How to Volley in Pickleball: Technique & Drills

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A volley in pickleball is any shot you hit out of the air before the ball bounces. Volleys are especially important near the Kitchen line, where you have less reaction time and large swings are difficult to control.

The most useful starting point is the punch volley: keep the paddle in front, use a short compact motion, contact the ball in front of your body, and direct it toward a useful target rather than taking a full groundstroke swing.

When an opponent sends more pace than you can comfortably attack, the same ready position can become a softer block or reset instead.

The basic decision is:

Attack the ball when your contact position allows it. Absorb and neutralize it when you are under pressure.

Pickleball volley technique at a glance

Part of the volley	What to focus on
Ready position	Paddle up and in front
Stance	Balanced and athletic
Backswing	Very small or none
Contact	In front of your body
Motion	Short and compact
Paddle face	Stable and directed toward the target
Placement	Keep the ball low or direct it into open space
Recovery	Return paddle to ready position immediately

What is a volley in pickleball?

A volley occurs whenever you contact the ball before it bounces.

That includes:

• punch volleys;
• block volleys;
• roll volleys;
• overhead volleys;
• defensive volley resets.

The serve and return of serve are exceptions at the beginning of the rally because of pickleball’s two-bounce rule. The serve must bounce, and the return must also bounce before either team can begin volleying.

If those opening rules are still unfamiliar, start with our How to Play Pickleball guide.

Where can you volley in pickleball?

You may volley from outside the Non-Volley Zone, better known as the Kitchen.

You cannot volley while touching:

• the Kitchen;
• the Kitchen line;
• anything inside the Kitchen that would create an applicable Non-Volley Zone fault.

Your momentum after the volley also matters. If the momentum created by your volley carries you into the Kitchen before you regain control, it can still be a fault.

See our Pickleball Kitchen Rules guide for the complete Non-Volley Zone explanation.

Where should you stand to volley?

Many volleys are played from just behind the Kitchen line.

This position lets you take balls out of the air before they travel deeper into your court and gives opponents less time before the ball comes back.

But being close to the net also reduces your own reaction time.

That is why good volley technique relies on:

• early preparation;
• compact movements;
• a paddle already in front of the body;
• balanced positioning.

A large tennis-style backswing usually creates more problems than power at this distance.

How to hit a basic punch volley

1. Start with the paddle in front

Keep the paddle up and in front of your torso rather than hanging beside your leg.

This reduces how far the paddle needs to travel when the ball arrives.

At the Kitchen line, a few unnecessary inches of preparation can matter because rallies can become very fast.

2. Stay balanced

Use an athletic position with your knees slightly bent and your weight ready to move in either direction.

Avoid leaning so far forward that you cannot react to a ball hit toward your body or behind your movement.

3. Keep the backswing small

The punch volley needs very little preparation.

Instead of pulling the paddle far behind you, meet the ball with a short controlled motion.

Think punch, not swing.

4. Contact the ball in front

Try to meet the ball comfortably in front of your body.

Contact that gets too close to your body can jam your arm and make paddle-angle control difficult.

Contact that gets behind you often forces a weak or poorly directed response.

5. Direct the paddle toward your target

The punch volley uses a short forward movement toward your intended target.

You do not need a dramatic follow-through. Keep the motion controlled enough that the paddle remains stable through contact.

6. Recover immediately

Do not admire the shot.

Bring the paddle back into a ready position immediately because the next ball may arrive very quickly.

Forehand vs backhand volley

The same basic principles apply to both sides:

• paddle in front;
• minimal backswing;
• balanced base;
• contact in front;
• short controlled movement.

Do not try to run around every ball to hit a forehand.

At the Kitchen line, balls often arrive too quickly for that. A compact backhand volley is therefore an essential part of your net game.

For balls arriving near the center of your body, the backhand position can also give you a compact way to protect the space directly in front of you.

Punch volley vs block volley

These shots may begin from a similar ready position, but their goals are different.

