7 Pickleball Tips That Every 5.0 Player Swears By

The best pickleball tip is the one that fixes your most repeated mistake, and 5.0 players have fixed all seven of these. Here is exactly what to change in your ready position, footwork, and paddle path.

Every pickleball tip worth following solves a mistake you keep making without realizing it.

You pop up a ball, get smashed, and blame bad luck when the real problem was where you were standing.

The gap between a 4.0 and a 5.0 pickleball player is rarely a new shot.

It is a handful of small habits, repeated until they are automatic, and most of them show up in the shots you must master before 2026.

These seven fixes come from tanner.pickleball on YouTube, who breaks down exactly what high level players do differently. Below, you get each fix explained step by step, plus how to practice it.

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How Do You Handle Hard Drives Coming at Your Chest?

Keep your paddle out in front of your body before the ball arrives, so you can block it instead of reaching for it.

Most players miss these into the net because their timing is off.

The paddle starts back near the body, then swings out to meet the ball, and that extra movement ruins contact.

Your ready position should already have the paddle extended in front of your chest. Now the ball simply hits the paddle face and goes back.

This advanced pickleball tip costs you nothing but attention.

If blocking is a weak spot, our breakdown of why your pickleball drive gets crushed pairs perfectly with the fix.

How Do You Hit Topspin at the Kitchen Line?

Get your outside leg behind the ball, drop your paddle tip below it, and brush up the back with a slight wrist action.

Topspin at the kitchen line lets you take charge of the point with aggressive shots. The mistake is stretching out to the ball with your arm instead of moving your feet.

Here is the sequence:

• Step your outside leg behind the ball as it approaches.
• Keep your paddle position compact, never outstretched.
• Drop the paddle tip below the ball before contact.
• Use a small wrist brush up the back of the ball.

If your spin keeps failing, read why your pickleball topspin fails and how to fix it. The paddle angle fix in this topspin guide is also worth a look.

How Do You Defend Against an Overhead Smash?

The moment you pop up a ball, take back as much ground as possible while it is still in the air.

The common mistake is standing frozen at the kitchen line and trying to take the smash there. That gives you almost no reaction time.

Retreat as the ball floats up and prepare for defense. Every step back buys you time to read the ball and get your paddle in place.

Of the seven, the advanced pickleball tip that saves the most points is simple retreat.

We cover it further in how to survive overhead returns in pickleball, and for the related situation, see bad dink recovery.

5 Ways to Defend Overhead Smashes in Pickleball Like a Pro

Knowing how to defend overhead smash pickleball attacks is the difference between losing the point outright and staying in the rally. These 5 advanced techniques will help you read, absorb, and counter the hardest shot in the game.

The Dink PickleballThe Dink Media Team

How Do You Handle an Aggressive Third Shot Drop?

Cross step with your inside leg to cut the ball off, then set your paddle sideways and cup your wrist toward your target.

Here is what usually happens instead. You pop the ball up, your opponents crash the net, and they win a free point.

The better way is to meet the ball early with a cross step.

Angle the paddle toward where you want the ball to go, and let the ball bounce off the face rather than swinging at it.

Want to go cross court? Angle the paddle that way and absorb the pace.

For more on the footwork behind this, check out the cross step footwork fix. You can also study how resets, blocks, and counters are the same shot.

6 Third Shot Drop Situations and the Right Shot Each Time

Most players treat every third shot the same. Knowing which of these 6 return situations you are in will fix your third shot drop instantly.

The Dink PickleballThe Dink Media Team

How Do You Hit a Two-Handed Backhand Dink?

Hit sidespin instead of topspin, and stay in a deep, low squat through the entire shot.

Almost everyone struggles here because they flick their wrists to create topspin. That flick sends the ball high and inconsistent.

Sidespin rotates the ball sideways around a vertical axis, which keeps it low and skidding toward the net.

It is the difference between a clean backhand dink and a floaty one, and it is part of the same shift that explains why pros abandoned the slice shot in 2025.

Every contact happens in a low squat. Pulling out of that squat raises the ball, which makes this the advanced pickleball tip almost nobody actually follows.

