Master the Backhand Dink & Never Get Targeted Again

[@2be1withU]

When I started, I did a lot of slide and cross since that is how we volley a wide ball in tennis. I was told to try to keep my feet more still. Slide and cross is still natural to me if a ball goes wide and past me. And if you play enough tennis before, your feet rarely gets crossed

[@brucebillst]

Excellent...excellent...excellent instruction. Excellent in what to do and excellent in your teaching approach. I learned a ton from this video because of how you taught it. Thank you.

[@thatpickleballguy]

Great to hear!

[@morrisonwatercolors]

Excellent video. Not many people actually teach the correct dinking form and technique. Good stuff!

[@thatpickleballguy]

glad it helped!

[@Liliinvests]

I needed this, thanks Kyle!!

[@thatpickleballguy]

Got you!

[@ginjaninja3627]

Excellent video. Good length for a tutorial. One of the best!

[@thatpickleballguy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@blockchaintruckernyc6960]

Great video. Can’t wait to work on this. Have been leveling up my game. Strong 3.5 Looking forward to getting better. Thanks

[@thatpickleballguy]

Glad it was helpful! Keep working!

[@JPaul-vu4lp]

Very helpful information, especially the foot work tips!

[@thatpickleballguy]

Glad it was helpful!

[@elizabethfaulkner6281]

Thank you sir for teaching correct technique --love your style too!

[@thatpickleballguy]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@gzhen123]

Thanks! Super helpful for a 4.0 player like me trying to improve my footwork and techniques. Still relevant in 2024!

[@thatpickleballguy]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yasminaama9466]

this is a really good video thank you

[@frank88ster]

Excellent.. 'angle/ cork' your paddle 60-45° ( L lock shape) to lift arm to direct shot. No swinging of wrist.

[@thatpickleballguy]

Thanks for watching!

[@ginjaninja3627]

Seems the default for BH dink is slice or flat hit. Do you ever try to hit it with topspin? Seems hard.

[@Ningen623]

Great content, but one question: do you think about the POSITION of the paddle head as in the forehand dink where you teach having the head of the paddle down? Right now the backhand dink looks slightly more like a sideways stroke which you warn against in the forehand dink. Does paddle head position matter here?

[@thatpickleballguy]

Yes, there are definitely some different ways to hit the foreahand and backhand dink. On the forehand side, I sometimes use this same technique if I'm hitting backspin. My technique looks different If I'm hitting topspin.

[@danskiludvik8358]

Love your videos. One thing I think I've noticed watching the pros play, and I think I see it in this video as well, is the back of the wrist is "cupped" as you take the paddle back, and that position is maintained through the entire stroke. Is that something you consciously think about? Am I correct in what I think I'm seeing?

[@thatpickleballguy]

You are correct! I've learned a lot since making this video and I definitely could have emphasize that more in the video. Watch Ben Johns on youtube to see the technique most similar to this. Definitely cups the wrist.

[@JacobAmato]

What paddle is that

[@bethpat9]

Love your teaching style!

[@thatpickleballguy]

Oo wow! Thanks so much!

[@lizlemon9632]

Your videos have really improved. Excellent points, succinct and informative.

[@mickreynolds3065]

Hands down, best line of the video, "I hope you're still watching, but if your're not, I hate you!" Great video, Kyle! Thanks for the great training tips.

[@thatpickleballguy]

hahahahahahahahah and I meant it too :)

[@doc-bj4bj]

Very good video. Footwork doesn’t get discussed enough. Do you cock your wrist slightly forward as well as up?

[@thatpickleballguy]

thanks for the feedback! I agree, in hindsight, i coulda have done a bit more. I will next time I make a video on this. Maybe a part 2. And yes slightly up. Not 100% what you mean on forward, but I think yes If I'm guessing what you mean.

[@doc-bj4bj]

I watch a video from Dayne Gingrich, who u reference in the video, and he talks about a slight cupping of the wrist forward. This is what I am talking about. Great video. One of the best on the backhand cross court dink.

[@bethechange4726]

Thanks!!

[@thatpickleballguy]

Thanks for watching!

[@deborahspeece4316]

Always great. Thanks!!

[@acarter2072]

Nice lesson!

[@jaycohen5482]

Solid content, thanks Kyle.

[@thatpickleballguy]

Glad it helped!

[@CONSTITUTIONALGUARD-zc9nv]

I am getting cooked on the backhand dink coming at me fast and low from straight across. Can you do one on that element coming straight across. The 4.0 to 4.25's can really jam you(me) up with that one.

[@thatpickleballguy]

Can you tell me more what you mean. I'm a bit confused.

[@CONSTITUTIONALGUARD-zc9nv]

Sorry. Good players will do a real strong cross-court dinkwith some serious speed up. It makes me pop the ball up a lot or hit in the net. Would like to hear some good mitigating strategies for it.

[@ParryPickleballking-es2el]

I'm not a beginner but KZbin suggested your video so i watched. Good work by you! Better video than some pros

[@thatpickleballguy]

Thanks for watching!

