Hawaii Pickleball Academy® | Practical pickleball coaching advice
Have you ever played against someone who hits every pickleball as hard as possible? No matter what shot you hit, they drive the ball right back at you. Before you have time to react, the ball is already past your paddle. These players are commonly called bangers, and they can be extremely frustrating, especially if you are not comfortable handling fast shots.
Over the years, I have worked with many pickleball players who struggle against opponents who constantly hit the ball hard. Some are afraid of getting hit. Others don’t react quickly enough. Some get jammed, and others simply don’t know what to do with their paddle when the ball comes toward their body.
The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to hit harder than a banger to beat them. In many situations, you can use their power against them.
My name is Honza Hroch, founder of Hawaii Pickleball Academy® in Honolulu. In this article, I’ll explain the strategies I teach, common mistakes players make, and practical drills that help make fast pickleball shots easier to handle.
Quick Answer: How to Beat a Banger
Start by learning to defend fast shots without panicking. Keep your paddle ready, bend your knees, and use compact blocks instead of large swings. Then add controlled returns toward your opponents’ feet, redirects away from the aggressive player, soft resets when needed, and counterattacks when the ball is attackable. Also learn to let balls going out pass.
Jump to a Strategy or Drill
What Is a Banger in Pickleball?
A banger is a player who relies heavily on hard drives and quick attacks rather than slowing down the game with softer shots. Some bangers have good technique and can control where the ball goes. Others hit everything hard and hope their opponents cannot return it. You need to recognize which kind you are facing. Power itself is not wrong. The problem is playing without knowing when power is the right choice.
1. Why Players Struggle Against Bangers
When a ball flies fast at someone, many players are afraid to place the paddle in the ball’s path. Sometimes they worry they will get hit. Sometimes they don’t react quickly enough. Sometimes the ball comes toward their body and they get jammed. They are not comfortable defending the speed.
I see players who can return a slow ball comfortably but start making unnecessary movements when the pace increases. They swing too much, change their paddle direction before they see the ball, or freeze. These are skills you can train. You don’t need to be the fastest athlete to develop a more dependable defensive response.
The first goal is to stop treating every fast ball like an emergency. Practice until you can see the direction, put your paddle where it needs to be, and make solid contact.
2. Reflect the Ball Instead of Swinging
The first thing I teach students is to use the paddle to reflect an incoming hard shot. You don’t always need a swing. The ball already carries speed. Placing a stable paddle in its path can send it right back. A large swing makes timing harder and often creates more mistakes.
Start with the paddle in front of your body and make a short movement to the ball. Firm your grip briefly at contact to keep the paddle stable, but avoid gripping so tightly all the time that your arm becomes tense. Your objective is clean contact and controlled direction, not maximum speed.
Drill: Ten Controlled Blocks
Have a partner stand across the net and feed ten firm, controlled drives. Begin with predictable balls to one side. Count how many returns land in. Try to make contact with very little swing. When you can return most of them, have the feeder alternate between forehands and backhands. Only increase speed after your control becomes dependable.
3. Get Lower and Stop Guessing Forehand or Backhand
One of the most important things against hard drives is getting ready early. Bend your knees and lower yourself into a balanced athletic stance. This often brings your eyes closer to the path of a ball traveling toward your body, making it easier to track. Your knees should be bent, but not so much that you cannot move.
The biggest mistake I see is guessing which side the ball will travel to. Players decide forehand or backhand too early, move their paddle, and then discover the ball is going somewhere else. They need to wait slightly longer to recognize the direction and then react. That doesn’t mean moving slowly. It means avoiding unnecessary movements.
If the ball is coming straight at your body, a compact backhand block is often easier than trying to create enough room for a forehand swing. Keep your paddle in front of you so you don’t get jammed.
4. Where Should You Stand Against Hard Hitters?
The kitchen line is generally the best position to control the net. But for students who struggle against very fast balls, I sometimes recommend standing approximately three feet behind the kitchen line. That extra distance gives you a little more reaction time. For some students, those extra moments help them remain calm and place the paddle correctly.
