Ben Johns Topspin Drive Secrets: Professional pickleball star Ben Johns has shared his advice on how to hit a topspin drive, one of the most important shots in the game. He explained that players should focus on body movement, hip rotation, and paddle control to make the shot more powerful and consistent.
Using the Body for Power
Ben Johns said that most players depend too much on their wrist when hitting hard shots. Instead, he shared that his power comes mainly from his hips and torso.
“It’s a good thing to generate power from your wrist, but you’re going to want to harness it and rely on your body a little bit more because the wrist has a little more variance in terms of its range of motion. Therefore, when you use it a lot, it might not always end up exactly where you want it. You’ll get varying heights and results, even though you got power,” he explained. “You want to have a little wrist motion, but rely more on the twist of the hips for power because that’s much more consistent because this doesn’t have a huge range of motion. Use your hips for power and just stay low through the ball and it will keep the ball low, too, and have it go just over the net.”
He also suggested hitting the shot from a fully-closed stance to gain more power.
Wrist and Paddle Position
Johns explained the importance of wrist position at the moment of contact.
“Your wrist has different varying contact with how much it’s open versus closed, so when you get to right about the contact point, make sure the paddle is a little more closed and with a low-to-high swing,” demonstrated Johns.
He added that players should give their arm more space to swing instead of keeping it too close to the chest. This, he said, helps avoid getting stuck in tight positions.
Learning From Tennis Technique
For players with a tennis background, Johns suggested using the outside of the ball to create extra spin.
“Come from the outside of the ball to the inside. It’s a very small adjustment because the ball is not big, but it makes a huge difference,” he insisted. “When we’re hitting these drives, instead of hitting just behind the ball, we want to hit the outside of the ball. Envision that you’re hitting the outside third of the ball.”
He also recommended making contact with the ball at its highest point after the bounce to control the shot better.
Why It Matters
Ben Johns’ tips show that hitting a topspin drive is not just about power but also about control, timing, and technique. By using the hips for strength, adjusting the wrist at contact, and brushing the outside of the ball, players can improve their consistency. These lessons can help beginners and experienced players alike perform like the pros.
News in Brief: Ben Johns Topspin Drive Secrets
Pickleball star Ben Johns shared tips on hitting a topspin drive. He explained that power should come from the hips, not just the wrist. Johns advised using a closed stance, keeping the paddle slightly closed, brushing the outside of the ball, and striking at peak bounce for control and consistency.