• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

OnCourt OffCourt Blog

Tennis Training & Pickleball Tips

  • Tennis Training
  • Pickleball Training
  • Video Trainings
  • Mobility & Wellness
  • Coaching Tips
  • Testimonials
  • Shop
  • Contact Us

The Science of Pickleball – Does Spin Matter?

The Science of Pickleball – Does Spin Matter?

The ongoing debate about the importance of spin in pickleball continues. 

Taking the “bull by the horns” (or pickleball by the horns?), we hired a film crew to shoot high speed footage of top level pickleball players to let the facts speak for themselves.

Then we simulated that average ball speed, RPMs, and trajectory with a Pickleball Tutor Plus to film ball after ball in order to film consistent patterns that meet the rigors of scientific study.

To share our research, we produced a 15-episode video series for YouTube called “The Science of Pickleball.” In this column, we put pen to paper to share this data with the readers of Pickleball Magazine. This first article shares the basics of pickleball RPMs, compares them to tennis, and discusses some of the basics of spin. Future columns will go into more depth with key indicators to help all levels of pickleball players improve. 

First, we learned that both top men and women can hit in the 1400-1500 Revolutions Per Minute (RPMs) range with topspin groundstrokes. While this may sound like a high number, the effect on ball flight is much less than tennis for two reasons.

  • First, tennis players of similar levels can hit topspin groundstrokes with twice the RPMs and top professionals reach over 4,000 RPMs.
  • Second, tennis balls do not have holes in them! The effect of 1500 RPMs of topspin in “holey” pickleball is far less than tennis, as the high pressure created above the ball only minimally pushes the ball downward as compared to tennis due to these holes. 

Does topspin help keep the ball in play?

Yes, but just to a small extent.

It is also much more challenging to hit topspin in pickleball as compared to tennis because pickleballs are hard, do not compress on the paddle, and the stringless hard paddle surface makes the ball rebound twice as fast as a tennis racquet as well.

You’ll hear more on this intriguing topic in future OnCourt OffCourt pickleball blogs! Stay tuned.

Joe Dinoffer

Joe Dinoffer is a Master Professional in both the USPTA and PTR, has been recognized with numerous national awards including the 2019 City of Dallas Humanitarian Award for contributions to inner city tennis, and has conducted clinics and exhibitions in over 50 countries. Joe is the author and editor of 9 books and more than 20 DVDs, has more than 300 published articles in various tennis and pickleball magazines, and has aired many instructional tips on the Tennis Channel. Plus, Joe’s YouTube channel has more than 2 million views and growing! His latest book “Words, Wisdom, and Whimsy” is the second volume of an illustrated series called “Poems from the Heart.” In 1994, Joe founded OnCourt OffCourt, Ltd., a company dedicated to serving the tennis, pickleball, fitness, yoga, and physical education industries with innovative training aids and educational tools. Today, he has designed and manufactured more than 150 creative products being distributed and used in 100 countries worldwide.

Share this with a friend

watch free at home pickleball tutorials

Sign up for Free Training Videos

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Our Blog

The OnCourt OffCourt blog is your #1 source for all things tennis, pickleball, fitness and wellness. Tons of free training videos, tips, and training aid recommendations. We are committed first and foremost to education. If you want to improve your game on and off the. court, you’re in the right place!

  • Tennis Training
  • Pickleball Training
  • Mobility Wellness 
  • Video Trainings
  • Shop
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
  • Mindfulness Blog

OnCourt OffCourt Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 · Wellness Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “ACCEPT ALL”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsREJECT ALLACCEPT ALL
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT