How to Put Spin on a Pickleball: The Ultimate Guidebook

As an experienced pickleball coach and avid player, I’ve seen firsthand how mastering spin can transform a player’s game. Spin adds variation, depth, and an element of surprise that keeps opponents guessing.

In this article, I’ll provide a comprehensive, in-depth look at spinning from my perspective as a coach. My goal is to fully explain spinning techniques along with when and how to apply them based on my years of experience on the courts.

The Two Main Types of Spin

There are two primary types of spin in pickleball: topspin and backspin. I like to think of them as the yin and yang of spin.

Topspin

Topspin imparts a forward spin on the ball, making it rotate towards your opponent as it travels through the air. When a ball has topspin, it will:

• Start higher off the paddle
• Dive down faster over the net
• Bounce higher and farther after landing

This unique trajectory – starting high, diving low, and bouncing high – is the essence of a topspin shot. The key is to brush up behind the ball, rolling over it to create that forward rotation.

Backspin

Backspin does the opposite – it makes the ball rotate backwards, towards you. With backspin, the ball will:

• Stay lower off the paddle initially
• Float and hang in the air longer
• Skid and stay low after bouncing

So rather than a dramatic up-down motion, the ball stays on a flatter trajectory. To generate backspin, you need to meet the ball from above and guide it downwards.

The Mechanics: How to Create Spin Now that we understand what spin does to the ball’s flight, let’s break down how to actually generate it. There are two key elements:

Face Angle: Is your paddle open, closed, or neutral when it contacts the ball? Swing Path: Are you swinging straight through, brushing up, or coming down on the ball?

Mastering different combinations of these two elements allows you to impart various spins.

Topspin Technique

For topspin:

• Face Angle: Keep the paddle face neutral, not opening it up.
• Swing Path: Swing low to high, brushing up the back of the ball.

So you contact the lower half of the ball with a neutral paddle face and sweep up behind it.

Backspin Technique

For backspin:

• Face Angle: Slightly open the paddle face.
• Swing Path: Swing horizontally or high to low, letting the paddle come down the back of the ball.

Here, you make contact on top of the ball with an open paddle, guiding it downwards.

Sidespin Technique

You can also add sidespin, though it’s less common. For sidespin:

• Face Angle: Keep the paddle face neutral.
• Swing Path: Swing sideways through the ball, brushing across the side as you make contact.

This imparts an unusual left-to-right or right-to-left rotation on the ball in the air.

Key Tips for Mastering Spin

Now that we understand the techniques, here are some tips to help you learn:

1. Start with dinking. The slower pace makes it easier to get the motions down.
2. Focus on feel. Make small adjustments and pay attention to how the ball reacts.
3. Don’t overdo it! Less spin will still have a noticeable effect.
4. Use your body, not just arms and wrists. This gives you much more control.
5. Be patient. Spin takes time to develop. Stick with it!

Along with technical mastery, knowing when and how to deploy different spins is crucial. Let’s go through the main spins and how I recommend using them.

When to Use Topspin

Topspin can make your shots more effective in these scenarios:

• Serves: Adds pace and unpredictability. I use topspin on most of my serves.
• Drives: Enables harder, flatter hits that dip under the net. Topspin is my go-to for drives.
• Third Shot Drops: Adds deception on drop shots. The ball dives down quickly after the high arc.
• Volleys: Imparts speed, often catching opponents by surprise. I lean on topspin roll volleys a lot.
• Aggressive dinks: The added pace and bounce make these dinks tougher to return.

When to Use Backspin

Backspin works well in these situations:

• Returns: The elongated float gives you more time to react and block the ball back.
• Backhand dinks: Easier to keep control and avoid popping the ball up. I often slice my backhand dinks.
• Drop shots: The low skid makes the ball die in the kitchen. Great for catching opponents off-guard.
• Reset shots: Allows you to absorb pace and lift the ball to regain control of the point. backspin resets are a go-to play for me.
• Defensive volleys: Taking pace off aggressive shots with backspin improves control.

Putting It All Together: 10 Final Tips

Through extensive play and coaching over the years, I’ve identified some best practices for spinning:

1. Vary spin – Mix up topspin, backspin, and no spin. Keep your opponents guessing.
2. Spin for placement – Use topspin to hit angled shots that curve down into the corners. Open up new targeting zones.
3. Control speed – Increase spin and reduce pace on aggressive shots to return them with control.
4. Target weaknesses – Does your opponent struggle with low, skidding balls? Use more backspin to exploit that.
5. Set up combinations – A topspin drive followed by a backspin drop is a great 1-2 punch.
6. Spin serves – Vary your serves. Throw in topspin or sidespin rather than just flat.
7. Practice consistently – 15-20 minutes per session, 2-3 times a week is what I recommend.
8. Watch the ball – Observe how different spins make the ball behave. Increase spin until you see the exaggerated up/down or skidding movement.
9. Stay balanced – Good footwork and weight transfer allow maximal control and spin.
10. Have fun! Approach practice and matches with a spirit of exploration and growth.

Spinning the ball takes practice, patience, and an experimental mindset. But it’s one of the most rewarding skills in pickleball.

My advice is to start slow, focus on technique, and gradually integrate spins into your game. And above all, enjoy the journey!

Feel free to get in touch if you have any other questions. I’m always happy to chat more pickleball!