Backhand Volleys
A backhand volley is one of the most useful shots when you are positioned near the net. It allows you to handle balls that come toward your non-dominant side, as well as many balls directed toward the middle of your body.
For beginners, a dependable pickleball backhand volley does not require a large swing or a lot of power. In fact, the opposite is usually more effective. Keeping the paddle in front, making a compact movement, and contacting the ball in front of your body gives you more control and helps you recover quickly for the next shot.
Because volleys happen before the ball bounces, you often have less time to react than you would on a groundstroke. A simple, efficient backhand motion is therefore especially valuable during quick exchanges near the kitchen line.
When To Use A Backhand Volley
A backhand volley is used when an airborne ball arrives on the backhand side of your body and you choose to play it before it bounces.
For a right-handed player, the backhand side is generally the left side. For a left-handed player, it is generally the right side. However, backhand volleys are not limited to balls clearly traveling to one side.
They are also very useful for balls coming toward the center of your body.
When the ball is headed toward your chest or torso, trying to move the paddle around your body to hit a forehand can take too much time. A compact backhand movement often provides a simpler response because the paddle can remain in front of you.
This becomes particularly important during quick net exchanges, when there may be very little time between your opponent’s contact and your own.
Start From The Ready Position
Good backhand volleys begin before the ball reaches you.
Use a balanced athletic stance with your knees slightly bent and your weight comfortably positioned so you can move in either direction. Keep your paddle in front of your body rather than allowing it to hang beside you.
This paddle position reduces the distance the paddle must travel when you react.
Your grip should also remain relaxed. Squeezing the handle unnecessarily can make the arm and wrist rigid and reduce your ability to control the incoming ball.
Watch the ball and your opponent while remaining balanced. As you recognize that the ball is coming toward your backhand side, prepare the paddle early.
Early preparation does not mean taking the paddle far backward. It simply means positioning the paddle where it needs to be before the ball arrives.
Keep The Paddle Movement Compact
One of the defining characteristics of a good pickleball backhand volley is compact movement.
You do not need the type of backswing you might use on a groundstroke. The ball is already coming toward you, so your job is primarily to meet it cleanly and redirect it.
From the ready position, move the paddle slightly toward the backhand side while keeping it in front of your body.
Avoid pulling the paddle far behind you. A large backswing takes time, makes timing more difficult, and can cause you to hit the ball harder than intended.
Think of the motion as short and efficient.
The paddle prepares, meets the ball, moves a short distance forward, and then returns to the ready position.
This compact movement becomes particularly valuable when several volleys occur in quick succession. The less unnecessary movement you make, the sooner you can prepare for the next ball.
Maintain A Stable Wrist
Your wrist plays an important role in controlling the paddle face.
During a beginner backhand volley, keep the wrist relatively stable instead of flicking it at the ball. Large wrist movements can change the paddle angle immediately before contact, making the direction and height of the shot difficult to predict.
A stable wrist does not mean your entire arm should become stiff. Your grip, shoulder, and arm should remain comfortable.
The goal is simply to prevent unnecessary wrist movement from changing the paddle face during contact.
Imagine that the paddle face is presenting a steady surface to the incoming ball. You are guiding and redirecting the ball rather than trying to whip the paddle through it.
Contact The Ball In Front Of Your Body
Whenever possible, make contact in front of your body.
Contacting the ball in front gives you a stronger, more controlled position. You can see the ball more clearly, maintain a stable paddle face, and direct the shot without allowing the ball to get too close to you.
If you wait until the ball reaches your side or passes you, the volley becomes more difficult. You may have to make a hurried movement or awkwardly adjust the paddle.
Early preparation helps prevent this problem.
Keep the paddle in front, track the ball carefully, and allow your contact point to remain comfortably ahead of your torso.
You do not need to reach far forward. Excessive reaching can pull you off balance. Instead, use your feet when necessary to create a comfortable position for contact.
Use A Short Forward Push
A beginner backhand volley requires much less swing than many players initially expect.
