How to Hit a Pickleball with Spin: The Paddlespeed Guide
Pickleball spin allows you to hit harder shots that still drop into the court, create unpredictable bounces, and dominate the kitchen.
But how do you create spin with your pickleball paddle?
The secret isn't just wrist strength—it's understanding the physics behind hitting with spin and applying proven mechanics consistently.
With Paddlespeed, I’ll teach you how to swing faster and make proper contact with the ball to hit with high-impact spin every time.
Why Spin Matters in Pickleball
Spin transforms good players into great ones.
In fact, I like to say the player who can generate the most spin owns the kitchen.
Creating spin allows you to:
Hit aggressive shots that still drop into the court
Create unpredictable bounces that disrupt opponents
Generate better net clearance on attacking shots
Control rally pace and ball placement
Mastering spin techniques can separate casual players from competitive ones.
The Science Behind Pickleball Spin
Spin is speed applied in a different vector. This fundamental principle means you can generate spin using the same process that creates power—the difference lies in how you make contact with the ball.
The Globe Spinning Analogy
Think of spinning a globe as hard as possible.
You would coil your body, approach the globe with the bottom of your hand, and brush upward through it.
This exact principle applies to every pickleball shot.
The Magnus Effect Explained
When you create spin, you trigger the Magnus effect:
Image credit: pickleballscience.com
Air resistance builds on top of the spinning ball
A vacuum forms on the bottom of the ball
Downward force results from this pressure difference
This effect allows you to swing aggressively upward with heavy topspin while keeping the ball in bounds.
The spin pulls the ball down for you.
How to Generate More Spin: The Four-Step System
The Paddlespeed method is about following four key steps to create spin.
Step 1: Coil
Your coil remains identical whether hitting for power or spin. You're storing energy by rotating your body like a spring coiling into the ground.
During the coil you are lining up your paddle and hand behind the ball.
Key principle: This stored energy can be directed multiple ways at contact—create power by swinging straight through the ball or create spin by brushing upward.
Step 2. Speedup
As you speed up from your coil, your approach angle determines success.
More topspin means the paddle head is below the ball. More flat drive means the paddle is more behind the ball at the level of the ball.
Release the legs and let them drive the uncoiling of the body
Allow natural body rotation to accelerate the paddle toward the ball
Don’t think arm, think body.
Step 3. Transfer
The same momentum transfer principles apply, but your swing path creates the spin:
Let energy flow from legs through your entire body
Keep your paddle face slightly closed throughout
Relax the paddle and arm.
If the arm is relaxed, the paddle will naturally ‘lag’ and the butt of the paddle will accelerate toward the ball.
Step 4. Contact
Contact the ball in front of the body. The arm will have moved forward and will ‘stop’ and the paddlehead will ‘pop’, flaring outward to contact the ball.
At contact, imagine spinning a globe as hard as possible: Imagine sending the spinning globe over the net
Brush upward through contact
Feel the contact point
Follow through high and across your body
Professional Pickleball Spin Examples
Tyson McGuffin demonstrates perfect heavy serve technique. His paddle faces down at the start, his body drives upward as he rotates, creating maximum brush on the ball.
Compare this to Ben Johns, who prefers flatter serves with a more direct swing path through the ball rather than heavy brushing action.
When to Use Different Types of Spin in Pickleball
Understanding when to apply specific spin techniques will help you approach each shot selection wisely. Here's how to choose the right spin for every situation:
When to Use Topspin
Use topspin when you want to:
Attack from the baseline with drives and passing shots
Hit aggressive third shot drives that dip at opponents' feet
Create offensive opportunities from mid-court positions
Generate net clearance on low balls while keeping them in bounds
Attack balls slightly below the net at the kitchen
Topspin allows you to swing aggressively upward while the Magnus effect pulls the ball down. This makes it perfect for offensive shots where you need both power and control.
When to Use Backspin
A backhand slice dink works best when:
The ball is low and below the net on your backhand side
You want the ball to "skid and stay down" after bouncing
Creating cross-court angles that are difficult to attack
You need a controlled shot that travels with velocity but drops quickly
As I explain in the slice dink lesson, "I prefer a slide rather than a slice—it's like you're sliding across a table." This technique creates a ball that bites when it hits the ground.
When to Use Slice Volleys
When pulled wide and unable to generate topspin effectively
Creating drop volleys that die quickly after crossing the net
Emergency situations where you need immediate ball control
Situational Spin Strategy
Kitchen line
High balls: Use topspin flick volleys to drive balls down at opponents' feet
Low balls: Apply the slice technique to keep balls traveling low and controlled
Firefight situations: Focus on getting balls down using topspin to maintain the high ground
Baseline
Offensive positions: Heavy topspin drives to create pressure
Defensive positions: Slice or controlled topspin to reset the point
Transition shots: Roll drives with moderate topspin to approach the net safely
When to Use Spin Based on Your Opponent
Against aggressive topspin heavy players: Use slice to slow down pace and disrupt their rhythm. The ball's tendency to stay low after bouncing forces them to hit up, giving you tactical advantages.
