How to Get Better at Pickleball? Top 11 Tips Must Know Everyone

Pickleball is a fun sport similar to padel, where you must use different shots to win points and matches. Playing a variety of shots helps you win rallies and score points! Every player, whether a beginner or a seasoned player, wants to know how to get better at pickleball. For this purpose, you’ve got to focus on your game and know your strengths and weaknesses to move forward.

In this article, we discuss strategies to help you improve yourself.

How to Get Better at Pickleball? Beginners Guide

No worry! if you’re a beginner in pickleball. We’ll teach you how to improve your pickleball game, whether you’re playing singles or doubles.  As a beginner, you’ve to focus on some essential and basic techniques to perform well during the match.

1. Grip: You should focus on becoming a master of proper paddle gripping. The Continental and Eastern backhand grips are commonly used. You can choose which is suitable for you while playing pickleball. You’ve got to learn which grip allows you better control and power.
2. Ready Position: You should always be in a ready position with slightly bent knees. Place your body weight on your feet balls and hold your paddle in front of you. This position allows for quick and better reaction times on the court.
3. Serve: Serve is fundamental in pickleball. You should improve your serve to ensure consistency and enhance accuracy. Practice hitting the ball diagonally across the net into the opposite’s service court. Experiment with various serves like the deep, short, and lob serve. Your serve not only sets the tone but also helps you assess your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. By following this, you can learn how to get better at serving pickleball.
4. Return of Serve:– To return serves well, focus on predicting where the ball will go and how fast it will come at you. Watch your opponent’s stance, paddle grip, and past serving patterns. This helps you anticipate where and how fast they’ll serve. Anticipating the serve helps you position better. It also helps in reacting faster and making more effective returns. This better strategic approach helps and allows them to control the pace of the rally.
5. Volley: Mastering the volleying technique is crucial in pickleball. This involves hitting the ball before it bounces on your side of the court. Focus on keeping your paddle face steady. Use a short, controlled swing to direct the ball accurately.
6. Dinking: Properly practice the dink shot, a soft and controlled shot used to place the ball close to the net. This shot requires a fine and soft touch rather than power. Become an expert by varying the height and angle of your dinks. This keeps your opponents off balance and gives you an advantage.
7. Footwork: Footwork is key to the success of this sport. You should improve your footwork by making practice. Practice quick lateral movements, split steps, and pivots. Proper and good footwork helps you to reach shots efficiently. It also helps you maintain balance during rallies.
8. Court Positioning: Court positioning is the need of the day. Learn the proper court positioning in singles and doubles play. Know where to stand depending on your role in the game: server, receiver, or partner. This helps you position yourself effectively and contribute to the team’s success. Stay aware of your opponents’ positions to anticipate their shots. This allows you to cover the court effectively and respond to their plays.
9. Communication (Doubles): Better communication with your partner in doubles is crucial for success. Utilize hand signals or verbal cues to express appreciation and provide encouragement. Effective communication also aids in coordinating court coverage and strategizing during crucial points.
10. Practice Drills: Practice specific exercises regularly to get better at pickleball. Focus on skills like serving, volleying, dinking, and footwork. Doing these drills over and over is the key to improving as a beginner in pickleball.

How to Get Better at Pickleball? Advanced Level Guide

If you’re an advanced or senior player, should focus on some advanced-level strategies. Strengthen yourself and know how to become better at pickleball. The following strategies will take your game to the next level and help you in dominating the court:-

