If you cannot get your body around the pickleball to hit an overhead between 12 and 2 o’clock (or 10 and 12 o’clock if you are a lefty), then you should prepare yourself for a high backhand. Most of the time, this shot will only be designed to keep you in the point, rather than to put away the point. To hit a high backhand:

1. Rotate your shoulders and body to your non-paddle side. Move your feet if necessary (galloping like a horse), so that you are in a position to strike the pickleball out in front of your body.

2. Pull your paddle back up high by your non-paddle side ear, with the paddle face tilted up toward the sky. When you are about to strike, slightly pull your paddle back a little more.

3. Swing your paddle toward the pickleball so that you strike the pickleball between 10 and 12 o’clock (or 12 and 2 o’clock if you are a lefty), out in front of your body.

4. Finish forward through the pickleball in a slightly downward trajectory.

This is a difficult shot, so do not overplay it. Consider striking the high backhand into the middle of the pickleball court, where the net is the lowest and you have the most room for the highest margin of error.

Key Takeaways:

1. If you cannot move your body around the pickleball to hit a forehand overhead, prepare to hit a backhand overhead. Keep the high backhand simple and consider striking the pickleball back toward the middle of the court.

2. To hit a high backhand:

a. Move your feet and rotate your body to your non-paddle side, so that you are sideways;

b. Raise you paddle up by your ear with your paddle laid back up toward the sky;

c. Strike the pickleball out in front of your body, with 11 o’clock (or 1 o’clock if you are a lefty) being ideal (i.e. the opposite of your forehand overhead); and

d. Finish forward and down through the pickleball.