In this video, CJ Johnson highlights four pickleball backhand tips that will help you to become more confident and consistent with your backhand groundstroke. Here are her tips:

1. Positioning the Paddle
2. Use a Continental Grip
3. Use your Shoulder to Control the Groundstroke – No elbow or wrist
4. Keep Body Parallel to the NVZ Line

Listing CJ’s four tips do not do justice to this video. In fact, the video is 10 minutes long, and it is filled with valuable information and concrete ways for you to improve and practice your backhand, especially at the net.

Quite a few of CJ’s tips can also be found in both of my books – particularly in the chapter on how to hit and practice the backhand> As a pickleball teacher, I can truthfully say that I use a lot of the same drills, and offer some of the same insights into the backhand as CJ. I can hear myself admonishing my students for not hitting from the shoulder. “There is no wrist in pickleball,” I say at almost every lesson, referring to the backhand and forehand groundstrokes.

You can watch the video here. I highly recommend it as one of the best videos on the backhand shot.

ABOUT THIS BLOG
All the posts in this blog are meant to add meaning and value to my books., which include dozens of videos with extensive commentary and explanations. But, as you can imagine, pickleball play is changing on a daily basis.: new doubles strategy, new ways to teach the many strokes, new equipment including paddles and shoes, new third shot options, and so much more.

This blog post on the pickleball backhand groundstroke is a valuable follow-up to the chapters on the backhand in both of my books, Pickleball for Beginners Part I and II. The backhand is not an easy shot for beginners to master, yet it is mandatory to learn if you want to be able to keep a rally going. Learn the right way, and practice: this is the only way to improve.