Pickleball Block Fixes Stop Pop-Ups By Missing Deep, Not High
- The Dink says midcourt blocks pop up when players aim for a perfect reset, and the fix is to push at the opponent’s body and miss deep, not high.
- The method comes from Richard of Richard Pickleball on YouTube, who says he borrowed it from the highest-level women in the game and from his partner Jack Munro.
- Richard says he expected to win back the point 20 or 30 percent of the time and now sees closer to 70 or 80 percent.
Why A Midcourt Block Keeps Floating Up
A fast attack reaches you in the midcourt, you try a soft block, and the ball sits up for an easy putaway. The Dink published a guide on October 21 that puts the blame somewhere unexpected. The problem, the article says, usually is not your hands. It is your goal.
Pop-ups happen when you try to hit a perfect reset off an attacking ball and swing up. A mishit then floats high. The Dink’s core fix is a change in mindset: “miss deep, not high.” A ball that lands long or goes at the opponent’s body is less dangerous than one left hanging above the net. The article adds that when you are behind in the point, the goal of a defensive shot should not be a soft landing in the kitchen.
The advice comes from Richard of Richard Pickleball on YouTube. According to The Dink, Richard borrowed the method from the highest-level women in the game and from his partner Jack Munro.
The Mini Counter Block
The Dink defines the mini counter block as a short, firm push that sends the ball back at your opponent without trying to win the point. Do not flick the wrist or swing up. Extend through the ball with the shoulder and keep the paddle loose in the wrist.
The article cites a 2025 study of recreational players that linked a consistently tight baseline grip to a higher rate of acute upper-body injuries. It gives no further detail on the study. The swing path is the priority over power, the article says: swing out toward the opponent, not up.
The Dink lays out four steps:
- Get low and set your paddle in front of you.
- Keep your wrist loose and do not snap it.
- Extend with the shoulder straight toward your opponent.
- Aim at the body, not at a perfect spot.
The payoff, according to the article, is that once your opponent has to block or counter, the next ball usually comes back slower and easier. That is when you reset.
Push First, Reset Second
The guide treats the exchange as two balls. Ball one is about survival: you push and accept that you are not winning the point yet. Ball two is about control. If it comes back high, reset it into the kitchen. If it comes back low, come in and counter.
What To Do With A Dead Ball In The Midcourt
The same rule applies: push at the body and miss deep, not high. The Dink recommends staying on the backhand when you can, as a backhand block gives a more stable, compact contact point. If your opponent moves to one side, shift your feet to keep the backhand, and take a small step toward the middle as they swing.
The trade-off is that a wide ball can need a short hop. The article says that is still a better trade than getting beamed down the middle. It also notes that a block taken out of the air at the kitchen line still counts as a volley under the rules, so your feet count as much as your hands.
Why Two Hands Beat One
Richard credits the “shovel push” to Munro and to top women on tour. Two hands give you more control of the paddle face. “Your off-hand is your steering wheel, and your arms are the engine.” The off-hand turns the face and the arms push forward.
The article adjusts the face for each kind of ball:
- Ball up high: keep the face flat and push through.
- Ball down low: open the face slightly and lift.
- Ball out wide: use a short swing and push it away from your body.
- Need a soft ball: drop to one hand briefly for touch.
Two hands also help with fast balls. The article says you barely need shoulder strength to absorb pace, as your backhand hand does the stabilizing.
If You Only Have One Hand Free
A one-handed backhand still works. Extend from the shoulder without engaging the wrist. The Dink says it is harder to keep the ball low that way, as the paddle angle is harder to fine-tune. Richard prefers two hands but says one hand is better than trying to hit a perfect reset.
Push In One Direction
Pushing in one direction is easier than redirecting across the body, and the easiest push goes straight toward the opponent. Open the face only when the incoming ball is slow or you are on it early. Keep the face flat on fast, heavy balls. “You are not trying to be precise, you are trying to survive.” Richard starts with two hands on nearly every block and drops to one only for a very soft ball.
How Often Do These Points Come Back?
Richard shared numbers from his own play. When he first tried the method, he expected to get back into the point maybe 20 or 30 percent of the time. In real games, he says, the result was closer to 70 or 80 percent. The figures are his own account, with no sample size given. He also says the approach leaves you less likely to flinch when you are terrified of getting attacked.
A Four-Step Practice Drill
The article suggests building the skill against a partner, in four stages:
- Your partner feeds a ball just above the net and you push it at their body.
- Your partner blocks or counters, and you reset the second ball into the kitchen.
- Add a dead ball off the bounce, then repeat on the backhand.
- Go live, and counter when the second ball sits low.
Accept That You Are Behind
The guide ends on mindset. Accept that you are behind in the point and play like it. “Make your opponent hit a tough ball. Then take control on the next shot.” The Dink says players who struggle with blocks often play too cautiously or too perfectly.
For recreational players, the message is simple. The next time a fast ball arrives in the midcourt, skip the delicate reset. Get low, push at the body, and make the other side hit one more ball.
