11 Ways to Improve Your Overhead Smash in Pickleball

Like a dunk in basketball or a spike in volleyball, the overhead smash or slam in pickleball is one of the most fun and exciting shots in sports. Everyone loves sticking it to their opponent and scoring with a well-placed overhead smash shot.

But, if you think you can jump out on the courts and immediately be an expert at the overhead smash, we’ve got some bad news for you. It takes a lot of practice to execute it consistently.

Fortunately, we have some excellent tips to help you out. 

Tip #1 - Drop Step Backward

The biggest mistake that we see when players attempt an overhead smash is in their first step. Or sometimes, lack of a step. Many players try to simply backpedal to get into a slamming position. The biggest problem with this is that you can quickly lose your balance and fall backward. You could even injure yourself. The proper technique is to take a drop step back, leading with your dominant side. 

Right-handers should step back with their right foot and left-handers with their left. This pivot should cause your body to be perpendicular to the net and parallel with the sidelines. 

Tip #2 - Spot the Ball

Next, we want to spot the ball. Using your eyes, locate where the ball is and begin to estimate where it will end up. Many players will even use their non-paddle arm to physically spot the ball by either pointing their hand or entire arm at it. 

Spotting the ball this way helps you determine how far back you need to go to get in a good slamming position.

Tip #3 - Shuffle Backward

Once your body is turned parallel with the sidelines, and you’ve spotted the ball, you want to then begin shuffling your feet backward. These are small steps made with both feet simultaneously. You should never cross your feet, or you could lose your balance and fall.

Tip #4 - Keep Leading Edge High

You’ve drop-stepped, spotted the ball, and shuffled back to where you need to be to catch the ball coming down–now it’s time to get your paddle in an excellent position to take your shot. To do this, you bring your dominant arm back, with your elbow bent, and the paddle should be placed around your ear. However, the leading edge of the paddle (the hard part that you don’t want to hit the ball with) should be high around a 45-degree angle.

All of these things should begin to happen more simultaneously as you practice them. 

Tip #5 - Keep the Ball in Front of You

Before we get into the strike, you need to understand an essential part of this shot. To make a good overhead smash, you must keep the ball in front of you. You can’t swing your club down on the ball very well if you have to reach back to hit it. Shuffle your body far enough back that the ball stays high and in front.

Tip #6 - Body Weight Forward and Snap Down

Now, with the ball in front of you, it’s time to shift your body weight forward and snap down at the ball with your shoulder and wrist. As you begin your swing, the leading edge of the paddle is high, but also the face is turned toward the sidelines. Right before making contact, you’ll turn the face back toward the ball in a quick snapping motion.

This part of the shot depends on timing and takes the longest to master. Not only do you need to time the snap well, but you will need to learn the proper technique so that you don’t just slam it into the net or your side of the court.

Tip #7 - Play the Angles

Imagine for a moment that you’ve put yourself in an excellent position, and you execute a perfect smash onto your opponent’s court. Instead of hitting the turf for a score, it goes to a spot where they quickly return it and score a point instead. Your smash attempt was all for nothing. There are fewer worse feelings in pickleball than thinking you would get a putaway, and your opponent gets one instead.

The mistake you made was that you aimed your shot at the wrong spot. It’s time to practice hitting angles with your overhead smash shots. Ideally, when playing your shot toward a sideline, aim at the far side. That means if you are on the left side of your court, you aim for the right side of your opponent’s court, and vice versa. Playing the angle will help you put the ball in a spot just out of reach of your opponent instead of in a spot that might allow them to return it.

Tip #8 - Watch Your Footwork

Earlier, we mentioned your drop step and spotting the ball before shuffling back. Another part of excellent footwork, though, is shuffling back in the direction of where you want to aim your shot. Instead of shuffling straight back, try going toward the nearest sideline. This gives you more room to squeeze your slam in and forces your opponent to cover more ground on the return attempt. 

Tip #9 - Face Where You Are Aiming

Our last tip on aiming your smash is that you should always try to aim your face and your non-dominant shoulder at your target. This puts your entire body in a better position when you snap the paddle down at the ball. Yes, we can get away with not doing this occasionally, but for consistent overhead smashes, you want to practice facing where you are aiming.

Tip #10 - When to Use the Overhead Smash

There are different times you’ll want to use the overhead smash, but the most prevalent time is when your opponent has lofted a ball high enough for you to position yourself under it. Anything higher will likely go out of bounds. Anything lower and you’ll just want to volley it instead.

Tip #11 - How to Practice

With all the footwork and timing that goes into the overhead smash, it’s going to be nearly impossible to improve if you only do them during play. You have to practice, practice, practice–that’s the only way you’re going to get better at overhead smashes. 

Fortunately, we have a drill for you to try. Grab a partner or someone to help you and place some cones around the kitchen line on the other side of the net. Have your partner lob some balls high and practice overhead smash shots while aiming at the different cones.

You can also practice your footwork at home.

Successfully smashing the ball during a pickleball match feels fantastic. Falling over from shoddy footwork, hitting the ball into your own net, or launching it out of bounds does not. 

So take these tips, and get out there and practice your smashing so you can start smashing your matches!