1. Mastering Spin: Players at this level should be well-versed in spin. Experiment with adding spin to your shots during gameplay. Practice backspin, topspin, and sidespin to vary ball trajectory and bounce. Spin is crucial for controlling the game’s pace and poses a challenge for opponents to handle.
2. Third Shot Drop: The execution of the perfect third-shot drop is often played to neutralize the opponent’s advantage after the serve. The primary aim is to drop the ball close to the net softly on the opposite side. This shot forces them to hit upwards and provide you the control of the rally.
3. Power Serve: Practice more and more to develop a power serve. It will keep your opponent under pressure from the beginning. Make yourself solid in practicing generating speed and accuracy with your serve. Try to place your serve deep to the opposite side of the court.
4. Advanced Volleys:- Improve your volleying by practicing quick reflex volleys and blocks at the net. Work on the use of pace/speed of incoming shots to redirect the ball with precision and placement. Mastering advanced volleys will help you dominate the court.
5. Footwork Patterns: Footwork is the backbone of every sport. Broaden your footwork skills with advanced techniques: crossover, shuffle, and split step. These patterns enhance your agility, speed, and court coverage during pickleball matches. These movements allow for quicker adjustments and better court coverage during fast-paced rallies.
6. Attacking the Net: You should work on developing an aggressive strategy for playing on the net. Also, learn to anticipate and intercept shots early. Use a mix of volleys, smashes, and dinks to apply pressure and control the game’s pace.
7. Defensive Strategies: Learn defensive strategies such as soft blocks, lobs, and defensive volleys to handle powerful shots from your opponents. Stay defensively strong, but seize offensive opportunities when they arise.
8. Shot Selection: Learn proper shot selection by analyzing the situation during rallies. Learn when to play conservatively with high-percentage shots. Recognize opportunities to take risks with aggressive shots to capitalize on openings.
9. Fitness and Conditioning: Incorporate specific pickleball fitness drills into your training routine. Work on agility, speed, endurance, and strength to improve your overall performance on the court.
10. Match Strategy: Develop a match strategy, considering your opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. Change your game plan based on the situation. Try to exploit your weaknesses and stay focused mentally throughout the game.
11. Video Analysis: Video analysis is very important at this level. You should watch recorded videos of your opponents and senior players. This step will change your game dramatically. You should also seek feedback from experienced players and coaches on your play. It will refine your playing skills.
12. Mindset and Mental Toughness: Work on staying positive and mentally strong to stay focused and composed during tough matches. Try visualization, relaxation, and mental practice to boost your mental game.

By following these advanced-level strategies, you’ll be well-versed in a higher level of play. You can easily outclass your opponent during the match.

Top 10 Quick Pro Drills For Home

When you have a short time and wish to know how to get better at pickleball home fast. Here is proper guidance to improve your pickleball skills at home very quickly.

1. Practice Wall: If you have access to a flat wall or a rebound wall, use it to practice your shots. Work on your forehand and backhand strokes, volleys, and dinks. Focus on control, accuracy, and consistency.
2. Mini Court Setup: Make boundaries by using tape or chalk. Practice serves, returns, and rallies against a wall or with a partner if possible. Adjust the court size based on the space available.
3. Solo Drills: Solo drills are very helpful in improving your footwork, agility, and response time. Use cones or markers to mimic movement patterns and practice quick changes of direction, lunges, and pivots.
4. Shadow Play: Try shadow play to practice your strokes without a ball. Imagine you’re in a real match, mimicking your swing, footwork, and shot choices. Pay attention to your technique and form.
5. Strength and Conditioning: Add strength and conditioning workouts to your home routine. Improve leg strength, core stability, and upper body endurance to boost your pickleball skills. Try squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, and agility exercises.
6. Watch Tutorials: At home, you should watch online tutorials and instructional videos of top players. Try to follow their techniques and instructions. Videos of professional players will help you learn different skills.
7. Use a Practice Partner: If you have a practice partner, it will be beneficial for both of you. Practice with him or her at home. Focus on specific skills and provide actual feedback to each other for improvement.
8. Equipment Training: Make use of pickleball training tools like a ball machine or practice net to improve your abilities. Practice various shots, angles, and strategies with regular repetition.
9. Visualize and Plan: Visualize your game and practice different scenarios mentally. Plan your practice sessions with clear goals in mind. Visualizing success can boost your confidence and improve your performance on the court.
10. Stay Consistent: Consistency is key to improvement. Allocate consistent time for pickleball training at home and stick to your practice schedule. Monitor your progress, pinpoint areas to work on, and modify your training.

