Intermediate Mistakes Everybody Makes
After you’re comfortable with the basics of Pickleball, it’s only natural to look for new ways to improve your game. Sometimes the best way to add to your game isn’t to learn anything new, but to fix what’s already there make sure you’re not beating yourself. Now that you’ve mastered your beginner mistakes, here are five intermediate mistakes to watch out for.
Running Through Shots
Sometimes it’s necessary to make a return while you’re on the move, but for most shots you’ll want to get your feet set before you hit. Get to your spot early, find your balance, set your feet, and hit a solid shot back. When you get a little more advanced, you can hit on the run, but when you’re starting out getting set can work wonders.
Hitting to Your Opponent’s Forehand
When you hit to your opponent’s dominant side, you’re basically giving them the best possible chance at returning it. Instead, start sending your shots to their nondominant side. Forcing your opponents to hit backhand shots increases the chances that they’ll make a mistake. If somebody wants to beat you, make them work for it.
Not Using (or working on) Your Backhand
It’s not uncommon for someone’s backhand to be so bad that they scramble to the other side of the ball so they can hit a forehand shot instead. And while that’s great to use this against your opponents, but you don’t want this to be your weakness. You can avoid working on it while you’re getting started, but you’re going to need a good backhand to be a good player. So spend time practicing, and make sure you’re not scrambling to hit with your forehand.
Standing In No-man’s Land
Standing at the non-volley line is usually the best place to play from. There’s a time and place to be at the baseline as well, but what you don’t want to do is stand in between. You don’t have to have impossible shots hit at your feet too long to figure out you’re in a bad position. Just remember, it’s called no-man’s land for a reason.
Not Being In Sync With Your Partner
When you’re playing singles, it’s all you. But when a partner comes into the mix, things can get little more complicated. You’ll want to be aware of where your partner is and cover gaps on the court. Try to maintain the same distance between you and your partner and keep in mind that your opponent is looking to place shots through those gaps. Don’t be afraid to talk — be verbal, and call who’s getting what and moving where. Your game can take a big step forward when you keep in mind that doubles is more than just two people on the same side of the net
Overcoming these mistakes should help any player feel more confident on the court. Soon you’ll be adding spin shots and new techniques to your game, but before you do, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got all your basics down pat. You don’t become better play overnight, but keep playing, keep learning and as always, practice, practice practice.