Of course, standing farther back also has disadvantages. It leaves more space in front of you and can make low shots toward your feet difficult. If you are comfortable at the kitchen line, stay there. Think of moving back slightly as an adjustment or temporary learning tool, not a rule for every rally.
As your defense improves, work toward handling the same drives closer to the kitchen line. The key is to understand why you are standing where you are.
5. Stop Hitting Every Ball Back to the Banger
If only one person is the banger, you don’t need to give that player every ball. Sometimes the smartest response is to redirect the drive toward their partner. Rather than staying in a power exchange with the same opponent, make the other player participate. This is particularly useful when that partner is less aggressive or is farther back.
Another useful target is at the opponent’s feet. I like teaching students to reflect the ball low toward where the opponent is standing, or to an available area slightly away from them. A low ball near someone’s feet is much harder to attack than a ball at comfortable chest height.
Placement matters more than just how hard you swing. You don’t want to redirect the ball so high that you create an easy winner for your opponent. Aim for a low, controlled ball that makes the next shot difficult.
Drill: Redirect to a Target
Have a feeder hit controlled drives while the defender alternates between returning toward the hitter’s feet and redirecting toward a second player. Begin slowly. When the defender can hit both targets reliably, allow the feeder to change the angle. This develops both control and decision-making.
6. My Favorite Drill Against Bangers
One of my favorite drills for preparing students to face bangers is to feed three fast drives toward their forehand, then three toward their backhand, while progressively moving closer to the kitchen line. As I move closer, they have less time to react. This helps them learn to handle speed rather than avoiding it.
Progressive Fast-Drive Drill: Step by Step
Step 1: Start at a comfortable distance and feed three controlled forehand drives. The student practices placing the paddle in the ball’s path and making a compact block.
Step 2: Feed three backhand drives. The student keeps the paddle ready and focuses on clean, controlled returns rather than taking a big swing.
Step 3: Gradually move closer toward the kitchen line and repeat. The ball now reaches the defender sooner, so they must prepare early and eliminate extra paddle movement.
Step 4: Repeat the drill straight ahead and crosscourt. Both directions are useful because the angle changes the incoming trajectory.
Step 5: After the student becomes comfortable with the predictable forehand and backhand feeds, introduce variation. Now they must recognize which side to use instead of guessing.
This drill should be challenging but controlled. Do not increase the speed so much that the student cannot make contact or feels unsafe. If they start panicking or losing their technique, slow down or move farther away. Build confidence and control before adding difficulty.
How do I know they are improving? I look for calmer reactions, cleaner contact, and the ability to reflect the ball without rushing. The player should also become more comfortable changing direction rather than returning every ball straight back.
7. Decide When to Reset and When to Counterattack
Some players have fast hands and good technique. They may be able to counterpunch a hard ball with another controlled, aggressive shot. But not everyone should try to do that. If you don’t control fast balls consistently, hitting harder can create even more mistakes.
A reset is a soft return that helps slow down the rally, often landing low in the opponent’s kitchen. A counterattack is a compact attacking shot that redirects the incoming pace. Choose based on the height and direction of the ball, your balance, and the position of your opponents.
Sometimes the direction of the counter matters more than its speed. For example, an opponent may hit a forehand drive and expect you to redirect it crosscourt. Hitting straight back toward the player who drove it can catch them preparing for the wrong direction, provided the shot is available and you can control it.
Drill: Block, Reset, and Counter
Have a partner feed a sequence of controlled drives. Block the first ball. On the second ball, practice a soft reset that lands near the kitchen. On the third ball, counterattack only if the feed is high enough to attack safely. If the ball is too low, make another reset. This teaches the player to make a decision instead of automatically hitting hard.
8. Let the Ball Go Out
One of the easiest ways to win against a hard hitter is to let the ball go out. Not every fast shot is going to land inside the court. Many players react automatically and touch balls that would have gone well beyond the baseline.