Once the paddle is positioned behind the contact point, use a short forward movement through the ball. The motion should feel controlled rather than forceful.
The incoming ball already carries energy. Your paddle does not always need to create much additional speed.
For a slower incoming ball, you may use a little more forward movement to redirect it. For a faster ball, a much smaller motion may be sufficient.
This is why learning to control the size of your movement matters.
Avoid treating the volley like a backhand groundstroke. A large swing can send the ball too far, make contact less predictable, and leave the paddle out of position for the next shot.
Compact movement gives you better control and faster recovery.
Direct The Ball With The Paddle Face
The direction of your paddle face has a major influence on where the volley travels.
If the paddle face changes unexpectedly at contact, the ball may travel higher, lower, or farther to one side than intended.
Prepare the paddle early and keep the face stable as you move through contact.
Your short forward movement should guide the paddle toward the intended target. There is no need to make a dramatic directional change at the last moment.
For beginners, controlling the ball is more useful than trying to create sharp angles or excessive speed.
A stable paddle face combined with clean contact provides a much more dependable foundation.
Stay Balanced During Contact
Balance makes every part of the volley easier.
Keep your body under control as you prepare and contact the ball. Avoid leaning excessively toward the shot or stretching your arm as far as possible.
When the ball is slightly outside your comfortable hitting area, use small adjustment steps to improve your position.
For example, if a ball travels wider toward your backhand side, a short lateral step may allow you to meet it comfortably instead of reaching.
After making the volley, regain your balanced position immediately.
This matters because the first volley may not end the exchange. Your opponent can return the ball quickly, and you need to be ready again.
Handling Balls Directed At Your Body
Balls directed toward the body can feel awkward because there may not be enough room to make a comfortable forehand.
The backhand volley is often an efficient solution.
Keep the paddle centered in front of you and make a small backhand movement to meet the ball. You may need to create a little space with your feet or upper body, but avoid making a large, hurried movement.
The compact nature of the backhand makes it well suited to this situation.
For balls coming toward your torso, think about protecting the space in front of your body with the paddle. Keep the movement short and maintain a stable paddle face.
Trying to force a forehand around a body shot can create unnecessary movement and slow your reaction.
Handling Wider Backhand Volleys
Not every backhand volley will arrive conveniently in front of you.
When the ball travels farther toward your backhand side, move your feet when possible rather than relying entirely on your arm.
A small lateral adjustment can help you maintain balance and create a better contact point.
Keep the paddle in front as you move. Avoid dropping it while taking the adjustment step and then trying to raise it at the last moment.
If the ball is within comfortable reach, use the same basic compact volley technique. Prepare early, stabilize the paddle face, make contact in front, and use a short forward movement.
The farther the ball pulls you from your original position, the more important it becomes to recover immediately after contact.
Backhand Volleys At Different Heights
Backhand volleys can arrive at different heights, and your paddle position needs to adjust accordingly.
For a ball around waist height, lower the paddle while maintaining your balanced stance. Keep the movement compact and avoid trying to lift the ball with a large wrist action.
For a ball closer to chest height, the paddle can remain higher and more naturally centered in front of the body. This is often a comfortable position for a compact backhand volley.
Regardless of height, maintain the same basic principles: prepare early, keep the paddle face stable, contact the ball in front, and avoid unnecessary swinging.
Do not force every ball into exactly the same contact position. Instead, adjust your paddle height while keeping the overall motion simple.
Controlling Faster Incoming Balls
When an opponent sends the ball toward you with more speed, your reaction may be to swing harder.
Usually, that makes control more difficult.
The faster the incoming ball, the less additional movement you may need. Keep the paddle stable and use a compact response.
A relaxed grip is particularly helpful. Excessive tension can make the paddle difficult to control and encourage an unnecessarily forceful movement.
Focus on clean contact and paddle stability.
If the incoming pace is already high, simply redirecting the ball may provide all the speed you need.
