Six Tips to Improve Your Dinking Skills in Pickleball

Dinking in pickleball is an essential skill that every player needs to master. Dinking is a soft, controlled shot that is usually used to set up an offensive opportunity or slow down the game’s pace. Here are six tips to help you improve your dinking skills:

1. Relax your grip and use a gentle follow-through: To hit consistent and soft dinks, it is crucial to use a relaxed grip on your paddle and a gentle follow-through. Focus on making consistent, soft contact with the ball, and aim for a target just above the net. With repetition, you will develop the muscle memory needed for a consistently soft touch.
2. Aim for your opponent’s feet: Dinks to your opponent’s feet are great ways to apply pressure because it is difficult for your opponents to aggressively hit a pickleball at or near their feet. This is because your opponents will be unable to hit the pickleball out in front of their bodies.
3. Use a straightaway dink to slow down the game: In some situations, you may need to slow down the pace of the game and keep control. For this, you will need to use a straightaway dink, which is a dink that goes straight in front of you but is much softer. The key here is to not pop up the ball or hit it too long.
4. Keep your body and paddle prepared: The first step to prepare your body is to go into an athletic stance with your knees bent and feet a few inches apart. You should also keep your pickleball paddle out in front of your body and with a relatively loose paddle grip. Be sure to take short, compact backswings with your dink.
5. Move the dink around: To keep your opponents off guard, you should try to move your dink around the court. This can include hitting crosscourt, down the line, or down the middle. By changing the direction of your dinks, you can keep your opponents guessing and make it harder for them to anticipate your shots.
6. Be patient and communicate with your teammate: Dinking is all about control and patience. It is essential to communicate with your teammate and be patient during the point. Work on setting up the perfect opportunity to take control of the game.

By following these six tips, you can improve your dinking skills and become a more well-rounded player on the pickleball court. Remember to practice regularly and stay patient, and you’ll be dinking like a pro in no time!

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