For more, see two-handed backhand dink fixes and the topspin dink versus roll dink difference.

Two-Handed Backhand Dink: Fix It With These Pro Tips

The two-handed backhand dink is one of the most deceptive shots in pickleball when done right. Here is exactly how to stop hitting it long and start generating topspin that moves your opponents around.

The Dink PickleballThe Dink Media Team

What Is the Best Strategy Against a Team That Lobs You Every Point?

Stand more upright, or even take a step back, so you can cover the whole court when the lob comes.

You get lobbed constantly because you are leaning too far into the kitchen. Your opponents see that and send the ball over your head.

Your two options are simple:

1. Get aggressive with your opponent, which is not recommended and will annoy everyone.
2. Adjust your posture and depth so the lob stops working.

A slightly more upright stance, or one step back, takes away their easiest weapon. Then the lob is just another ball you can run down.

Learn what to look for in reading a lob in pickleball. Then work through three lob defense adjustments.

How to Defend a Lob in Pickleball: 3 Adjustments

Knowing how to defend a lob in pickleball comes down to three adjustments: where you stand, where you hit, and how you move once the ball is airborne. This guide breaks down each one with drills, footwork fixes, and the shot targets that give you the biggest margin.

The Dink PickleballThe Dink Media Team

Why Should You Approach the Kitchen Line Like a Crab?

After your third shot drop, move to the kitchen line low and wide, like a crab, so you are ready before the next ball arrives.

This is the most important tip in the entire list. It is the habit that separates players who climb from players who stall.

Amateurs hit the drop, then walk up standing tall. The ball comes back low, and they have to drop down fast, which is too slow.

The better sequence looks like this:

• Hit your third shot drop.
• Move forward in a low, athletic crab stance.
• Reset your feet and balance as the ball crosses the net.
• Arrive at the kitchen line already low and ready.

Low posture means you never have to jump down quickly. You are already there when the ball comes at your feet.

This pairs directly with the third shot drop tweak that gets you to the kitchen faster. If your drops keep popping up, read why your third shot drop pops up.

How to Approach the Kitchen Line Safely in Pickleball

Knowing how to approach the kitchen line safely in pickleball is the difference between controlling a rally and getting picked apart in transition. This guide breaks down the footwork, shot selection, and timing you need to move forward without getting punished.

The Dink PickleballThe Dink Media Team

How Do You Build These Seven Habits Into Your Game?

Pick one advanced pickleball tip per week and drill it until it feels automatic, rather than trying to change everything at once.

Players who try to fix seven things in one session end up fixing none. Start with the crab approach, since it touches every point you play.

Then add the paddle out front habit for hard drives.

After that, work on your retreat after a pop up, which slots neatly into a simple 4-step system to win more games in 2026.

Keep a simple tracker after each session. Write down which habit you remembered and which one slipped.

Real improvement comes from repetition with feedback.

If you need structure, these pickleball practice drills for any skill level build the patterns on purpose, and the 12 drills for your best pickleball in 2026 go deeper.

Still plateauing?

Why you’re stuck below 4.5 in pickleball explains the traps that keep players frozen, and modern pickleball’s four key strategies for 2026 shows what the level above you is actually doing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important pickleball tip for improving fast?

Approach the kitchen line low after your third shot drop, like a crab. This keeps you balanced and ready for the ball at your feet instead of scrambling to get down.

How do I stop popping the ball up on hard drives?

Keep your paddle out in front of your chest in your ready position. Block the ball instead of reaching for it, so you do not have to move your paddle to meet the ball.

How do I defend against an overhead smash in pickleball?

Retreat as soon as you pop the ball up, taking back as much ground as you can while it is in the air. The extra distance gives you more time to react and defend.

Should I hit topspin or sidespin on a backhand dink?

Use sidespin on a two-handed backhand dink. Flicking your wrists for topspin makes the ball unpredictable, while sidespin from a deep, low squat keeps it low and sharp to the net.

How do I beat a team that lobs me every point?

Stand more upright or step back from the kitchen line. This lets you cover the whole court so the lob stops being an easy winner.