SCIENCE OF
PICKLEBALL
DO YOU KNOW THE FUNCTION OF THE 3 PARTS
OF EVERY SWING?
By Joe Dinoffer
In pickleball and tennis,
coaches commonly say, “Follow
through in the direction you
want to hit the ball.” This may
sound sensible, but it’s misleading
and can open players up to problems,
including too much grip tension,
which slows down your paddle speed
(and therefore the ball speed).
Why am I complaining about this
instruction? Because the followthrough
has nothing to do with the
direction you hit the ball! This is not a
typo. The reason the follow-through
has nothing to do with where you hit
the ball is simple: The ball has already
left the paddle!
There are three parts to every
swing. The backswing, point of
contact, and follow-through. Here
is the function of each of these
three parts:
Backswing – This is the part of the
swing where you build up paddle
speed and that converts to ball speed
or power.
Point of Contact – This is a
very short event, lasting only 2
milliseconds (1/500th of a second).
This part of the swing directs the ball,
creates all spin, and determines the
arc of the ball as well.
Follow-Through – This is the part
of the swing that occurs after the ball
has left the paddle. It has nothing to
do with direction, but it does play
an important role. Picture taking a
nice swing at the ball and slamming
on the brakes at contact! You would
have to grip very tight and tense up
your arm and your body. The followthrough
is needed to promote a more
relaxed stroke, which is needed to
swing faster (and hit harder!). Equally
important is that a relaxed followthrough
minimizes your risk of
injury! •
Joe Dinoffer is a master professional in the USPTA and
PTR, has written nine books, produced 22 DVDs, and
has appeared on the Tennis Channel. His company
www.OnCourtOffCourt.com manufactures training
aids for pickleball and tennis.
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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 | MAGAZINE 17