Why 90% of Pickleball Players Can't Get Spin

Enhance Pickleball
16 Mar 202417:45

Summary

TLDRIn this informative video, the focus is on mastering different spins in pickleball: Top Spin, Slice, and Side Spin. The host explains the effects of each spin on the ball's trajectory and provides techniques for executing them effectively. Top Spin is ideal for aggressive play, causing the ball to drop quickly and bounce sharply, while Slice is used for defense, allowing for more control and accuracy. Side Spin, introduced as a tricky change-up, can make the ball curve or jump sideways. The video also offers practical tips on when to use each spin and how to practice them for improved gameplay.

Takeaways

  • 🎾 Top Spin and Side Spin are critical techniques in pickleball that can greatly affect the ball's trajectory and bounce.
  • πŸ† Mastering Top Spin allows for harder hits without the ball going long, and makes the ball drop quicker and bounce more aggressively.
  • πŸ”„ Side Spin, or the 'screw ball', makes the ball curve in the air and bounce sideways, confusing opponents and adding a tricky element to the game.
  • πŸ€Έβ€β™€οΈ Proper technique is essential for achieving these spins; players often fail at Top Spin due to opening the face of their paddle during the brush.
  • πŸ‘‰ The 'brush' technique involves an upward motion where the paddle rides up the back of the ball, key for generating Top Spin.
  • πŸ’‘ Practicing serves is an effective way to develop Top Spin as it exaggerates the brushing motion and helps find the right balance.
  • πŸ›‘ Avoid 'chopping' when hitting Slice; instead, use a gentle under-cut motion for better control and accuracy.
  • πŸ”„ There are two types of Slice: one for soft shots like drops and dinks, and another for harder shots like returns, which generates more spin.
  • 🎯 Top Spin is generally used when being aggressive and having enough time to prepare, while Slice is used defensively when off-balance or under pressure.
  • πŸŒ€ Side Spin can be a surprising change-up in your game, making it an effective tool to keep opponents guessing.
  • πŸ‘₯ Playing with a partner or using training aids like the 'dink master' can provide immediate feedback and help refine your spinning techniques.

Q & A

  • What are the two main types of spins in pickleball and how do they affect the ball's trajectory?

    -The two main types of spins in pickleball are Top Spin and Slice. Top Spin causes the ball to drop quicker and bounce off more aggressively, making it difficult for the opponent to predict and return. Slice, on the other hand, allows the ball to float in the air slightly longer, providing more control and accuracy, which is useful when playing defensively.

  • Why do players struggle to get Top Spin and what is the critical mistake they make with their technique?

    -Players often struggle with Top Spin because they open the face of their paddle during the brush, which leads to lifting with the bottom edge of the paddle. To achieve Top Spin, it's important to maintain a flat face and brush up the back of the ball without cupping it open.

  • How can a player practice and improve their Top Spin technique?

    -To practice and improve Top Spin, players should start by hitting serves as it allows for repetition and exaggeration of the brushing motion. Serving is a great way to find the right balance of forward movement and upward motion necessary for generating Top Spin.

  • What is Side Spin and how does it differ from Top Spin and Slice?

    -Side Spin makes the ball curve in the air and sometimes jump to the side after bouncing. It's different from Top Spin and Slice as it's not primarily focused on the ball's vertical movement but rather its lateral or side-to-side movement, which can confuse opponents and make returns more challenging.

  • How can a player use Side Spin to their advantage in a game?

    -A player can use Side Spin to their advantage by incorporating it into their serves, returns, and volleys. The screw ball serve and return, which involve Side Spin, can curve the ball and make it tricky for opponents. Additionally, a side spin can be applied to a roll volley, especially on low balls, to make the bounce more challenging for the opponent.

  • What are the key times to use Top Spin in a pickleball game?

    -Key times to use Top Spin include when serving, on third shot drives for added power and control, on volleys for a challenging return, and on drops and dinks for a difficult bounce. Top Spin is the aggressive spin and should be used when the player has enough time to prepare for the shot.

  • When should a player opt for Slice over Top Spin?

    -A player should opt for Slice when they are off-balance or have less time to prepare for the shot. Slice is the defensive spin and is ideal for maximizing consistency, especially when returning a hard shot or when the player is in a defensive position at the back of the court.

