If your backhand feels like your Achilles’ heel on the court, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Many players struggle with backhand consistency, but the solution lies in refining your technique and building the strength, balance, and coordination to make it reliable. And here’s the kicker: the same principles that improve your backhand can enhance your everyday life.

3 Backhand Mistakes That Hold You Back—and How to Fix Them

1. Too Much Wrist Action

Your wrist might be trying to steal the show, but it’s not built for consistency. Overusing your wrist leads to shaky, inconsistent shots because smaller muscles fatigue faster and don’t provide the same stability as larger ones.

Fix It with Functional Fitness: Focus on engaging your shoulders, arms, and core to power your shot. Exercises like planks and resistance band rows build the strength and stability needed to keep your wrist under control, ensuring smoother, more powerful backhands.

2. Not Enough Space

Crowding the ball creates cramped, awkward shots that kill your control. Poor positioning limits your ability to hit effectively, both on the court and in real life when you’re moving through tight spaces or lifting objects.

Fix It with Mobility and Awareness: Practice stepping back and creating space for a full, smooth stroke. Off the court, work on flexibility and hip mobility with exercises like deep squats or lunges to improve your range of motion and reaction time.

3. Weak Contact Point:

Hitting the ball behind your body or too far away from your center is a recipe for pop-ups or balls into the net. This mistake isn’t just about technique; it’s about posture, balance, and coordination.

Fix It with Core Strength and Balance: Develop a strong, stable core to keep your posture upright and your shots controlled. Incorporate single-leg balance drills and core rotations with a medicine ball into your training. These movements will improve your ability to hit the ball in front of your body with consistency and power.

How This Translates to Daily Life

Mastering your backhand isn’t just about pickleball. The strength, balance, and coordination you build for this skill carry over into everyday tasks like lifting groceries, reaching for objects, or maintaining stability on uneven surfaces. It’s all part of the bigger picture of staying active, mobile, and thriving as you age.

Take the Next Step

Your backhand—and your health—deserve some attention. Apply these fixes to your pickleball game and your fitness routine, and you’ll see the benefits both on and off the court.

PEACE.

Rick

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