Improve Your Continental Grip in Pickleball

This video reviews tips for your grip and contact points during a return. For the grip, you’ll want to have what is called a continental grip. You may also hear it called the hammer grip or the handshake grip.  

With this grip, it’s going to feel like you’re holding a hammer or giving someone a handshake. When doing it properly, you’ll notice that it makes the slight V-shape with the edge of the paddle that meets at the center of your thumb and index finger.  

As for your stance, you’ll want to be a few feet behind the baseline. It’s always easier to move forward than backwards. Even if someone hits their serve short, you should have no issue getting up to hit a short ball.  

When it comes to technique on how to hit these returns, you want to make sure you return the ball in front of you. You want to make contact with that ball when it’s out in front of you, not from your sides.