  • What are the two different types of Slice and when are they used?

    -The two types of Slice are the softer slice used on drops or dinks for control and the harder slice used on returns or harder shots like chips for more power and spin. The softer slice is used when accuracy is key, while the harder slice is used when the player needs to generate more spin and power.

  • How does the brushing motion contribute to generating Top Spin?

    -The brushing motion involves an upward movement where the player rides up the back of the ball. This motion is crucial for generating Top Spin as it causes the ball to spin away from the player, resulting in a quicker drop and a more aggressive bounce off.

  • What is the recommended way to practice getting the feel for Side Spin?

    -To practice Side Spin, players can focus on their serves and returns, particularly the screw ball serve and return. Additionally, during volleys, especially on low balls, players can practice dropping their wrist and making contact from a lower angle to generate a subtle Side Spin that affects the ball's bounce.

  • How can a player know if they are getting a good amount of Top Spin on their shots?

    -A player can know if they are getting a good amount of Top Spin by observing if the ball pops up after being hit. This upward movement of the ball indicates that the brushing motion is being executed correctly and that the ball is spinning away from the player, resulting in Top Spin.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ“ Understanding Spin in Pickleball

This paragraph introduces the concept of spin in pickleball, emphasizing the importance of mastering Top Spin and Slice. It explains how Top Spin causes the ball to drop quicker and bounce away more, making it harder for the opponent. The speaker also mentions the challenges players face in getting the hang of these spins and introduces the topic of different types of spins, including Side Spin, which will be covered later in the video.

05:01

πŸš€ Developing Top Spin Technique

The speaker delves into the specifics of generating Top Spin, explaining the 'brush' technique as an upward motion that is applied to various strokes. They highlight the common mistake of opening the paddle face during the brush, which prevents successful Top Spin. The paragraph also discusses the importance of being below the ball before impact and above it after, to generate the desired spin. The speaker shares tips on practicing Top Spin, starting with serves and gradually moving to other shots, and emphasizes the benefits of Top Spin in various game situations.

10:02

🎾 Mastering the Slice and Side Spin

This paragraph focuses on the Slice spin, which is the opposite of Top Spin, causing the ball to float longer in the air and providing more accuracy and consistency. The speaker clarifies that Slice is generally used when defending or when the player is off-balance. They also introduce two types of Slice: one for soft shots like drops or dinks, and another for harder shots like returns. The paragraph further explains when to use each type of spin based on the game situation and the strategic advantage it provides.

15:02

πŸ’‘ The Art of Side Spin

The final paragraph discusses Side Spin, a tricky change-up in pickleball. It outlines two main ways to use Side Spin: the screw ball, which involves cutting to the side, and a unique type of Side Spin used on low roll volleys. The speaker explains the Continental grip required for the screw ball and the benefits of using this spin to curve the ball in the air and make returns more challenging for the opponent. They also touch on the use of Side Spin in roll volleys to make the bounce more unpredictable, adding an extra layer of difficulty for the opponent.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Top Spin

Top Spin refers to a technique in pickleball where the ball is hit in such a way that it spins away from the player, creating a forward rotation. This results in the ball dropping quicker and bouncing off more aggressively, making it trickier for the opponent. It is used as an aggressive shot to hit harder without the ball going long and is particularly effective on serves and drives.

πŸ’‘Side Spin

Side Spin, also known as 'screw ball', is a technique where the ball is made to rotate on a vertical axis by cutting to the side. This causes the ball to curve in the air and sometimes jump to the side after bouncing, adding an unpredictable element to the game. It can be used on serves and returns to confuse the opponent.

πŸ’‘Slice

Slice, or under spin, is a technique where the ball is hit in a way that it spins towards the player. This results in the ball floating in the air slightly longer, providing more control and accuracy. It is generally used for defensive play and when aiming for consistency.

πŸ’‘Brush

The 'brush' is an upward motion used in pickleball to generate spin on the ball. It involves riding up the back of the ball with the paddle, which is essential for creating Top Spin. The brush is a fundamental technique that applies to various shots, including dinks, drives, and serves.