This approach also helps you remain balanced and ready for another quick shot.
Redirecting Slower Balls
A slower incoming ball gives you more time, but it can also tempt you to take an oversized swing.
Keep the same compact foundation.
Prepare the paddle, move into position, and use a slightly more deliberate forward movement if the ball needs additional pace. The motion can be somewhat more active than when receiving a fast ball, but it should still remain controlled.
Avoid suddenly turning the volley into a full groundstroke.
Maintaining similar mechanics on both faster and slower balls makes your backhand volley more repeatable.
Recover Immediately After Contact
A volley is not finished when the ball leaves your paddle.
After contact, bring the paddle back toward the ready position immediately.
Do not allow a large follow-through to leave the paddle far away from the center of your body. During a quick exchange, the next ball may arrive almost immediately and could be directed to either side.
Your recovery should be simple: regain your balance, return the paddle in front, and prepare for the next shot.
This pattern of contact, recover, and prepare is especially important near the net.
A compact stroke naturally makes recovery easier because the paddle has less distance to travel.
Alternating Forehand And Backhand Volleys
During an actual rally, balls will not consistently arrive on one side.
A useful practice method is to alternate between forehand and backhand volleys while maintaining the same balanced ready position.
After every contact, return the paddle toward the center before preparing for the next ball.
For example, a partner can feed one comfortable ball toward your forehand side followed by one toward your backhand side. Keep the pace slow enough that you can concentrate on clean technique.
As the movement becomes more comfortable, the feeds can become less predictable.
The purpose is not to see how quickly you can hit. It is to develop efficient preparation and recovery on both sides.
Common Backhand Volley Mistakes
One common mistake is taking the paddle too far backward. A large backswing increases the amount of time needed to reach the ball and can produce more pace than you intended.
Another mistake is using too much wrist. Flicking the wrist makes the paddle face less predictable and often reduces directional control.
Late contact is another frequent problem. When the ball gets too close to the body, you lose space to make a clean movement. Keeping the paddle in front and preparing earlier can help.
Beginners may also squeeze the paddle tightly when the exchange becomes faster. Excessive grip pressure creates tension and can make controlled contact more difficult.
Reaching instead of moving is another issue. When the ball is slightly wide, a small adjustment step usually provides better balance than stretching the arm as far as possible.
Finally, some players admire their shot instead of recovering. After every volley, return the paddle to the ready position and prepare for another ball.
Practicing The Pickleball Backhand Volley
Begin with controlled repetition rather than fast exchanges.
Stand in a balanced position while a partner sends comfortable balls toward your backhand side. Focus on keeping the paddle in front, maintaining a stable wrist, and contacting the ball ahead of your body.
Use a short forward movement and return to the ready position after every shot.
Once you can repeat the movement consistently, practice balls directed closer to the middle of your body. Then add slightly wider feeds so you can use small adjustment steps.
You can also vary the height of the feeds so you become comfortable making backhand volleys around the waist and chest.
Finally, alternate between forehand and backhand feeds. Keep the exchange cooperative and controlled so you can concentrate on preparation, contact, balance, and recovery rather than simply reacting as quickly as possible.
Consistent repetitions should reinforce the same simple pattern: prepare early, make compact contact, and recover immediately.
Key Takeaways
- Use the backhand volley for balls arriving on your backhand side and for many balls directed toward the middle of your body.
- Keep the paddle in front and prepare early so you do not need a large or rushed movement.
- Use a compact stroke, relaxed grip, and stable wrist instead of taking a large backswing or flicking the paddle.
- Contact the ball in front of your body and use a short forward movement to redirect it with control.
- Use small adjustment steps when necessary so you can maintain balance instead of reaching excessively.
- Adjust the paddle to handle different ball heights while keeping the same compact fundamentals.
- Use less movement against faster balls and controlled forward movement when redirecting slower balls.
- Recover immediately after every volley by returning the paddle to the ready position and preparing for the next shot.