3 Quick Tips To Stop Popping the Ball Up in Pickleball

Pickleball is a lot like tennis, with the main difference being that it is played on a smaller court and uses paddles instead of racquets. If you have ever played tennis, you may have found that pop-ups are one of your biggest challenges. The same applies to pickleball—popping the ball up is a common mistake many new players make.

Fortunately, there are several quick tips that you can use to stop popping the ball up. Here's what you need to know.

What Does it Mean To Pop Up The Ball?

When you pop the ball up in pickleball, it simply means hitting it too high. It makes it easy for your opponent to return the ball aggressively and can cause you to lose points. You might be forced to pop the ball up if your opponent is excellent at tracking balls and getting them back over the net quickly.

In those cases, you want to focus on hitting a "reset shot," which will level out the playing field a bit. When your opponent is in control, you want to slow things down to reduce the risk of hitting another pop-up. Reset shots can be hit by hitting a soft lob or drop shot or by using spin to float the ball.

3 Tips to Stop Popping Up The Ball

If you find that you keep popping the ball up in pickleball, here are three simple tips to help you correct this behavior.

Loosen Your Grip

It can be tempting to grip your paddle tightly when you are playing competitively, but that can actually lead to popping the ball up. Instead, try loosening your grip and paying more attention to the angle of your paddle as you hit the ball. This will help keep it level and prevent it from going too high.

Holding the paddle too tight will cause the tension in your arms and shoulders to increase, which can inadvertently put more strength in your shot.

Be stable 

Another common mistake many pickleball players make is trying to hit the ball in motion. Instead, keep your body as steady and still as possible as you hit the ball. This strategy will help you control your paddle and ensure the ball goes where you want it to go without popping up into the air.

If you constantly have to adjust your footing or move around on the court, take a moment to pause and re-center yourself before making your shot. Ideally, you want to get in position before you hit the ball to focus on making solid contact and hitting it with precision.

You should be in a stable return position, with your knees slightly bent and your feet shoulder-width apart. Stand on the balls of your feet, with your upper body leaning slightly forward.

Don't overswing

Finally, it is crucial to avoid overswinging when you are trying to block a shot. Since you're just trying to reset the play, you don't need to make a huge swing with your paddle. You should be able to tap the ball back over the net without generating too much force or swinging too wide.

If you swing your arms too wide or make an exaggerated motion, it's only natural that you will hit the ball too high and end up popping it up in pickleball. By focusing on being more controlled and measured with your movements, you can avoid this common mistake and improve your game overall.

The only time when you might need to swing is if the ball is too low. Remember to keep your grip loose and your swing controlled so you can hit the ball without popping it up.

Conclusion

These tips were brought to you in part by Briones Pickleball on Youtube. We hope they help you stop popping the ball up in your pickleball games. By focusing on a more stable stance, loosening your grip, and avoiding overswinging, you can improve your control and consistency on the court.