πŸ’‘Dink

A 'dink' in pickleball is a soft shot hit just over the net, aiming to make the ball bounce low and close to the kitchen line. It is often used as a defensive strategy to keep the ball in play and force the opponent to make a more aggressive shot.

πŸ’‘Drive

A 'drive' in pickleball is a powerful shot hit with the intention of landing the ball deep in the opponent's court, making it difficult for them to return. It is an aggressive shot that can be used to control the pace and direction of the game.

πŸ’‘Volley

A 'volley' in pickleball is a shot played in the air before the ball bounces, similar to a tennis volley. It can be an offensive or defensive tactic, depending on the situation and the player's position on the court.

πŸ’‘Serve

The 'serve' is the initial shot in pickleball that starts a point. It is crucial for setting the tone of the game and can be executed with various spins to gain an advantage right from the start.

πŸ’‘Paddle Technique

Paddle technique refers to the way a player holds and swings their paddle during play. Proper technique is essential for controlling the ball, generating spin, and executing accurate shots.

πŸ’‘Practice

Practice in the context of pickleball involves repetitive drills and exercises to improve skills, muscle memory, and overall game performance. It is a critical component of mastering the game.

Highlights

The importance of mastering Top Spin and Side Spin in pickleball and the common struggle players face in achieving these spins.

The physics behind Top Spin causing the ball to drop quicker and jet off more after bouncing.

How to use Top Spin effectively in different game scenarios such as dinking, driving, serving, and volleying.

The technique for generating Top Spin, emphasizing the brush motion without opening the paddle face.

Practical tips for practicing Top Spin, including starting with serves to get the right balance of forward movement and upward brush.

The difference between Top Spin and Slice, with Top Spin being aggressive and Slice being defensive.

The two types of Slice and when to use each for optimal accuracy and control.

The critical mistake of chopping the ball when attempting Slice, which leads to loss of control.

How to implement Top Spin and Slice in your game at various stages, from serving to dinking.

The use of Side Spin and its applications, including the screw ball and its effect on the ball's trajectory.

The Continental grip and ball toss technique required for executing the screw ball.

The unique application of Side Spin on a roll volley to make the ball bounce oddly to the side.

The strategic use of Side Spin to confuse opponents and make their next shot more difficult.

The importance of not being predictable with Top Spin and Slice, and incorporating Side Spin as a tricky change-up.

The detailed breakdown of how to hit a Top Spin drive and the benefits it provides against opponents at the net.

The technique for a Top Spin drop and its effectiveness in making the opponent's return challenging.

The strategic approach to using Slice when on defense and the advantage it provides at the 3.0 to 4.0 skill level.

The full court demonstration of the screw ball return and its impact on the opponent's third shot.

The practical advice on when to use each spin based on the player's position and the game situation.

