Learn This Savage Pickleball Shot | Two Handed Backhand Volley

James Ignatowich

Hey guys, this is James Ignatowich, and today we’re going to talk about the two-handed backhand counter outside. We all love to use a one-handed backhand when the ball is between our shoulders. But when it goes to the left of that left shoulder, I highly recommend putting two hands on the ball and trying to get the outside of it with a two-handed backhand counter.

Another very important time to use two hands on the backhand is when someone speeds up the ball to you or when you have a floating, higher ball to the left of your left shoulder.

One-Handed vs. Two-Handed Backhand Volleys

For me, if the ball is between my two shoulders, I’m going to go with a one-handed backhand volley. But if someone speeds it up out wide, I’m going to try to put two hands on that backhand volley. Using my left hand helps maximize leverage, allowing me to hit a significantly harder volley.

If the ball is right in front of your chest, using two hands is probably not the best option. You’ve probably noticed that in the pro game—if a player only uses two hands on their backhand volley, the chest is the spot where opponents try to jam them up. It’s a much harder position to generate a strong counter from.

However, if the ball is out wide, the two-handed backhand becomes much more powerful. The wider you go, the more power you can generate. If you try to counter with a one-handed backhand while reaching, you lose power the further you stretch. If you’re someone who only volleys with one hand, you’ve likely experienced this: you feel strong in the center, okay slightly off-center, but weaker as you reach further.

That’s why, when the ball is to the left of my left shoulder, I always look to put two hands on that backhand volley. If I have time to load up, I’m going to hit it as hard as I can.

Generating Power with the Two-Handed Backhand Volley

The key to a strong two-handed backhand volley is getting all your power from your left arm and your unit turn. I see players who use two-handed backhand counters that aren’t very powerful because they rely too much on their right arm or fail to turn their shoulders.

That’s not the right motion. The proper way to learn it is by trying to hit the ball with your shoulders.

How to Train Your Shoulder Engagement

To execute this properly, you’ll need a wide open stance—you can’t really cross your legs over in pickleball. When hitting the ball, focus on engaging your shoulders.

A great way to practice this is by getting your paddle in a ready position and simply getting comfortable moving your shoulders without using your hands. Just get used to that motion first. Then, when you start hitting the ball, keep using your shoulders.

That’s how you generate the most power on this shot.

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