Punch volley	Block volley
Adds controlled forward pressure	Absorbs incoming pace
Short punching motion	Very little movement
Used when you have time and a stable contact	Used when opponent’s pace puts you under pressure
Often directs ball deeper or toward feet	Often redirects ball softly into Kitchen
More offensive or neutral	Primarily defensive

When a fast ball is already supplying all the pace you need, swinging harder can make the situation worse.

That is when a block or reset becomes useful.

How to hit a defensive block volley

A block volley simplifies the motion even further.

1. Keep the paddle in front.
2. Track the incoming ball.
3. Use a relaxed enough grip to absorb some pace.
4. Avoid a large backswing.
5. Present a stable paddle face.
6. Let the opponent’s speed provide much of the energy.

If your goal is to soften the ball into the Kitchen, the block volley effectively becomes a defensive reset.

When should you attack a volley?

Not every volley should be hit hard.

The height of your contact is one of the most useful clues.

Contact situation	Likely choice
Ball clearly above net height	More offensive volley may be available
Ball near net height	Controlled punch or placement
Ball below net height	Be more cautious; avoid forcing downward offense
Hard ball jamming your body	Block, counter, or reset depending on control
You are stretched or off balance	Prioritize keeping the ball low and in play

A higher ball gives you a better chance to hit forward or downward.

A lower ball often requires more restraint because forcing an attack may send the ball upward into an opponent who is already waiting at the Kitchen.

Where should you aim your volleys?

You do not need to aim for the sideline every time.

Useful targets include:

• the opponent’s feet;
• the middle between two players;
• open court created when an opponent moves wide;
• a weaker backhand or less comfortable contact zone;
• a low Kitchen target when you need to neutralize rather than attack.

Aim at the feet

A volley that reaches an opponent around their feet is difficult to attack aggressively because they have to lift the next ball.

Use the middle

The middle gives you a larger target than a sideline and may create hesitation between doubles partners.

It can be especially useful when both opponents are positioned near the Kitchen and neither has clearly claimed the ball.

Use angles when the court opens

If an opponent is pulled wide, an angled volley may exploit the open space they leave behind.

Do not force extreme angles from difficult contact points just because open court exists.

How hard should you hit a volley?

As hard as you can control—not as hard as you can physically swing.

Because many volleys are hit relatively close to the net, placement and reaction time can create pressure without maximum power.

Adding more speed is useful only if you can still:

• make clean contact;
• keep the ball in;
• recover for the next shot;
• avoid leaving the ball high for a counterattack.

Why large swings cause problems

A big swing creates several problems at the Kitchen line.

• It takes longer to prepare.
• It creates more timing variability.
• It makes paddle-angle control harder.
• It delays your recovery for the next ball.
• It can add far more pace than the shot requires.

If your volleys repeatedly fly long, shortening the stroke should be one of the first adjustments you try.

Why do my volleys pop up?

A pop-up gives opponents a ball they can potentially attack from above net height.

Common causes include:

• an excessively open paddle face;
• a large upward swing;
• late contact;
• being off balance;
• trying to create power from a low ball;
• gripping or swinging too aggressively on a ball that should have been blocked.

Start by simplifying the motion and stabilizing the paddle face.

Why do my volleys keep going into the net?

Possible causes include:

• contacting the ball too late;
• closing the paddle face too much;
• trying to hit downward on a ball below net height;
• dropping the paddle before contact;
• taking an unnecessarily large swing.

Remember that you cannot hit downward through a net that is higher than your contact point. Lower balls require enough trajectory to clear the net.

Paddle ready position after every volley

The rally does not stop after you hit one good volley.

Immediately return your paddle toward a neutral ready position in front of your body.

This is particularly important during faster exchanges because your opponent may redirect the next ball before you have time for another large preparation.

Volley vs dink

A volley is defined by taking the ball before it bounces.