Dedicate time to structured home practice. Improve pickleball skills, fitness, and overall performance. Focus on specific areas and track progress. Make adjustments to reach goals. Build consistency and confidence. Enjoy better results on the court.

Top 11 Tips-How to Get Better at Pickleball?

1. Keep Your Paddle up When Receiving

You should be poised on the pickleball court. This stance allows you to respond effectively to a variety of shots. However, whether you’re waiting for a serve or for your opponent to play their shot during a rally depends on your opponent’s ball placement. Your paddle should be up while receiving, and you should respond faster to whatever shot you take.

Keep your paddle up while receiving when receiving in pickleball is crucial. It allows you to be attentive to any shot that comes to your side. You can react quickly and most effectively by keeping your paddle up. It will also increase your chance of returning the ball with accuracy and precision. This stance is suitable for a solid defensive position. It also makes it harder for your opponent player to hit shots past you.

2. Play the Shot Early

To truly enhance the quality of your shot, it’s crucial to keep your contact point behind the ball. Always remember to play the shot while the paddle is slightly ahead of your body. You will undoubtedly put more pressure on your opponent with this precision

3. Embrace Net Play Fearlessly: Master the Art of Getting Low

Playing at the net can be challenging for beginners in pickleball due to the smaller court size. This rule is formulated to prevent the players from standing at the next and smashing every hit in the kitchen area. You can go to that area after letting the ball bounce once and play your shots. It also can put your opposite player in defensive mode.

You wish to get below the ball and be on your knees. While standing straight, your reaction time will be slow for getting a dink. In this way, you’ll be more of a target for speedups. To improve, practice getting low and playing net shots to handle dinks and speedups effectively.

4. Maintain Position After Your Serve

A pickleball rally must start on a bounce, so it’s essential to wait back with your partner instead of rushing toward the net. By doing so, you’ve time to assess the rally and play according to your wish. However, if you are receiving it, you can get into the net as soon as you can.

5. Opt for a Shorter Swing During Volleys

Padel and tennis require a long swing for power, but in pickleball, precision is crucial. If you decide to play a volley, try to focus on having a shorter swing but hitting the ball with the sweet spot of your paddle.

6. Use Less Lobs

During play, we noticed a series of lobbers on the court. We should avoid playing lob shots in access but use them according to the situation. After playing a third shot, I’m discussing hitting intentional lobs from the baseline. These lobs go far and high. These shots can be risky for you. These shots often do not go over the head of your opponent. But if they shot to do, they might go out of bounds.

7. More Focus on Your Drills

You must decide whether you’re playing pickleball for fun or want to make your career in this sport. It’s your choice base game. If you wish to become a professional pickleball player, focus on its drills. Drilling can be a source of learning and a lot of fun. You play more ball during drills and perform different drills. Through these drills, you work on your weaknesses.

You can focus on these drills, such as the dinking drill, footwork drill, volleying drill, etc. You can watch Simon Jardim‘s drills on YouTube.

8. Choose A Targeted Area

In pickleball, you should be perfect in each shot, so you’ve got to pick a target. For example, first of all, you should work on your service. After you achieve perfection, you can set a target for other pickleball techniques. Practice will make you better in different shots day by day. You can also get help from YouTube videos of famous players. Learning is a continual process, so keep learning without any hesitation.

9. Embrace Solo Play Without Hesitation

I advise you not to be afraid of playing alone. Set a target daily and work on it. For example, on the first day, focus on your service and try to place the ball according to your set target place. The next day, you can choose dinking to polish your skills in pickleball. When you play alone, you’ve got much time to ponder your weaknesses.

10. Ball Concentration

Concentration is the key to success in every sport. You should practice the ball watching and judging its direction. When you understand the ball movements and respond according to the need of play. This quality benefits you during the game and your whole life. Keeping your focus on the ball as you make contact is essential.

11. Use the Right Grip

Paddle gripping is another art that elevates your game. It was the first thing we encountered while playing pickleball. In the beginning, we should start with a continental grip, also known as a handshake grip. Pick the paddle with your non-dominant hand and shake hands with it. