Stop Popping Up Dinks (High-Level Fixes You Can Use Today)

Stop popping up your dinks at high-level play.

In this pickleball lesson, we break down 3 repeatable fixes that immediately reduce “pop-ups” during kitchen exchanges:
✅ Grip pressure: stay soft (about 20–30%) instead of squeezing the handle
✅ Footwork & balance: move first so you’re not reaching, leaning, or hitting off one leg
✅ Smart aggression: learn when to LIFT a dink (safe) vs when to PUSH a dink (attack)

Why this matters: against advanced opponents, even a slight pop-up is a free put-away. The goal isn’t just “dink softer”—it’s controlling the ball with the right hand tension, getting your body to the ball, and choosing the correct dink type based on spin/pace and how “dead” the incoming ball is.

In the video you’ll learn:
• The simple grip-pressure cue that instantly softens your touch in the kitchen
• How getting pushed off your spot creates pop-ups (and how to recover with better footwork)
• A practical rule: lift dink when you’re under pressure or facing heavy spin; push dink when you get a dead dink you can attack
• Where to place aggressive push dinks (including targeting the inside foot) without gifting a volley winner

If you’re working on consistent dinking, fewer pop-ups, and better kitchen patterns for doubles, this one is for you. Watch, then go drill it: start with “soft hands” reps, add footwork recovery, then alternate lift vs push decision-making until it becomes automatic.

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CHAPTERS (timestamps)
00:00 Intro — the #1 mistake that causes pop-ups
00:23 Fix #1: Grip pressure (20–30% soft hands)
01:09 Fix #2: Footwork & staying balanced under pressure
02:19 Fix #3: Don’t over-attack — lift dink vs push dink
03:46 When you CAN attack: recognizing a “dead dink”
05:14 Quick recap: the 3 pop-up fixes
05:34 Wrap-up + what to watch next

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