[@morrisonlaw5425]

Great video!

[@joysonmenezes2158]

Great video! I have been struggling with my backhand dinks. Now I know how to improve 💪. I believe we can implement this on forehand? Could you advise when to use slice and top spin dink?

[@thatpickleballguy]

Good questions about slice and top spin. Typically Slice is a bit safer than top spin because to hit top spin you have to hit up on the ball, which, if hit wrong, will send the ball high, which isn't good. I tend to hit topspin when my opponent gives me a softer dink with either backspin or no spin because I can get more aggressive with Top spin. But as of right now, I still default to backspin because it's what I'm most comfortable with. I'd work on both. Both are very valuable, and if you watch pro pickleball you'll see both. Many of the top women primarily use top spin.

[@wavelandavedweller]

I'm so glad I found this video. I will be practicing this for sure. Makes more sense than what I was told. Thanks

[@thatpickleballguy]

Glad it helped!

[@russellelefterion4260]

Great Video!!!!!!!! Love it!!!!

[@bicyclethief]

this is such an amazing video on the bh slice dink. best video i've ever seen on the topic (and i've watched a few paid-for-subscription videos)

[@thatpickleballguy]

Thanks! Glad it helped!

[@zseeley]

Very enjoyable, informative and easy to listen to. Albiet a few too many commercials. Tell us about the paddles. What kind of shoes do you reccomend?

[@thatpickleballguy]

I use Selkirk Paddles and use Aesik gel resolution 8 shoes :)

[@fdr211]

Great video.. But should the back hand dink be a flat shot or slice dink? The dink on the video looks like a flat shot. Thanks

[@thatpickleballguy]

I try not to use the words, "should" and "shouldn't". I prefer the backhand slice. Backspin. Experiment with both!

[@fdr211]

@@thatpickleballguy thank you

[@jerrywelsh3366]

When a doubles team is a lefty and a righty, is there any strength to a strategy for them to take the side of the court avoiding paddles to the inside and the need for backhanded dinks on sharp wide angles ?

[@thatpickleballguy]

Depends On the players. Not as common but worth trying

[@johndeer7712]

What brand of paddle do you use?

[@thatpickleballguy]

I use the Selkirk 002

[@ShapiroRacquets]

outstanding video

[@thatpickleballguy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@youngsteve_pb]

Glad my son and I could help out at the 48 second mark 😂. Very good video!👊

[@thatpickleballguy]

Thanks for the encouragement!

[@amolranade2255]

hello from India i learn a lot from u sir

[@thatpickleballguy]

Glad the videos are helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@danielro_photos]

I'm assuming this video is for doubles right? Sorry got confused during the video. I see you are in on side of the court and your opponent in the opposite. Why would you do a backhand and return the ball to your opponent's side and leaving your right side open? why not returning the ball to your opponents right side? I'm a beginner in pickle-ball thank you for this video

[@thatpickleballguy]

Ahhhh gosh, I should have mentioned that. Thanks for the feedback. Yes its for doubles! There would typically be something in front of me.

[@ryandawidjan6341]

Freshest vids on YT

[@thatpickleballguy]

Thanks! You the man.

[@rjsophia3712]

People don't understand that to get good at drinking, you have to drill... for HUNDREDS of hours!!!

[@thatpickleballguy]

you definitely have to drill!

[@ColeRusselPB]

I teach this as a step back not a drop step, haven’t ever heard it called that

[@thatpickleballguy]

That's a fine name too. Drop step is just what I call it.

[@ColeRusselPB]

Where is setting the wrist so you don’t flick at it, I find when doing lessons this is what allot of people do that ends up popping up or into the net. Btw it’s r1pper aka Cole with Crbn

[@ColeRusselPB]

Sorry didn’t wait long enough lol

[@ColeRusselPB]

:( I do the bonus already? I want a new bonus lol

[@thatpickleballguy]

hahahahahh can't please everyone!

[@quartzdeplorable1125]

@2:48 chemtrails

[@redequal7457]

You say you hold your paddle in a continental grip. However, in your video you use an Eastern grip...and not a continental grip. This is likely confusing to many people. You might be confused about what a continental grip is.

[@thatpickleballguy]

oo, interesting. I'll re-evaluate.

[@sammyleepickleball]

Backhand dink for days 🥸

[@thatpickleballguy]

Needed you in this lol

[@Mrpickleballgirl]

❤

[@claycc79]

Wow you talked about everything but how the ball hits the paddle, spin of the ball, flight of the ball and what you should be aiming for. I would hate to ask you for directions...'Yea I know the where that is, is kind of over in that area'.

[@thatpickleballguy]

Oo. Yeah ill add that in the next one i make!

[@surfing.4ever]

I just started playing and I noticed I use my index finger a lot on my grip. Perhaps a habit from ping-pong. Is that the wrong way to play?

[@thatpickleballguy]

i actually catch myself doing that now as well from time to time. I haven't heard a good argument for it being a bad thing.