There is quite literally nothing as exciting as seeing an opponent pop the ball up too high and seeing it just floating through the air. You’re filled with a rush of anticipation as you get ready to bring the ball crashing back at your opponent, and the subsequent euphoria of seeing the opponent jump to avoid being hit. This is a spike in pickleball. But it isn’t always legal.
What is a Spike in Pickleball?
A spike has been called many things in pickleball. It’s a slam. It’s a smash. The technical term for the shot we’re talking about is an overhead.
Named for the location of your paddle when it makes contact with the ball, this is one of, if not the most fun shot in pickleball. Slamming the ball so fast your opponent can’t even make contact or better yet jumps out of the way is intensely satisfying.
The opportunity for these shots come from several scenarios. Sometimes the opposing pickleball players hit the ball with their paddled angled high and pop the ball up too much, either hitting it out of bounds or giving you the opportunity to spike the ball back at them. There are also times when the other team tries to hit a lob shot over your head but either it was poorly executed or the wrong shot selection and it gives you an easy chance at a slam.
Legal Spike
Is a spike legal in pickleball?
The answer is most of the time. In volleyball, ping pong, tennis and other net sports you can spike from anywhere. That is not the case here.
Because of the structure of pickleball, it wouldn’t be very fun to allow spiking right in front of the net. There isn’t a lot of space to cover, and the ball can’t be hit particularly hard or high relative to the other sports listed, so someone could just sit right at the net and win every point spiking the ball straight down. Not fun.
To remedy this pickleball employs a space in front of the net called the kitchen. Technically called the non volley zone, this is a box 7 feet deep right in front of the net. When any part of your body is in this box or your toe is on the kitchen line, you are not allowed to hit the ball out of the air. This includes spiking.
But outside of this box a spike in pickleball is legal anywhere else on the court.
What to do in the Kitchen
In the kitchen you can’t hit the ball out of the air. You have to let to it bounce. Once it bounces once you are free to hit it no matter where you are standing.
If a ball is popped up and you find yourself standing in the kitchen, track the ball in the air while backing up and reestablishing yourself outside of the kitchen with both feet. Now that you are fully outside the non volley zone again a spike is back in play.
If a ball is high enough for you to spike it standing in the kitchen, you should probably just back up because it will end up the perfect height for a regular stroke.
Spike Tips
Spikes are deceptively tricky shots. Everyone gets so excited at the opportunity all control and technique flies out the window. But you aren’t going to do that. You’re reading this article and will be ready.
The first thing you want to do is get your feet set. The right way to do this is to turn both your feet so that you could extend a line connecting your feet and would point where you want the ball to go.
A lot of people try to spike the ball in a ready position facing the other court, but you lose control on your shot doing this. Turn your body to the side as you set up for a spike.
Also, contrary to what you might believe, you don’t have to hit the ball as hard as you possibly can. Sometimes taking a little off it will help your aim and ball placement. Slamming the ball with all their might is how pickleball players end up smashing balls into the net and sending them out of bounds.
Finally use your none paddle hand to balance, increase body control, and give your paddle a target.
These photos from other racquet sports demonstrate this perfectly. The location of their off hand will be the point that you want to bring the paddle to to make contact with the ball. This will result in the best outcome.
Conclusion
There’s a ton of other strokes in pickleball other than spikes and overheads. The most important shot in pickleball is undoubtedly the volley. This is the first skill any beginner pickleball player must learn, and we put together a definitive guide on the basics of volleying. There’s also a ton of other resources on the rest of the site to checkout as you progress in the sport of pickleball.