Against defensive players: Heavy topspin creates pressure and forces errors. The unpredictable bounce from heavy spin makes consistent defense much more difficult.
Spin Techniques for Specific Shots
Heavy Topspin Serves
To hit serves with maximum topspin, focus on:
Toss positioning that allows upward swing path
Closed paddle face maintained through contact
Exaggerated low-to-high motion for maximum brush
Follow through as if "spinning over the fence"
Topspin Drives from Baseline
Effective driving with spin involves:
Getting your paddle below the ball early in preparation
Coiling your body to generate upward motion
Contacting the ball with slightly closed paddle face
Pulling ball down with spin rather than muscling it
Volley Spin Techniques
Even at the net, spin generation works when you can:
Coil your wrist and forearm down for low balls
Use an upward "flick" motion through contact
Keep your wrist relaxed to use the “whip effect”
Focus on brushing rather than blocking
Common Mistakes When Trying to Hit with Spin
All Arm, No Body
Hitting with the most spin comes from using your entire kinetic chain, not just wrist movement. Your body's coil and rotation create that foundation for all spin.
Hitting Too Flat
Don't fear exaggerating the upward motion. Heavy topspin requires commitment to a low-to-high swing path.
Muscle Tension
Keep your arm and wrist relaxed to allow proper acceleration and the natural whip effect at contact.
Wrong Contact Point
Get underneath the ball for topspin creation, not beside it. Your approach angle determines spin quality.
Pickleball Drills for Spin
The Paddlespeed program includes 118 targeted drills. Several of the drills will help you specifically focus on hitting with more spin, including:
Focusing on the Serve (7 total):
Spin Cycle - Specifically designed for heavy topspin serves
Over the Fence - Creates maximum topspin through the Magnus effect
Paddle Butt - Develops the whip action essential for spin
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Focusing on the Coil:
Basic Coil Drill - The foundation for all spin shots
Show the X Drill - Proper body rotation for spin generation
Sit and Hit Drill - Loading energy into the legs for spin power
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Contact-Specific Spin Drills:
Globe Spinning Drills - Understanding how paddle contact creates different spins
Topspin Contact Drills - Low-to-high paddle movement
Slice Contact Drills - High-to-low cutting motion
Shot-Specific Spin Drills:
Roll Drive Drills - Cross-court spin shots
Topspin Dink Drills - Forehand and backhand aggressive dinking
Slice Dink Drills - Underspin for court positioning
Flick Volley Drills - Topspin from below net level
Sign up for the course today to get access to all 118 drills, along with the 23 lessons to understand the concepts.
Hitting with Pro-Level Spin
Creating consistent, heavy spin isn't about wrist strength—it's about technique.
When you master the Paddlespeed approach, you'll start hitting shots that seemed impossible before.
Spin is created by how you swing the paddle through the ball, not the paddle itself. Using the Paddlespeed approach, spin comes from your body's coil and rotation, transferred through proper mechanics to create brushing contact with the ball. The key is approaching from below and following through upward, like spinning a globe with your hand.
Can you add spin to a pickleball serve?
Yes, and heavy topspin serves can be extremely effective. The technique requires an exaggerated low-to-high swing path while keeping your paddle face closed. You want to swing as if hitting the ball "over the fence" while the closed paddle face brings it down through the Magnus effect.
How do you create backspin in pickleball?
While topspin is more tactically advantageous, backspin is created by reversing the swing path—approaching the ball from above and brushing downward through contact. However, topspin allows aggressive hitting while keeping balls in bounds, making it generally more effective.
Why was spinning the ball on the toss banned in pickleball?
The ‘spin toss’ using hand manipulation before striking was banned because it created unfair advantages not based on paddle mechanics. You can still create incredible spin using proper swing technique, which is actually more effective and consistent than the old hand-manipulation method.
How do you get more spin in pickleball?
More spin comes from better application of the four Paddlespeed steps: coil your body to store energy, speed up from the ground up, transfer momentum through your kinetic chain, and contact the ball with proper brushing technique. The most important factor is swing path—getting underneath the ball and following through upward while keeping your wrist relaxed.
Which pickleball paddles generate the most spin?
While paddle surface influences spin potential, technique matters far more than equipment. Any legal paddle can generate significant spin with proper body mechanics and swing path. Focus on mastering the technique first, then experiment with different paddles to optimize your improved technique.
