6 Pickleball Tips for Blocking Like a Pro

Blocking like a pro in pickleball requires mastering several elements, including technique, positioning, timing and strategy. To help you improve your blocking techniques on the pickleball court, here are six valuable tips:

1. Assume a low, athletic stance: Effective blocking starts with a low stance. Keeping your body lower allows you to react more quickly to incoming strikes. Bend your knees and assume a strong, athletic stance to improve your blocking skills.
   
   
2. Position your paddle forward: To block effectively, position your pickleball paddle in front of your body without straining your arm. The goal of blocking is to return the ball. Holding your paddle in front of you with your elbow bent will optimize your control and ability to neutralize attacking strikes.
   
   
3. Adjust paddle angle: Adjust the angle of your paddle to match the trajectory of the incoming pickleball . For balls coming at you, tilt your paddle slightly downward to maintain control. For flatter balls, keep your paddle in a more neutral position. This neutral or slightly upward paddle angle will help generate backspin and drop the ball quickly after it crosses the pickleball net .
   
   
4. Maintain a loose grip: Hold your paddle with a relaxed grip and aim for a pressure level of about 4 out of 10. Also, grip the paddle more with your fingers and less with your palm. A loose grip provides a softer feel and allows you better control to parry your opponent's attacking strikes.
   
   
5. Anticipate your opponents: Pay close attention to your opponent's body language, paddle angle, and positioning on the court to anticipate the placement of their strikes. Anticipating early will help you set yourself up for effective blocking, especially for quick strikes or other cues.
   
   
6. Keep the paddle simple: When blocking, focus on resetting and neutralizing the ball. Avoid excessive backswings and minimize the follow-through, as large swings can lead to mistakes. Stay calm and hold the ball with the paddle in front of your body. Keep your wrist, arm and body movements minimal.

Remember, practice is crucial to improving your pickleball blocking skills. Take time to refine your technique, timing, and positioning during training or drills. Playing against opponents of varying skill levels will help them further hone their blocking skills in different game situations.

As always, if you have any further questions about pickleball, do not hesitate to contact our Pickleball Corner experts at kontakt@pickleballcorner.ch.