Every few months PPP will put out several new drills & strategies to improve your pickleball game. It is so important to remember, that "we play like we practice!" So take your time, review the drills and strategies below and get out there and practice!!
THE INTERNATIONAL PICKLEBALL TEACHING PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION (IPTPA)HAS PUT TOGETHER A SERIES OF INSTRUCTIONAL VIEDEOS BY CERTIFIED PICKLEBALL TRAINERS TO IMPROVE A PLAYERS GAME. MASTERING THE SKILLS DEMONSTRATED IN THESE VIDEOS WILL LEAD TO PLAYING HIGH PERCENTAGE WINNING PICKLEBALL!!
TO BE THE BEST WE CAN BE REQUIRES MASTERY OF THE BASICS!! SO LETS GET BACK TO PRACTICING THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF PICKLEBALL THAT WILL HELP US EXCEL AND KEEP OUR GAME MOVING FORWARD!
Dink Shot Video
There are many elements involved in hitting a successful dink including but not limited to: grip position, grip pressure, footwork patterns, paddle preparation, angle of the paddle face, contact point, follow through, swing shape, swing speed etc… In this video we cover the most efficient and effective techniques that will lead to successful dinking.
There are many elements involved in hitting a successful dink including but not limited to: grip position, grip pressure, footwork patterns, paddle preparation, angle of the paddle face, contact point, follow through, swing shape, swing speed etc… In this video we cover the most efficient and effective techniques that will lead to successful dinking.
Dink Drill Video
Once the basic elements of the dink are understood, it’s important to then drill in order to achieve mastery. Once the dink is mastered, drilling should be continued in order to keep the skill sharp. The dink is a critical shot towards playing successful pickleball. You will find that in order to be a great dinker, you will have to dink successfully from many different positions and to many different targets. Therefore, we have many dink drill videos for you that will cover all the various dink skills you and your students will need to develop.
Once the basic elements of the dink are understood, it’s important to then drill in order to achieve mastery. Once the dink is mastered, drilling should be continued in order to keep the skill sharp. The dink is a critical shot towards playing successful pickleball. You will find that in order to be a great dinker, you will have to dink successfully from many different positions and to many different targets. Therefore, we have many dink drill videos for you that will cover all the various dink skills you and your students will need to develop.
3rd Shot Drop Videos
If you don’t know already, you will quickly learn that the 3rd shot drop is THE most important shot in pickleball and it’s also THE most difficult. It represents the serving team’s first opportunity to get to the net because of the two bounce rule which is critical because winning pickleball is played at the net and you can only score if you are on the serving side. The 3rd shot drop requires a tremendous amount of touch and feel which is why it takes a long time to master. It is imperative that this shot be in your arsenal.
If you don’t know already, you will quickly learn that the 3rd shot drop is THE most important shot in pickleball and it’s also THE most difficult. It represents the serving team’s first opportunity to get to the net because of the two bounce rule which is critical because winning pickleball is played at the net and you can only score if you are on the serving side. The 3rd shot drop requires a tremendous amount of touch and feel which is why it takes a long time to master. It is imperative that this shot be in your arsenal.
Driving/Swinging Volley Video
To play winning pickleball you must get yourself/your team up to the net. And, the whole objective when you’re up at the net, is to try to generate a ball from your opponent that lifts slightly so that you can hit through and down on it for the possibility of a winner or a forced error. This is where hitting driving and swinging volleys comes into play and they are important if you ever hope to play aggressively and have the ability to end points.
To play winning pickleball you must get yourself/your team up to the net. And, the whole objective when you’re up at the net, is to try to generate a ball from your opponent that lifts slightly so that you can hit through and down on it for the possibility of a winner or a forced error. This is where hitting driving and swinging volleys comes into play and they are important if you ever hope to play aggressively and have the ability to end points.
Serve Video
The serve begins the point and you/your team can only score while serving which makes it very important to develop a good serve so that you/your team have the best possible start to each point that you are serving. Your serve should be automatic, never resulting in an unforced error by hitting the ball into the net or out on a serve—you can’t score if you don’t get your serve in!!