Transcripts

play00:00

every time you hit the pickle ball you

play00:01

should be aiming to get Top Spin slice

play00:04

or side spin the problem with that is

play00:06

that getting the hang of using these

play00:07

spins without missing can be extremely

play00:09

difficult so today I'm going to take you

play00:10

through why players struggle to get Spin

play00:12

and how you could learn it and use it in

play00:14

your own game helping me today I have my

play00:15

sister

play00:20

Kennedy before I get into how to hit the

play00:22

spins though I want to go over each spin

play00:25

specifically and what they do so when

play00:27

you use each spin it has a different

play00:29

effect effect on how the ball flies

play00:31

through the air so the first spin that

play00:33

we're going to cover is Top Spin which

play00:35

is where the ball is essentially

play00:37

spinning away from you as if the ball is

play00:39

rolling away from you so it has that

play00:41

forward rotation and when you hit Top

play00:44

Spin what happens is two things first

play00:48

thing is that the ball drops quicker so

play00:50

because of the physics of what's

play00:51

happening when the ball's spinning away

play00:53

from you it makes it fall faster so it's

play00:55

almost like there's more gravity it

play00:57

sucks the ball down giving you the

play00:59

ability to hit harder without sailing

play01:01

the ball long the second thing that

play01:03

happens is when the ball bounces it Jets

play01:06

off more just because the ball's

play01:07

spinning away from you so when it

play01:08

bounces it sort of Springs towards your

play01:11

opponent which can make things super

play01:13

tricky so sobriety of different ways you

play01:16

can use Top Spin which I'm going to go

play01:18

over right now we're just dinking but

play01:21

one thing to keep in mind is that most

play01:22

players can't hit Top Spin because

play01:24

they're making one critical air with

play01:26

their technique I'm going to cover that

play01:28

too and if you're the kind of player

play01:29

that doesn't doesn't really necessarily

play01:30

get the most Top Spin on their shots

play01:32

wait for the technique section cuz we're

play01:34

going to go super deep into it the next

play01:35

type of spin that you need to learn is

play01:37

slice or under spin as people call it

play01:40

and what all that is is the exact

play01:41

opposite of Top Spin so when you're

play01:42

hitting slice the ball is spinning

play01:45

toward you it looks like we're dinking

play01:47

is this so we're coming under the ball

play01:49

to make the ball spin towards you and

play01:51

when you do that what happens is it's

play01:53

the exact opposite of Top Spin the ball

play01:55

actually floats in the air a little bit

play01:58

longer and you might be kind of confused

play02:00

this to why you do that which I'll go

play02:02

over later but pretty much slicing is

play02:04

generally when you're going for more

play02:06

accuracy and consistency and I'll

play02:09

explain how you switch between Top Spin

play02:10

and slice too but generally this is what

play02:13

slice looks like another thing though

play02:15

that players don't know is that there's

play02:18

two different types of slice so right

play02:20

now we're doing one type of slice later

play02:22

I'm going to show you the other type of

play02:23

slice when we get into the technique

play02:25

section but know that slice and Top Spin

play02:28

are the two most fundamental spins that

play02:30

you should be going for on every single

play02:31

shot the last spin I'm going to talk

play02:32

about is Sid Spin and there's a few

play02:34

different ways you can use Sid spin but

play02:36

pretty much what Sid spin does is it

play02:37

makes the ball curve in the air and

play02:39

sometimes it makes it jump to the side

play02:41

off the bounce so you see if I hit Sid

play02:43

spin here the bounce sort of goes off

play02:45

that way right and if I hit it like this

play02:48

it sort of makes the ball curve so I'm

play02:50

going to go over that at the end of the

play02:51

video now guys I'm going to get into the

play02:52

specifics of how to generate Top Spin

play02:55

before I get into that though if you're

play02:56

in the process of learning pickle ball

play02:57

make sure to subscribe we make a new

play02:59

video every every week that's designed

play03:00

to make you improve so if you're trying

play03:02

to make that happen make sure to

play03:03

subscribe so to get Top Spin all you

play03:06

need to do is What's called the brush so

play03:09

what the brush is is an upward motion

play03:13

where you ride up the back of the ball

play03:15

and this applies to any stroke whether

play03:17

it be a dink a drive a serve so all

play03:20

we're doing we're hitting these dinks to

play03:22

get Top Spin is going up the back of the

play03:26

ball so that the ball spins away from us

play03:29

so one critical mistake that players

play03:32

