There’s a moment in every match—your opponent sends over a soft dink, your paddle hovers, and you see your chance. But the second your eyes light up, they back off, paddle ready. They knew it was coming.
That, my friend, is the problem: your speed-up is showing.
Disguising a speed-up might be one of the most under-practiced, under-appreciated, and game-changing skills in pickleball. Because when your opponent doesn’t see it coming? You win free points. When they do? You’re eating a counterattack.
Let’s break down exactly how to disguise your speed-ups—what players get wrong, how to fix it, and a few drills that will make your “aha!” moment come way faster.
What Is a Speed-Up, Really?
Before we talk disguise, let’s define the move.
A speed-up is a surprise attack—usually from the kitchen or transition zone—where you redirect or drive a dink or soft ball quickly at your opponent to catch them off guard. It’s all about timing, placement, and deception.
The key word here? Deception.
A telegraphed speed-up is a gift. A disguised one? A dagger.
3 Tips To Disguise Your Attacks
Mistake #1: Your Wind-Up Screams “I’m About to Smash This”
Let’s be real—most players give it away before they even hit the ball.
✅ Big backswing
✅ Eyes lock in like a missile
✅ Shoulders tense
✅ Body shifts back in preparation
If your opponents are decent, they’re reading your body language—and you’ve already lost the surprise.
Fix it: Make your dink and speed-up swings look identical—up until the last second.
That means:
- Compact swings, always
- Paddle face neutral
- Minimal motion before contact
- Consistent setup (same stance, same posture)
Senior Pro Steve Dawson is a master at this. He teaches players to make their dink motion exactly like their attack. The difference? A flick of acceleration at the very end.
Watch how pro player Callie Jo Smith implements this and makes her dinks and speed-ups look nearly identical—until the secret kicks in: a final acceleration flick. That last-moment wrist snap adds surprising pace, catching opponents totally off guard. Subtle, smooth, and deadly:
Mistake #2: You Always Set It Up the Same Way
Do you always hit two crosscourt dinks before speeding up down the line?
Yeah. Your opponent has noticed.
Patterns are great for building consistency. They’re also great for telegraphing your next move—unless you’re changing the ending.
Fix it: Mix it up. Sometimes set up the same way, but don’t speed up. Train your opponents to expect one thing, then surprise them when it matters most.
This builds what pros call shot uncertainty—and that’s what leads to weak, late, or floating counters.
Mistake #3: You’re Not Practicing This
You practice dinks. You practice drops. But are you practicing disguised speed-ups?
Probably not.
Fix it: Next time you drill, alternate between:
- Soft dink (compact swing)
- Disguised speed-up (same swing, late acceleration)
Film it. Ask your partner: “Could you tell which one was coming?”
If the answer is yes, you’ve got some tinkering to do.
Mistake #4: You’re Too Rigid with Footwork
Here’s the nuance: sometimes you need to step back to create space for the attack—but stepping back is also a tell.
Or is it?
Pro players explain this beautifully: sometimes you step back… and dink. Sometimes you step back… and speed up.
The key is doing both from the same setup so your movement isn’t a dead giveaway.
Drill it:
- Step back and dink.
- Step back and speed up.
- Mix the reps. Make it unpredictable.
Coach Jordan Briones explains how to set up your feet and positioning to disguise dinks as speed-ups—and speed-ups as dinks:
Bonus Tactics to Sell the Fake
If you’re ready to get next-level sneaky, try these:
- No-look setups: Look crosscourt, hit middle.
- Hold your shot: Freeze opponents by pausing half a beat before contact.
- Body decoys: Angle your hips or shoulders one way, and swing the other.
These aren’t just tricks—they’re mind games. Used sparingly, they throw off even the best players.
Be sure to check out our full guide on shot disguise for more sneaky tips to keep your opponents guessing.
Let the Paddle Talk
The best speed-ups don’t come from the shoulder—they come from the paddle.
Think:
- Compact
- Quick
- Confident
- Last-second flick
Disguise doesn’t mean trickery for trickery’s sake—it means not giving away the answer too early. So next time you’re in that soft dink exchange and spot your moment?
Don’t tense. Don’t wind up. Don’t signal it.
Just fire.
And when they look at you, stunned, wondering where that came from? Just smile—and get ready to do it again.
