Improve Your Pickleball Game

Pickleball has many “P’s”, such as paddle, pickleball, pickler, and so on. Learn how to manage your P’s to make the most of your pickleball time and improve your Pickleball game.

Preparation

There are many things that can be considered preparation for pickleball. Physically, it could be preparing for a shot by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent and weight on your balls. Then paddle up and out in front. You could also be mentally ready to play, avoiding distractions and having a good warm-up. Each one of these preparations is important.

Position

Pickleball is a game where you can win or lose depending on your position at the right moment. It is important to position yourself correctly on the court. Court positioning is crucial.

• You should get to the Non-Volley Zone as soon as you can because there are most pickleball points won there.
• Follow the flight of your pickleball. If you are hitting the pickleball across the court, be sure to move at an angle and follow your pickleball across the court.
• It is important to stay connected with your partner and work as a team. You can imagine your partner and you are held together by a six- to 8-foot rope. Your partner and you should both move together on the pickleball court, moving up and down as well as side by side.

Placement

Pickleball, like real estate, is all about location. Pickleball is all about placement. Often, the key to determining whether a shot is a winner is where it is placed. It is dependent on where you are at the time, where your partner, your opponents, and the position of the pickleball on the pickleball court. Pickleball is a game of skill. Each pickleball player is unique, and each pickleball point is also different. It is therefore important to assess the pickleball players and points in front of you. The obvious shot is often the best shot.

Pickler’s pickleball blog Hit Your Spots will give you some tips on how to place yourself on the court. Why placement is more important than power.

Power

While placement is more important than power in pickleball, power can prove to be a debilitating factor for an opposing team. When trying to win points, hard drives, well-timed speedups, and penetrating overheads can be very impactful. Use your power on the pickleball court.

Power starts with your legs. When you want to strike for power, engage your legs instead of swinging from your shoulders or arms. When it comes to power, it’s your ability to transfer weight from your legs to your front that is more important than just bending your knees. When you’re playing pickleball, make sure to transfer your weight in a timely manner.

Patience

Pickleball is all about patience. It is important to have patience and build or construct a point. If you try to rush the point or get out of a dink rally early, you’ll likely lose it. You must be patient with your mind and body and build or construct a point until your opponent has an attackable shot. Then wait for an attackable shot, like a high dink from the opponents. If you don’t have the attackable shot, wait and watch as the point builds.

Patterns

Pickleball is a sport that allows you to see many patterns during points. Crosscourt dinking, especially in mixed doubles, is a very popular pattern. The pattern can continue until someone makes an error and creates a crosscourt dok.

These patterns can be used to help you plan your pickleball strategy. Pickleball can be compared to chess. You can learn strategies and the best shots to hit with your partner by paying attention to the patterns you see.

Poise

The pickleball court is where you’ll be at your best. Poise simply refers to being calm, collected, and cool on the pickleball courts. The physical aspect of pickleball is very important. But the mental game can be just as important. Keep your head upon the pickleball court so you can perform at your best.

Partnership

Pickleball is a popular game played in pairs, as you may be aware. It is therefore important to find the right partner and build a strong partnership. These are some tips to help you be a better partner at pickleball court.

• You can keep your partner happy and healthy by spreading a positive vibe. Pickleball players perform better in positive spaces than they do in negative ones.
• You can communicate on the pickleball courts by calling shots or strategizing with your teammates.
• You are responsible for your shots. Your partner (and your opponents!) should be credited for their good pickleball play. Bad shots can be blamed on both your partner and you, even if they are not your fault.
• Pickleball is about consistency. Don’t be a showboat. Pickleball is all about consistency. Pickleball is not about fancy shots.
• Knowing your partner and their strengths and weaknesses in pickleball skills, personality, and pickleball on the court is key. You can build synergy with your partner if you get to know them well. Your pickleball skills will outperform the combined talents of your and your partner.

Practice

Pickleball is like any other skill. You need to practice to improve your game. It is essential to practice your shots and drill your pickleball mechanics in order to become second-nature or habitual.

To master any skill (e.g. hitting a pickleball shot), you need to practice it at least 10,000 times. It is important to remember that you must master every skill and hit 10,000 of each of the following: drives, drops, volleys (drives), serves, lobs or overheads. To hit 10,000 strokes, you might need to hit a shot more than 10,000 times. When you drill and practice, be sure to emphasize quality.

This post was written by Kristian D’an, a pickle pall specialist with Pickleball Connection. Pickleball Connections is a private club offering the latest news, training, sportswear, supplements, and more. For exclusive deals, and to stay up to date on everything Pickleball click here for more information.