make is when they're doing the brush

play03:35

they open the face of their paddle so

play03:37

what you don't want to happen when

play03:39

you're doing the brush is you don't want

play03:41

your paddle to cup open so this is why

play03:43

most players can't hit Top Spin it's CU

play03:45

what they do is they go up but they lift

play03:49

with the bottom edge of the paddle which

play03:52

makes the ball go up so in order to get

play03:54

the Top Spin what I want to do is go up

play03:58

as my paddle is going forward obviously

play03:59

see cuz I need to hit the ball but I

play04:01

want to go up with a pretty flat face so

play04:04

my face of my paddle is pretty much

play04:06

perpendicular to the ground and when I

play04:08

go up like that it might open up a

play04:10

little bit but because it's

play04:12

perpendicular to the ground it spins the

play04:14

ball away from me and to make the brush

play04:17

happen you need to make sure before you

play04:19

hit the ball you're below it and after

play04:22

it you're above it right so when you're

play04:24

taking your paddle back you need to keep

play04:25

that in mind that you should be going

play04:27

towards your ball at a lower angle angle

play04:29

so you see when I hit these drives I'm a

play04:32

little bit below the ball and then I end

play04:34

it a little bit above the ball and

play04:36

that's how I generate Top Spin so you

play04:38

see the way I do it on this shot's

play04:40

different than my dink but the idea is

play04:43

the same I'm riding up the back of the

play04:46

ball as I'm moving my paddle forward and

play04:48

that's what generates the spin when it

play04:50

comes to back hands getting Top Spin is

play04:52

definitely a lot harder but regardless

play04:54

of whether you have a one-hander or a

play04:55

two-hander you can still do it I have a

play04:57

two-hander so the one-hander is not my

play04:59

most natural but all I'm doing to get

play05:01

Top Spin is riding up the back of the

play05:04

ball and you can see I'm getting a lot

play05:06

of spin when I'm doing that so it's just

play05:08

the same exact brushing motion coming up

play05:11

the back of the ball and of course to

play05:12

get this down to where you can actually

play05:14

use it in a game you need to do a lot of

play05:16

practice my favorite way to start off

play05:19

practicing tops spin is to just hit

play05:21

serves so me and Kennedy both played

play05:23

college tennis so to us getting Top Spin

play05:25

came very naturally but if you didn't

play05:27

play tennis or you're just getting

play05:28

started get Topson with the pigle ball

play05:30

paddle might not be natural so the way

play05:33

that you get used to it and used to

play05:34

trying is with repetition so with my

play05:37

serve I can really exaggerate how much

play05:40

Topson I'm trying to get and I can get

play05:42

used to getting the right level so when

play05:45

you're doing the brush it's really easy

play05:47

to do too much but if you go straight up

play05:50

and down with your paddle the ball

play05:52

doesn't go anywhere so by practicing

play05:54

with a serve you can get the right

play05:56

balance of forward movement and drive

play05:58

with your shoulder

play06:00

an upward and downward motion to get the

play06:02

brush so when I'm hitting a serve the

play06:04

trajectory of my paddle actually looks

play06:06

more like this so I'm not going straight

play06:08

up and down I'm going forward as I'm

play06:12

going up so you'll

play06:14

see I'm actually getting a lot of Top

play06:16

Spin on that serve though so every shot

play06:18

that you hit Top Spin on is a little

play06:19

different when you're dinking you're

play06:20

going to be going more up when you're

play06:22

hitting a drive or a serve you're

play06:24

sending your paddle forward more the

play06:25

thing that stays constant is being below

play06:27

the ball before you hit it and above

play06:29

after so serving is probably the best

play06:32

way to get Top Spin down on your

play06:34

forehand if you haven't really gotten

play06:36

the hang of it yet so you can come out

play06:37

to the quarts just hit a basket of

play06:39

serves and by the end of that basket if

play06:41

you're trying to get tops spin over and

play06:42

over again I'm sure you'll be a lot

play06:44

better and more comfortable with it once

play06:45

you start getting the Top Spin down

play06:47

though there's a few key times that you

play06:49

want to use it and the first is when

play06:50

you're hitting a serve like I just was

play06:53

and the reason for this is when you're

play06:54

hitting Top Spin on your serve gives you

play06:57

the ability to hit harder without making

play06:59

the ball go long so you can really start

play07:01

to get big Power and you can make it a

play07:03

little bit trickier too off the bounce

play07:05

because the ball Jets off so if you

play07:07

watch any High Lev player playing

play07:09

they're probably hitting most of their

