push dinks: just above the tape, one bounce…
    1. Stand 7 ft from a wall with a line at net height (34 in).
    2. Hit backhand dinks just above the line, letting each one bounce once on the way back.
    3. Push first, then slice; keep the wrist firm and lift with your legs.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 30

  2. 2.Backhand wall drives

    Solo3.5

    Builds a two-handed backhand drive with a shoulder turn and a low-to-high swing.

    20 ft34 inAIMnet height
    Backhand topspin drives: turn, swing low to high, finish high.
    1. Stand about 20 ft from the wall.
    2. Turn your shoulders, swing low to high and drive just above the line; let it bounce back to you.
    3. Two hands on the grip; finish over your shoulder, then reset to ready.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 20

Stage 2 · With a partner

Backhand under a little pressure

A partner sends everything to your backhand: soft balls first, then speed.

  • Move your feet so the ball is in front of you, not jamming you.
  • Don't run around it to hit a forehand; that's what the drill is for.
  • Against speed, shorten everything: paddle out in front, a block or a punch.
  • Skinny singles: straight ahead on one half.

  1. 3.Backhand-only dinking

    With a partner2.5–3.0

    Builds backhand dinking consistency against a partner's ball.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inBA
    Backhand dinks only, straight ahead…
    1. Play skinny singles on one half, both at the kitchen line.
    2. Dink with your backhand only, straight ahead, and let every ball bounce.
    3. Mix pushes and slices; count your longest rally without a forehand.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 3 minutes

  2. 4.Backhand counter

    With a partner3.5

    Trains blocking and countering a speed-up to your backhand.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inABYOUR VIEWbackhand
    A dinks; it sits up, and B speeds it up at A's backhand…
    1. Dink with your partner on one half; on any ball that sits up, your partner speeds it up at your backhand.
    2. Block or punch it back with the backhand, the paddle out in front of your body.
    3. Reset the next ball into the kitchen; swap roles after 10.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 10 speed-ups each

  3. 5.Backhand flick

    With a partner4.0

    Trains a backhand flick from the dink, with no backswing to give it away.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inABYOUR VIEWshoulder
    B's dink to A's backhand sits a little up…
    1. Dink with your partner on one half.
    2. When a dink to your backhand sits a little up, flick it: a quick snap of the forearm and wrist up through the ball, at your partner's paddle shoulder.
    3. Your partner blocks it back; dink on. Disguise it: the flick should look like the start of a dink.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 10 flicks

Stage 3 · Three players

Two picking on you

Two players aim every ball at your backhand; you hold up, then turn defence into offence.

  • Stay patient: dink and reset until one sits up.
  • Then flick it, don't just push it back.

  1. 6.Pick on the backhand

    Three players4.0

    Trains holding up when two players aim every ball at your backhand.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENACDFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inCAD
    C and D dink everything to A's backhand…
    1. You play one side of the net alone; two players play the other.
    2. They dink everything to your backhand and speed up anything that sits up.
    3. Dink, block and reset with the backhand until one sits up for you, then flick it.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 2 minutes

Stage 4 · Four players

Backhand in play

Games where the backhand has to hold up, and the team knows where each backhand is.

  • Know where your backhand is: in the middle or out wide.
  • Agree who takes the middle: usually the forehand, but in a fast exchange at the body the backhand often covers more.

  1. 7.Backhand-only game

    Four players3.5

    Puts the backhand under game pressure, so it holds up when the other team picks on it.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABCDFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inACBD
    Backhand dinks only…
    1. Play a dink game, both teams at the kitchen line.
    2. Backhands only: a forehand, except an overhead, loses the point.
    3. Middle balls go to whoever's backhand is in the middle; play to 11.

    Reps: Games to 11

Common mistakes

  • Running around the backhand to hit a forehand, and leaving your side of the court open.
  • No shoulder turn. Even a backhand dink starts with a small turn.
  • A loose wrist on dinks, blocks and drops. The flick is the one shot that uses the wrist.
  • Meeting the ball beside or behind you. Move your feet so it's in front.
  • Swinging at speed-ups to the backhand. Block or punch with the paddle out in front.
  • Only practising forehands. Give the backhand its own reps.

What to work on at your level

2.5–3.0Get the backhand dink over the net consistently, with a firm wrist.
3.5Block and counter with the backhand, and stop running around it.
4.0Add the backhand drive and flick, so the other team can't pick on that side.
4.5+Attack from the backhand: flick and roll from the dink, and counter speed-ups to the backhand at the feet.

Paddles that help

A lighter paddle is quicker to bring across your body, which helps backhand blocks, counters and flicks.

Best Lightweight Pickleball Paddles

Common questions

One-handed or two-handed backhand in pickleball?
Most players drive the backhand with two hands: it gives more power and stability on drives and returns. At the kitchen line they switch to one hand for dinks, blocks and quick exchanges, where reach and fast hands matter more.
What is a backhand flick?
A speed-up from a dink position, hit with a quick snap of the forearm and wrist up and through the ball, with almost no backswing, so it's hard to read.
Why is my backhand dink inconsistent?
Usually a loose wrist or no shoulder turn. Turn a little, keep the wrist firm, and lift with your legs instead of flicking with the hand.
Should I take middle balls with my backhand?
Usually the forehand in the middle takes them, because it's the stronger shot. In a fast exchange at the body, though, the backhand often covers more ground. Agree on it with your partner.

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