Advanced Pickleball Strategy: How to Hit a Harder Backhand Volley

Stop thinking of the backhand volley as a flick or a wave. It's a punch. Lock your wrist, lead with your paddle tip, and push forward.

Your backhand volley keeps popping up, and you know it's costing you points at the net. The culprit? Almost always a wristy swing that creates too much movement instead of the compact punch you actually need.

Cori Elliott breaks down exactly what's going wrong and how to fix it in her latest coaching lesson.

Love pickleball? Then you'll love our free newsletter. We send the latest news, tips, and highlights for free each week.

The Wrist Problem

When your backhand volley pops up, the issue usually traces back to one thing: your wrist is doing too much work.

Elliott works with a student named Jen who's dealing with exactly this problem. Jen's volley is inconsistent, sometimes dropping into the net, sometimes popping up, and sometimes feeling completely off.

The fix starts with understanding what a proper punch actually feels like.

Lock It Down: The Springboard Concept

Elliott introduces a game-changing analogy: think of your backhand volley like a springboard. You're not flicking or waving the paddle. Instead, you're loading energy and pushing forward in one compact motion.

Here's what that looks like in practice:

• Start with your paddle up and ready, with your back of your hand facing your opponent.
• Lead with the tip of your paddle, not the handle.
• Bring your forearm forward while keeping your wrist locked.
• Stop your swing in front of your body, not behind it.

The key is that your paddle face stays slightly angled upward, not parallel to the ground. This gives you a better chance of hitting the sweet spot and controlling the ball down.

The Progression Drill That Changes Everything

To help Jen feel the correct motion, Elliott uses a clever progression drill. She has Jen hold the back of her paddle and push it forward, reinforcing that compact, forward punch instead of a flick.

This drill removes the temptation to use your wrist. You're forced to rely on your forearm and body engagement instead. Once Jen understands the feel, her volley becomes noticeably more controlled and consistent.

Height Matters: Adjust Your Angle

Not every volley comes at the same height. Elliott emphasizes that the higher the ball, the more you need to angle your paddle downward to keep it in the court.

But here's the thing: you're still not hitting parallel to the ground. A slight upward angle on your paddle face actually gives you more of the sweet spot, making it easier to hit the ball cleanly and keep it low at the net.

Shoulder Engagement Seals the Deal

One detail Elliott stresses is bringing your volley back to your shoulder after contact. This isn't just about follow-through; it's about body engagement.

When you're locked in and punching correctly, your whole body is involved, not just your arm. Your shoulder naturally comes into play, which stabilizes the shot and makes it repeatable.

Heads up: hundreds of thousands of pickleballers read our free newsletter. Subscribe here for cutting edge strategy, insider news, pro analysis, the latest product innovations and more.

From Inconsistent to Dangerous

By the end of the lesson, Jen's backhand volley has transformed. She's hitting with confidence, and you can hear the difference in the sound of the ball off the paddle. That crisp contact is what you're aiming for.

The takeaway? Stop thinking of the backhand volley as a flick or a wave. It's a punch. Lock your wrist, lead with your paddle tip, and push forward. Your kitchen game will thank you.