play07:11

serves with Top Spin like I am here so

play07:13

this is probably the best place to start

play07:14

off and the next place you want to start

play07:16

implementing your Top Spin is on your

play07:17

drive so if you get a third shot drive

play07:19

and you want to go hard when you use Top

play07:22

Spin you can actually make the ball dip

play07:24

down a little bit at your opponent's

play07:25

feet because it sucks the ball down so

play07:28

you can hit really hard

play07:30

while keeping that ball low and prevents

play07:32

it from going long too so it's a little

play07:34

bit harder to do it on a drive than on a

play07:36

serve because obviously you have to move

play07:37

around more and there's more variables

play07:39

but if you can hit Top Spin on your

play07:41

drive this is one of the best ways to

play07:44

make things difficult for your opponent

play07:45

at the net after you get that down I try

play07:48

to implement Top Spin on your volleys so

play07:50

a lot of time when your opponent hits

play07:51

you a slower drop like that you can do

play07:54

what's called a roll where you're coming

play07:56

up from under the ball if you take that

play07:58

right at your opponent's feet it jumps

play08:00

into them and it makes it pretty tricky

play08:02

for them to hit another drop the

play08:04

technique here is a little different I'm

play08:05

being a lot more risty with it so on our

play08:08

drives we're using mostly arm to get Top

play08:11

Spin on our roll volley we're using

play08:13

mostly wrist so if you see when I hit

play08:16

that shot all I do is I dip down below

play08:18

the ball and I brush up the back of it

play08:22

with my wrist so you can really get Top

play08:24

Spin or you can really do the brush with

play08:27

your wrist and with your arm and I

play08:30

recommend more wrist for volleys more

play08:33

arm for your ground strokes meaning from

play08:35

the back of the court and more arm on

play08:37

your serve the last place you can get

play08:38

Top Spin is on your drops and your dinks

play08:41

so if I'm hitting the ball into the

play08:42

kitchen and I use Top Spin makes the

play08:44

bounce a lot more difficult it also

play08:47

makes the ball drop quicker so it's

play08:48

actually probably the hardest type of

play08:50

drop or dink for your opponents to

play08:52

return but it can be pretty challenging

play08:54

to be accurate because here I'm do a lot

play08:56

more upward motion I'm not using any

play08:59

wrist but I'm hitting the ball so soft

play09:01

that it requires a lot of feel and

play09:04

practice to be able to consistently make

play09:06

this shot so when I'm

play09:08

dinking usually I dink crosscourt when

play09:11

I'm doing Top Spin when I'm doing a

play09:12

crosscourt Top Spin dink I'm hitting the

play09:14

ball even softer just brushing up the

play09:16

back of the ball so this is probably the

play09:18

last step of implementing Top Spin in

play09:20

your game but if you watch Pros they're

play09:22

doing Top Spin dinks and Top Spin drops

play09:24

all the time so when we think about Top

play09:26

Spin top spin's the best spin for being

play09:28

aggressive but slice is the best spin

play09:31

for maximizing your consistency and it's

play09:33

the best for if you're on defense so now

play09:35

we're going to go through slice before I

play09:36

get into that though I want to show you

play09:37

how you can practice Top Spin on the

play09:39

dink master in these examples I'm

play09:40

working on my brushing motion and

play09:42

because the dink Master is angled upward

play09:44

the ball actually pops up giving me

play09:45

immediate feedback so when I see the

play09:47

ball pop up I know that I'm getting a

play09:48

good amount of Top Spin and on the Dig

play09:50

Master you can also work on your Top

play09:51

Spin roll volleys like I just showed you

play09:53

like this this kind of repetition is

play09:55

exactly what you need to get the hang of

play09:56

generating Top Spin so if you want to

play09:58

check out the dink Master make sure head

play09:59

to our site so to hit slice all you need

play10:01

to be doing is the opposite of what you

play10:03

do with Top Spin because the spin is the

play10:05

opposite so on Top Spin we're brushing

play10:07

up the back of the ball with slice we're

play10:10

going to be going down so essentially

play10:13

we're cutting under the ball right so

play10:16

when I hit Slice on a dink it looks like

play10:19

this I'm bleeding with the bottom Edge

play10:23

under the ball and the big mistake that

play10:26

players make when they're getting slic

play10:28

is they do what's called chopping so if

play10:31

I was to hit the ball like

play10:32

this I get a ton of slice but because

play10:36

I'm moving my hand so up to down I lose

play10:39

all my control and my feel so I'm

play10:42

hitting slice and pickle ball I'm never

play10:44

trying to get an extreme amount of slice

play10:46

I'm essentially just leading under the

