Master the Two-Handed Backhand
The grip, footwork and contact points for generating power, spin and control
By Connor Garnett • Professional Pickleball Player
November 4, 2026 • 6 min read
The two-handed backhand is one of the most difficult and uncomfortable shots in pickleball. To feel comfortable hitting this shot to any spot on the court, we need to get the preparation right, understand how to hit the ball hard and learn how to maintain control.
I want to break down the footwork and the steps leading up to the shot, how we hit it with power and how we control the ball. It all starts with getting the preparation dialed in before we hit the pickleball.
Get the Grip Right
As a right-handed player, I start with my right hand in a continental, or shake-hand, grip. My left hand goes on the back of the paddle, and I personally put one finger on the back because it gives me a little more feel when I am going around this shot.
Some players put two fingers on the back of the paddle for more feel, while others use no fingers for a little more power. I recommend starting with one finger and adjusting up or down based on the amount of feel you want on the shot.
8 Steps to a Better Backhand
- Get the grip right
- Step in with your right foot (for right-handed players)
- Keep your hips open and shift your weight into the ball
- Start with paddle below the ball
- Line up contact with the middle of your chest
- Keep enough separation between your arms and body
- Use a low-to-high swing path, finishing in the “backpack.”
- Regulate your backswing based on the distance you want.
Use Your Footwork to Get Into the Shot
Once we have the grip, we get into the footwork. If the ball is close, I shuffle over to it and step in with my right foot. For a left-handed player, the footwork is the opposite. Stepping in allows me to shift my weight into the ball and get the kinetic chain engaged.
If I do not have that front foot in position, or if I block my hips with my footwork, I cut off the kinetic chain. I want to keep my hips open as I move into the shot, planting my outside foot and stepping in with my front foot. One little hack that helps with the weight shift is going heel to toe with the front foot, which naturally allows me to move into the court a little more.
If the ball is farther away, I might use a crossover and then an outside step. The most important thing is planting the outside foot, stepping in with the front foot and getting my weight into the ball. If my front foot crosses over too far and I end up facing perpendicular to the court, I block my hips and get into trouble.
Let the Hips Bring the Paddle Out
When I think about the two-handed backhand drive, I want my paddle to start below the ball. I let my hips bring the paddle out, keeping that connection from hip to paddle rather than trying to elbow the shot.
From there, I put the paddle in what I call the “backpack.” The weight shift gives me power, and the low-to-high swing plane gives me lift and spin. Finishing with the paddle in the “backpack” helps with control and continued spin.
As I step in, my paddle is below the ball and at a downward angle, allowing me to swing up through it. I do not have to swing super fast because I am letting the hips bring the paddle out. If I start with my paddle above the ball, I am going to miss into the net. Starting below the ball gives me the lift I need, while the finish helps with control.
Find the Right Contact Point
One of the biggest places I see players struggle with power on the two-handed backhand is the contact point. I want to line up contact with the middle of my chest, rather than making contact too far in front or too far behind my body.
I also do not want the ball too close to me. When my arms are too close to my body, I do not get that natural connection of my arms being a lever. The farther something is from the central point, the more acceleration it can generate. With my arms a little more extended away from my body, I can impart more force onto the ball.
When I make contact too close to my body, I may still get the ball over the net, but there is not much pace on it. If my contact point is too far in front, I also lose pace. I want enough separation from my body while lining up the contact with my chest so my hips and body can put pace on the ball.
I give myself time to be intentional about where I am hitting the shot. I step over, wait and line it up rather than rushing to get my body over to the ball. The swing pace of my arms is not as important as getting the timing right. I see players get caught up in swinging fast when they are actually losing power because they are not lining up the right contact point.
One thing that helps me is thinking about letting the ball drop onto the paddle. It naturally slows things down and allows me to time the shot a little better. We can slow down the swing and still get more power when the contact is right.
Use Your Shoulders for Control
The next part is controlling the ball with my shoulders and how I go through contact. When I hit the two-handed backhand, I want to lean a little with my shoulders. The shoulders help absorb the impact instead of taking it straight on.
If I go a little more around the ball rather than directly through it, I do not have to control that impact as much. I can send the ball back to the spots I want a little more easily. When I stay upright, I have a harder time keeping the ball close to the net.
I focus on keeping my shoulders down and going a little more around the ball. Even when I get my shoulders down, going directly through the ball can make it harder to get the lift I want over the net. When the shot feels uncomfortable, getting my shoulders down and going a little more around the ball gives me more feel.
Regulate the Backswing for Distance
The final part is distance control. I focus on two things: backswing regulation and letting the ball drop onto the paddle.
The more I can wait for the ball, the more control I have. For distance, the closer to the ball I start my swing, the easier it is to swing fast without sending the ball out. A bigger swing gives me more power because there is more acceleration through the shot. With a shorter swing, I can swing just as fast, but the ball does not go as far.
If I am missing long, I shorten my swing and start closer to the ball. If I am missing short, I take a bigger backswing and go through it. Letting the ball drop onto the paddle also helps because the ball is moving its slowest at that point. If I want to hit a softer shot, I can wait a little longer before starting my swing.
If my opponent hits a harder ball and I do not have time to let it drop, I shorten my swing. This allows me to take the power of the incoming shot and absorb it. When I have more time, I can take a bigger swing. Sometimes I use a middle swing when I cannot let the ball drop as much but still want to maintain control.
The Twoey Takeaway
The two-handed backhand starts with the right preparation. Get the grip and footwork dialed in, keep the hips open and let the hips bring the paddle out. Start below the ball and finish with that low-to-high swing path into the “backpack.”
Line up contact with the middle of the chest, keep enough separation from the body and give yourself time to hit the shot. For control, keep the shoulders down, go a little more around the ball and regulate the backswing based on the distance you want.
When the preparation, contact point and timing are right, you can generate more power, spin and control without having to swing your arms super fast. ●
About Connor Garnett
Ranked fifth in the world in men’s singles, Connor Garnett is a professional pickleball player competing on both the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball. Known for his athleticism, analytical approach, and his signature two-handed backhand known as the “Twoey”, Garnett has established himself as one of the sport’s most respected competitors and educators. Through his instructional series, Twoey’s Tips, he shares the technical insights, strategies, and training methods that have helped shape his professional game, giving players of all skill levels practical advice to elevate their performance on the court.
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