9 Pickleball Tips That Will Transform Your Game
Are you ready to take your pickleball game to the next level? In today’s article, we’re going over a video from Briones Pickleball that promises nine tips to help you transform your pickleball game.
We hope you’re as excited as we are. Let’s go!
#1 - The grip
It seems basic, but proper grip technique is essential for a good pickleball game. The way we suggest you hold your paddle is with the Continental Grip.
The Continental Grip is also known as the “shaking hands” grip because you’re going to hold the handle through your palms the same way you would if you reached out and shook someone’s hand. The paddle's edge should also be in line with your arm and hand. This is the most universally used grip because it gives the confidence to reach both forehands and backhands easily. Which is very important, especially when hands are flying during volleys.
#2 - Learn/Adjust to the ball and the paddle
If you come from tennis or another racquet sport, you may notice that the pickleball paddle and the ball don’t react the same way the other racquets and balls do in other sports. The ball doesn’t bounce as high and doesn’t jump off the paddle face as forcefully.
Another reason this is important to understand is that when the ball bounces, you need to keep your body lower than you might be used to in order to reach the ball with your paddle. So you want to stay low and move your body up to where the ball bounces.
#3 - Shorten all your strokes
Another carryover from those with a tennis background is to take really long strokes and backswings. In pickleball, the ball moves so quickly, and the court is so much shorter that taking long strokes can kill your game. Instead, you want to focus on short, compact swings and getting your body into a ready position after every ball. You can practice this easily by focusing on volleying the ball back and forth while at the kitchen line.
#4 - Correct ready position at the NVZ line
While standing at the non-volley zone line, you want to be in a position that allows you to get to balls quickly and without a lot of movement. The correct ready position for the NVZ line is holding your paddle around waist-high and having your paddle around 10 or 11 o’clock (if you’re a righty). The back paddle face should be more open facing the net–since you’ll be using your backhand mostly for net battles.
#5 - Think feet/down instead of pace
When players start out, they tend to want to slam the ball or hit it at pace toward their opponent. However, when you play better players, these shots don’t work out so well because they are ready for it and standing in a good position to simply block those shots. Instead of hitting at pace, think about hitting shots toward your opponent’s feet. When you hit at their feet, they can’t return the ball as easily, and you’re likely to win a point.
Remember, “Attack the feet, not the body.”
#6 - Don’t be afraid of the NVZ
The non-volley zone line (NVZ or the kitchen) is scary at first. You risk foot faults and hitting the ball when you aren’t allowed to. But players need to get comfortable with the NVZ as early as possible. The reason it’s essential is that this is where almost all points are won in pickleball matches. Unlike tennis, where you may spend a good amount of the match at the baseline, you’re likely to spend most of your time during pickleball up at the kitchen line.
Try to practice at the line as much as possible to get more comfortable.
#7 - Use the NVZ to your advantage
Perhaps the most significant difference between tennis and pickleball is the use of the non-volley zone line. After you get more comfortable with the kitchen, you can really start to use it to your advantage. For example, if you’re in the middle of a match and you find yourself in trouble or pressing too much, try hitting a drop or dink shot into your opponent’s kitchen to slow down the play.
This can help you get reset and force your opponent into a shot they might not be as comfortable making. It doesn’t take a lot of force to hit a pickleball over the net, so use that to your advantage when you can.
#8 - Learn how to dink
Beginning and lower-level players typically lean heavily toward the long or hard-hitting game. They come in and think they have to smash everything because that’s what they’re used to doing on the tennis court or they’ve seen when watching tennis. But, more advanced players learn the art of the dink shot.
Dinking (which is just hitting the ball softly, preferably in the kitchen) is relatively easy. But getting good at dinking takes practice. It’s a finesse shot, and it’s designed to slow down the game but also not to allow your opponent’s shots they can slam into your feet or down the line.
If you want to get better at pickleball, you need to practice your dinks.
#9 - Be a student of the game
Pickleball is a relatively new sport to many of us. Sure, it’s technically been around since the 1960s, but most people are just now discovering it. Because of this surge in its popularity, the game is constantly evolving. New rules change how players can play, and new shots or sequences of shots are being created often.
Try your best to play different players when you can and absorb as much technique, strategy, and play as you can. Watch it on TV to see what pros are doing and try to emulate their moves into your matches. Doing so will not only make you a better player, but probably help you have a lot of fun, too.
Briones Pickleball offers a bunch of great tips and strategy videos on their Youtube, just like this one. Be sure and check them out when you get a chance (and Like and Subscribe, of course!)
Also, be sure to stay tuned to Pickleball University for more news and information about the world’s best paddle sport.