The serve begins the point and you/your team can only score while serving which makes it very important to develop a good serve so that you/your team have the best possible start to each point that you are serving. Your serve should be automatic, never resulting in an unforced error by hitting the ball into the net or out on a serve—you can’t score if you don’t get your serve in!!
Return of Serve Video
The return of serve is always the 2nd shot of every point and is always you/your team’s first opportunity to be at the net which is the strongest position to be in. Well hit returns will have a very high chance of preventing the serving side from being able to come in immediately after the 3rd shot. Keeping the serving side back puts you in the best position to win the point and to win back the serve so that you can start scoring points again and prevent them from scoring any.
The return of serve is always the 2nd shot of every point and is always you/your team’s first opportunity to be at the net which is the strongest position to be in. Well hit returns will have a very high chance of preventing the serving side from being able to come in immediately after the 3rd shot. Keeping the serving side back puts you in the best position to win the point and to win back the serve so that you can start scoring points again and prevent them from scoring any.
Groundstroke Video
Having strong groundstrokes is extremely important for singles and is still very important for doubles. The ability to hit strong groundstrokes with a variety of spins (flat, topspin & slice) and speeds is very valuable mostly to set you up for offensive opportunities on subsequent shots and you will hit the occasional winner with a groundstroke even though that is not the primary purpose.
Having strong groundstrokes is extremely important for singles and is still very important for doubles. The ability to hit strong groundstrokes with a variety of spins (flat, topspin & slice) and speeds is very valuable mostly to set you up for offensive opportunities on subsequent shots and you will hit the occasional winner with a groundstroke even though that is not the primary purpose.
Lobs & Lob Return Video
Though they should be used sparingly since the pickleball court is rather small and usually only the deepest of lobs will be effective against good opponents, a well hit lob at the right time can be devastating to the opponent/team on the receiving end and will put them in a defensive scramble as they try to save the point. Therefore it’s important to learn how to lob as well as how to defend lobs.
Though they should be used sparingly since the pickleball court is rather small and usually only the deepest of lobs will be effective against good opponents, a well hit lob at the right time can be devastating to the opponent/team on the receiving end and will put them in a defensive scramble as they try to save the point. Therefore it’s important to learn how to lob as well as how to defend lobs.
Overhead Smash Video
At lower levels, many players choose to lob frequently because overheads tend to be weak and easily exploitable. Don’t let that be you or your students. Develop a strong overhead motion and shot. You will not see many lobs at higher levels for the simple reason that it doesn’t work as most high level players love to hit overheads and generally do so for a winner.
At lower levels, many players choose to lob frequently because overheads tend to be weak and easily exploitable. Don’t let that be you or your students. Develop a strong overhead motion and shot. You will not see many lobs at higher levels for the simple reason that it doesn’t work as most high level players love to hit overheads and generally do so for a winner.
Grip Video
There are a wide variety of grips being used in pickleball. Certainly, there are reasons to change your grip when the situation calls for it but we highly recommend being able hit every shot using the “Continental” grip as a baseline and sparingly add alternate grips from there. The Continental is the most widely used among top players in most cases yet they will make slight grip changes when the situation calls for it. We’ll cover the Continental grip as well as alternate grips in our videos.
There are a wide variety of grips being used in pickleball. Certainly, there are reasons to change your grip when the situation calls for it but we highly recommend being able hit every shot using the “Continental” grip as a baseline and sparingly add alternate grips from there. The Continental is the most widely used among top players in most cases yet they will make slight grip changes when the situation calls for it. We’ll cover the Continental grip as well as alternate grips in our videos.
Specialty Shot Video
Specialty shots are very specific shots that are each designed to deal with a particular scenario that unfolds during a point. These scenarios may come up once or twice in a game or not at all over the course of many games. They are infrequent but frequent enough that it’s important to be prepared for them when the opportunity presents itself. In all cases, there is an opportunity for you to win the point immediately so if you’re not ready for it, you will miss your chance.
Specialty shots are very specific shots that are each designed to deal with a particular scenario that unfolds during a point. These scenarios may come up once or twice in a game or not at all over the course of many games. They are infrequent but frequent enough that it’s important to be prepared for them when the opportunity presents itself. In all cases, there is an opportunity for you to win the point immediately so if you’re not ready for it, you will miss your chance.