play10:48

ball with the bottom edge of my paddle

play10:50

so I'm never like chopping at it I'm

play10:53

just going under it a little bit because

play10:55

getting a ton of slice doesn't really do

play10:57

much for us anyway so we're using that

play10:59

little bit of slice for control if I'm

play11:01

to try to get an extreme amount of Slice

play11:03

on a dink or on any shot in pickle ball

play11:05

doesn't really do anything for me and it

play11:06

doesn't really make things more

play11:07

difficult for my opponent so what are

play11:09

the two different types of slice well

play11:11

the first type of slice is what you use

play11:12

on a drop or a dink where all I'm really

play11:15

doing to get my slice is going under the

play11:18

ball with the bottom edge of my paddle

play11:21

so you see by the time that I finish

play11:22

hitting that shot my paddle is pretty

play11:24

much facing up because after I hit the

play11:26

ball I'm sort of cupping under it so

play11:29

there's no name for this type of slice

play11:31

but it's the type of slice that you use

play11:33

when you're hitting the ball soft so

play11:34

when I'm hitting a dink I do the exact

play11:37

same thing I'm just cupping under the

play11:39

ball and that's the way that I get that

play11:42

back Spin and the next type of slice

play11:44

that You' use is when you're hitting the

play11:45

ball harder and the main shot that

play11:48

highle players do this on is the return

play11:50

which looks like

play11:52

this so there we'd call that kind of

play11:54

shot a chip and I'm getting my bottom

play11:57

Edge under the paddle just like I do

play12:00

when I'm hitting it softly but most of

play12:02

my slice is coming from a higher to

play12:05

lower motion so I'm getting a lot of

play12:08

power and because I'm going down it

play12:10

generates a lot more spin than the first

play12:12

type of slice let me show you another

play12:14

example on the back hand so it's a lot

play12:16

stiffer of

play12:17

aemotion and you generate a lot more

play12:19

spin because you're swinging so much

play12:21

faster so getting the feel on the first

play12:23

type of Slice versus the second type of

play12:24

slice is a little bit different so

play12:26

you'll need to practice both of them

play12:27

separately what's important though is

play12:28

that you're not trying to hit the chip

play12:30

though when we're hitting our soft slice

play12:32

cuz look if I try to go for that same

play12:34

motion where I'm stiffer and cutting

play12:36

more it becomes really hard to be

play12:38

accurate so to show you again what the

play12:41

slower type of slice looks like we're

play12:43

really massaging the ball more and

play12:46

coming under it right I'm not getting

play12:48

nearly as much spin as when I chip does

play12:50

have Back Spin but I'm not necessarily

play12:53

cutting as hard so when it comes to Top

play12:55

Spin and slice probably 95% of your

play12:57

shots are going to be one of these two

play12:59

spins but when I see most players play

play13:01

they don't necessarily know the right

play13:03

times to use them so the way that you

play13:06

think about it is Top Spin is your

play13:08

aggressive Spin and slice is your

play13:10

defensive spin so if you ever have a

play13:12

shot that you feel is easy and you have

play13:14

a lot of time to prepare for you almost

play13:17

always want to go for Top Spin so if

play13:19

we're dinking and Kennedy's giving me a

play13:21

lot of time I'm probably going to go for

play13:23

my Topson dinks if she's pushing me back

play13:26

though I'm going to go for my slic dinks

play13:28

because when I'm doing Slice on my dinks

play13:30

it's a lot easier to stay accurate I can

play13:33

Arc the ball more and I'm not going up

play13:35

and down which just makes things a

play13:36

little bit easier to control same thing

play13:38

though applies on my volley so if I have

play13:41

a really slow easy volley I'm probably

play13:45

going to do that roll Vol that we talked

play13:46

about so I come over the ball and use

play13:48

Top Spin because when I use Top Spin it

play13:51

makes things more challenging and if I

play13:53

have time I might as well add that on

play13:55

but if Kennedy hits me a really hard

play13:57

shot when I'm balling I don't

play13:59

necessarily slice I just might not have

play14:01

as much time to get over the ball so I

play14:04

hit more of a flatter volley which is

play14:05

where I don't have any spin when I'm at

play14:06

the back of the court if I have an

play14:08

easier shot I'm probably going to go for

play14:09

a Top Spin drive or a Top Spin

play14:12

drop if I'm on defense generally I'm

play14:16

probably going to go for a slice drop so

play14:18

you don't really ever want to go for a

play14:19

slic drive if your opponent's at the net

play14:21

because it sort of floats up for them

play14:24

and they can kill it so a high level

play14:26

player when they're on defense from the

