How to Hit a Forehand Speed Up Off the Bounce in Pickleball By Mari Humberg
How to Hit a Forehand Speed Up Off the Bounce in Pickleball
By Mari Humberg | Mari Humberg Pickleball
The game of pickleball is evolving fast. One of the biggest shifts at every level of play is that players are now attacking off the bounce just as much as they do out of the air. If you want to keep up — and keep your opponents guessing — mastering the forehand speed up off the bounce is essential.
Here are three key guidelines to help you execute this shot effectively, along with some common mistakes to avoid.
Guideline #1: Disguise Your Speed Up
The single most important rule for this shot is disguise. Your speed up cannot look different from your regular dink. The moment you show a big backswing telegraphing a harder shot, your opponent is already prepared.
If your dink is short and compact, your speed up needs to start the same way. The swing should look identical right up until contact. Now, some pros do use a big swing as part of their dinking game — and if that's your style, you can absolutely speed up from that same motion. The key is consistency: whatever your dink looks like is what your speed up must look like. Make it your own, and use it as a weapon.
Guideline #2: Think in Combinations, Not Winners
Here's the reality of speeding up off the bounce: you're rarely hitting a clean winner. Why? The balls you're attacking typically sit at or just below net height — they're not popping up high enough to drive downward for an outright put-away.
This is where combos and patterns become your best friend. Your goal with the speed up is to set up the next shot, not finish the point immediately. Speed it up, stay ready, and put it away on the follow-through.
The most common mistake? Watching your own attack. You hit a great speed up and stand there admiring it — and when the ball comes back, you're completely out of position. Stay low, reset your ready position immediately after contact, and expect the ball to return. The speed up is the setup; the combo is the finish.
Guideline #3: Target Below the Belly Button
Where you direct the speed up matters enormously. Your objective is to keep the ball low on your opponent — ideally below their belly button. Here's why:
If you hit the ball low to high and leave it high, you're handing them an easy counter. The higher the ball sits when it reaches them, the easier it is to attack right back at you. A low, hard ball forces them into an awkward defensive position and shifts the advantage in your favor in the hands battle.
Pickleball is chess. Every shot is a probability game. By targeting a low, uncomfortable spot — like the hip or at the body — you're giving yourself better than a 50% chance of winning the exchange. It's not a guaranteed winner, but it stacks the odds in your direction.
Body Position: Don't Speed Up Out of Position
One more critical element that often gets overlooked: your body must be well established before you attack. Weight forward, balanced, and ready.
Speeding up while you're off balance or pushed back in a dink rally is one of the most common errors in recreational play. If your opponent has worked you back or wide, your best move is often to reset with a dead dink and reestablish position — then look for your opportunity to speed up. Attacking from a compromised position makes the shot harder to execute and leaves you wide open for a counter.
Putting It All Together
The forehand speed up off the bounce is a high-percentage weapon when used correctly:
- Disguise it — match your dink motion
- Play the combo — be ready for the next ball
- Keep it low — target the hips or body
- Stay balanced — only attack from a strong position
This shot takes practice, but these guidelines will give you the confidence to start working it into your game. Try it in drills first, then bring it into match play when you're ready. Watch here for more!
For more tips and drills, follow Mari Humberg Pickleball and Fortify Pickleball Club on YouTube.
Explore more pro insights
All Articles