A dink is normally a soft shot played after the bounce into the opponent’s Kitchen.

Near the Kitchen line you constantly switch between these skills:

• let a low ball bounce and dink it;
• volley a higher ball before it lands;
• block a fast attack;
• reset a difficult volley softly;
• attack an obvious high ball.

Good net play is therefore as much about choosing the right response as executing the stroke.

Common volley mistakes

Mistake	Typical result	Better cue
Paddle hangs low	Late preparation	Keep paddle up and in front
Large backswing	Poor timing and balls long	Use a compact punch
Contact beside or behind body	Less control	Meet the ball in front
Swinging at every hard drive	Errors and pop-ups	Block or reset when pressured
Attacking very low volleys	Ball goes into net or sits up	Respect contact height
Standing on the Kitchen line	Greater risk of NVZ fault	Maintain awareness of the line
Watching your shot	Late for next ball	Recover paddle immediately

Simple volley drill #1: cooperative punch volleys

Start with control rather than trying to win the exchange.

1. Both players stand just behind their Kitchen lines.
2. Volley cooperatively back and forth.
3. Keep the paddle in front.
4. Use minimal backswing.
5. Try to maintain 10 consecutive controlled volleys.
6. Gradually increase the pace while keeping the same compact mechanics.

Simple volley drill #2: forehand and backhand

Have a partner feed balls alternately to your forehand and backhand sides.

1. Begin in a neutral ready position.
2. Volley the forehand feed.
3. Recover the paddle to the middle.
4. Volley the backhand feed.
5. Repeat without taking a large backswing.

The emphasis is recovery. Every volley should finish with you ready for the next one.

Simple volley drill #3: punch or block

This drill adds decision-making.

1. Your partner feeds a mixture of moderate and hard balls.
2. Use a controlled punch volley on balls you can comfortably handle.
3. Use a softer block on faster balls that put you under pressure.
4. Try to keep both responses low.
5. Recover to ready position after every feed.

The goal is to recognize that the same incoming height can require a different response depending on pace and your balance.

Simple volley drill #4: target the feet

Place or imagine a large target near your partner’s feet.

1. Have your partner feed volleyable balls.
2. Use a compact punch volley.
3. Try to direct the ball toward the target rather than simply hitting harder.
4. Count successful placements out of 10.

This shifts the focus from raw power to useful placement.

A simple volley progression

1. Learn a neutral paddle-ready position.
2. Build a compact forehand punch volley.
3. Build a compact backhand punch volley.
4. Practice recovering after every contact.
5. Add directional placement.
6. Learn to block harder incoming balls.
7. Practice deciding between punch, block, and reset.
8. Only then add more advanced options such as roll volleys and faster counters.

A reliable basic volley gives you a foundation for almost every faster skill around the Kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a volley in pickleball?

A volley is any shot where you strike the ball out of the air before it bounces.

Can you volley in the Kitchen?

No. You may not volley while touching the Non-Volley Zone or its boundary line, and momentum from the volley cannot carry you into the zone before you regain control.

What is a punch volley?

A punch volley is a compact volley using a short controlled forward motion instead of a large swing. It is one of the foundational volleys used near the Kitchen line.

What is a block volley?

A block volley absorbs incoming pace with very little paddle movement. It is commonly used defensively against hard drives and can be used to reset the ball softly into the Kitchen.

Should you swing at a pickleball volley?

Basic volleys usually require a much smaller motion than a groundstroke. A compact punch is enough for many offensive or neutral balls, while defensive block volleys may need almost no swing at all.

Should you use forehand or backhand volleys?

You should be comfortable with both. Fast exchanges often do not give you enough time to run around a backhand just to create a forehand contact.

Sources

• USA Pickleball — Volley Fundamentals in Pickleball
• USA Pickleball — Defensive vs. Offensive Volleys at the Kitchen
• USA Pickleball — How to Hit a Backhand Punch Volley
• USA Pickleball — How to Play Pickleball