Proper Paddle Ball Techniques

Similar to racquetball and squash, paddleball is a sport played in a walled court. The official sport has rules and regulations created by the United States Paddleball Association. The rules of the game are similar to racquetball, but the paddle and the ball are different. Paddleball uses a wooden paddle and a hard ball similar to squash, while racquet ball uses a stringed paddle and a ball similar to tennis.

  1. Proper Hand Grip

    • Proper hand grip allows a player to have more power and to easily direct the ball's direction. To hold the paddle properly, grip the handle as if you are shaking someone's hand. The thumb should be pointing away from the body and forefinger should be pointing sideways, with the rest of the fingers gripping the handle tightly.

    Proper Stance

    • Proper stance helps players be more alert and have better reaction time. Just like table tennis and badminton, a paddleball player should bend his knees halfway, crouch a little and slightly raise both arms, especially the hand holding the paddle. This stance conditions the body for sudden movements and better response time.

    Hitting the Ball

    • Aside from proper hand grip, a paddleball player must also learn how to use different areas of the paddle's face when hitting the ball. For example, hitting the ball using the middle area of your paddle makes the ball travel in a straight direction, while hitting it using the areas near the edge of the paddle directs it in another direction.

    Advanced Hitting Techniques

    • Aside from maximizing the face of your paddle to manipulate the ball's direction, you can also change the position or angle of your paddle to create spins. In other games using paddles, this technique is known as a "chop." To do this, approach the ball and position your paddle as if you are chopping the ball in half. Just like the basic technique in hitting the ball, the place where the ball hits the face of your paddle produces different spinning effects.