Coach Matt and Ben Johns Teach the Backhand Dink

The backhand dink is an incredibly important shot to master, but it’s also one that gives players a lot of trouble! Not only are you hitting it on your non-dominant side, but the technique can feel a little unnatural.

That’s why I asked our friend, world No. 1 (and greatest player of all time) Ben Johns, for a couple tips on how you can perfect your backhand dink.

In this video, Ben shares two DOs and one DO NOT for hitting your backhand dink.

• DO NOT flick your wrist: It's super common (even for advanced players) to flick the wrist through the shot. Flicking your wrist will accelerate the paddle too quickly, and cause you to lose control of the dink. 

• DO keep your wrist locked during the swing. Following up on the previous tip, you keep your wrist stable as you hit. The swing comes from the shoulder. 

• DO cock your wrist up. This will allow you to open the paddle face and get under the ball. If your paddle face is flat, you won't be able to lift your dink to get it over the net.

If you want to get better at pickleball, it’s very important that you learn from the right sources.  At Montclair Pickleball, we prioritize player development and getting players as good as possible as efficiently as possible. That’s why many of our coaching strategies are also used by our top-pro friends, like Ben. We don't make up the things that we teach!

If you come to one of our clinics, play with pro, or guided drilling sessions, you'll see what I mean!