Learn to read the trajectory. If a player attacks a low ball from below net height and it is still climbing toward your shoulders or head, it may be traveling long. It is not a guarantee; spin and distance matter. But this is a judgment you can improve with practice.
Drill: Hit It or Leave It
Ask a partner to mix controlled balls that will land in with drives that will go long. Your goal is to decide whether to block or let the ball pass. Start at a manageable pace and gradually increase the challenge. Have someone observe where the balls land so you can learn from each decision.
9. Practice Against Hard Hitters Regularly
Practicing against bangers should be fun. Fast rallies challenge your reaction, concentration, and paddle control. The more often you hit against people who play fast, the more comfortable that speed becomes. Eventually, balls that used to feel difficult will seem much easier.
I want students to notice when they can reflect a fast ball calmly and consistently. That is a good indication they are becoming more comfortable and making quicker decisions. Keep track of how many controlled blocks you return, whether you are guessing less, and how often you can direct the ball to a chosen target.
A Simple 20-Minute Practice Plan
Minutes 1–5: Controlled blocks to the forehand and backhand. Focus on a stable paddle and small movement.
Minutes 6–10: Three forehands and three backhands, with the feeder moving closer as the defender improves.
Minutes 11–15: Redirect balls to the opponent’s feet or to a different side of the court. Prioritize accuracy.
Minutes 16–20: Mix blocks, resets, counterattacks, and leave-it decisions with more game-like feeds.
For more ways to structure your sessions, read my 8 pickleball drills for beginners and intermediate players and how to improve at pickleball one shot at a time.
10. Pick a Strategy Instead of Reacting to Everything
Against a banger, decide whether your strength is counterpunching the ball or placing it better. You might want to aim toward the feet, move the ball away from the aggressive player, or slow the rally down until you have a better opportunity. The strategy should depend on what you can consistently execute.
A banger with excellent placement is different from a player who swings hard at everything. Against a strong, accurate hitter, a high block can be punished. Against a less consistent player, putting one more ball into play may already be enough to win points.
Don’t get caught up thinking you must hit a winner. Consistency, placement, and good decisions are often much more effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to beat a banger in pickleball?
Get comfortable defending fast drives first. Use compact paddle movements, stay balanced, place the ball toward the opponent’s feet, and redirect away from the aggressive hitter when possible.
Should I always stand behind the kitchen line against bangers?
No. Standing a few feet behind the line can give some players extra reaction time, but it creates other weaknesses. As your comfort improves, work toward defending effectively at the kitchen line.
How do I stop getting jammed by fast shots?
Keep the paddle in front of your body and avoid large swings. A compact backhand block is often an easier option when the ball comes directly toward you.
Should I try to hit harder than a banger?
Only if you have the technique, timing, and right opportunity. Blocking, resetting, and placing the ball intelligently can be more effective than forcing another powerful shot.
How can I improve my hand speed?
Practice progressively faster feeds, first to predictable sides and later with variation. Keep track of controlled returns and whether you remain calm as the speed increases.
How do I know when to let a hard drive go out?
Study the height and trajectory as the ball approaches. Practice with a partner who mixes drives that land in with drives that go long. Your judgment will improve with repetition.
Final Thoughts: Be Comfortable, Not Just Powerful
Playing against bangers can be frustrating, but the solution is not always to become a harder hitter yourself. First learn to reflect the ball with your paddle, recognize the direction, and stay calm. Then learn when to block, reset, counterattack, redirect, or let the ball go out.
The most important thing is to have a strategy. Decide whether you want to use their speed, make them hit from a difficult position, or change the pace. Once you are comfortable against hard shots, you can make much better decisions.
If you want help defending hard drives and developing more confident paddle control, we work on these skills during private and group lessons at Hawaii Pickleball Academy® in Honolulu. Visit HawaiiPickleball.com for coaching information. You might also enjoy Why You Keep Losing in Pickleball—and What to Fix First.
