Grip

Ben Johns

’ hand position and grip — the true foundation of elite control

Ben Johns’ reset, dink, and control skills come largely from how he holds the paddle and positions his hands, not just reaction speed. His grip and hand placement are optimized for neutrality, softness, and instant adaptability.

1. The grip: Continental grip (the “hammer grip”) ⭐

This is essential.

How to do it:

Hold the paddle like you are holding a hammer or shaking hands with it.

Visual cues:

• Paddle face is vertical naturally.

• Index knuckle sits on the top bevel edge, not flat on the face.

• You can hit forehand and backhand without changing grip.

Why this grip is superior:

• Best for resets and blocks

• Fastest reaction at the kitchen

• Maximum control with minimal wrist adjustment

Almost all top pros—including Ben Johns—use continental as their neutral grip.

2. Grip pressure: extremely light (this is critical)

On a scale of 1–10:

• Neutral ready position: 2–3

• Resetting hard drives: 2

• Attacking high ball: 4–5 briefly

Most amateurs stay at 6–8, which causes rebounds.

Ben Johns keeps the grip loose until the exact moment of attack.

3. Hand position in space (this is what most players miss)

Hands are held forward, not close to body.

Position:

• Paddle about 12–18 inches in front of chest

• Paddle tip at chin height

• Elbows relaxed and slightly forward

Think:

“Serving a tray.”

This position lets you absorb energy efficiently.

4. Paddle angle in neutral position

Slightly open face:

About 5–10 degrees upward

Not flat. Not closed.

This allows instant soft drops.

5. Two-handed backhand (Ben Johns uses this often)

For backhand resets and drives, he frequently places his left hand lightly on the paddle throat or handle.

Benefits:

• More stability

• Softer control

• Better reset accuracy

You don’t grip tightly—just support.

6. Wrist position: neutral, not cocked

Avoid excessive wrist bend.

Wrist stays:

• relaxed

• aligned with forearm

Firm wrists cause rebounds.

7. Ready position stance

Complete pro ready position:

• knees bent

• slight forward lean

• paddle centered in front of sternum

• grip loose

• paddle tip above wrist

This reduces reaction time dramatically.

8. The key reset motion Ben Johns uses

There is almost no swing.

Instead:

• paddle meets ball

• hand moves back slightly (½ inch)

• ball falls over net

It’s absorption, not striking.

9. Common mistake even good players make

They drop paddle too low between shots.

Ben Johns keeps paddle always up and ready.

This saves critical milliseconds.

10. One simple drill to engrain his hand position

Stand at kitchen without ball.

Hold paddle:

• out front

• loose grip

• continental grip

Have partner randomly toss balls at you.

Only block softly.

Do 5 minutes daily.

The most important single sentence

Hold the paddle like a loose hammer, out in front, slightly open, and let the ball die on the paddle.

If you want, I can show the exact differences between tennis grip habits and pickleball grip habits, which explains why tennis players often struggle with resets at first.