play14:28

back of the Court they go for a slice

play14:31

drop so if I'm super backed up I can

play14:34

kind of get out of my defensive position

play14:36

by hitting the ball into the kitchen and

play14:38

the easiest way to do that when I'm off

play14:39

balance is with my slice drop so to

play14:42

recap it doesn't apply to every single

play14:43

situation but generally if you have more

play14:45

time and you're being aggressive you

play14:47

want to use Top Spin and if you're off

play14:49

balance and have less time you want to

play14:50

use slice or that Back Spin it's also

play14:52

just a super effective spin to use at

play14:54

the 3.0 to 4.0 level the only issue with

play14:57

using Top Spin and slice all the time

play14:59

though is that it can become a little

play15:00

bit predictable so now I want to teach

play15:02

you how to use Sid spin which can be the

play15:03

ultimate tricky change up so when it

play15:05

comes to side spin there's two main ways

play15:07

that you can use it the first is called

play15:09

the screw ball where I cut to the side

play15:11

like this you can do this on the serve

play15:13

and the return the second is a more

play15:15

unique type of Sid spin that very few

play15:17

players know so stick around if you want

play15:18

to see that but on the screw ball all

play15:20

we're doing is cutting to the side

play15:23

making the ball rotate on a vertical

play15:25

axis definitely see this more on the

play15:27

serve than on the return and to make

play15:29

make this happen you want to have the

play15:30

Continental grip and you want to toss

play15:32

the ball rather than out to the side of

play15:34

your body right in the front of your

play15:36

front leg so if I toss the ball from

play15:38

here what happens is when I cut at it I

play15:42

cut at it with pretty much the same

play15:43

motion as my slice but because it's over

play15:45

here my paddle is facing down it makes

play15:47

the ball spin to the side now as you'll

play15:50

see from a full court angle it makes the

play15:52

ball curve so you see when I hit the

play15:53

screw ball serve ball actually curves a

play15:55

little bit which can make things super

play15:57

tricky for your opponent not going to go

play15:59

super deep into the screw ball serve but

play16:00

if you're interested we just made a full

play16:01

video on it when it comes to the screw

play16:03

ball return you're essentially doing the

play16:04

same thing but off of their serve so

play16:07

this can definitely be a little bit

play16:08

trickier to get the hang of but I've

play16:10

seen a lot of Pros do this where they

play16:12

cut the ball as they're going forward

play16:14

makes the return curve which can make

play16:16

the third shot for your opponents a

play16:17

little more difficult so to show you a

play16:19

full cord example of the screw ball

play16:20

return all you need to do is that same

play16:22

cutting motion and when the ball curves

play16:24

like that it can make your opponent's

play16:25

third shot super difficult I wouldn't do

play16:28

this one every single time but

play16:29

occasionally if you pull it out it might

play16:30

confuse your opponents and make them

play16:32

Miss and the other type of side spin you

play16:33

can get is actually on your roll B so as

play16:37

I talked about earlier on a roll volley

play16:39

we drop below the ball with our wrist

play16:41

and brush up with this windshield wiper

play16:43

motion but what I've been seeing a lot

play16:45

of Pros doing recently is if they get a

play16:47

really low roll volley you can actually

play16:50

drop your wrist even more make contact

play16:53

with the ball right here and when you

play16:55

come up from that angle you actually get

play16:58

a little bit of Sid spin which can make

play17:00

things tricky for your opponents if

play17:01

they're trying to move forward so to

play17:03

show you what that looks like if I can

play17:04

get under the ball and come up to the

play17:07

side a little bit like this you actually

play17:09

get that ball to bounce a little bit to

play17:11

the side so it doesn't do that much to

play17:13

the Flight of the ball but when it

play17:14

bounces it kind of jets off to the side

play17:17

a little bit which can make things

play17:18

tricky for your opponent if they're

play17:19

trying to drop so in real time if she's

play17:21

hitting me drops that are super low and

play17:23

I'm having to lean over I can go for

play17:25

that side spin which makes the ball

play17:27

bounce a little bit weird it can make

play17:29

your opponent's drops a little bit more

play17:30

challenging and if you want to watch

play17:31

that video I talked about where I go

play17:32

over the screw ball serve watch

play17:44

this

Rate This
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Related Tags
PickleballSpinsTopSpinTechniqueSliceForControlSideSpinTrickeryPickleballTrainingSportsImprovementGameStrategyPaddleSkillsBallControlPickleballCoaching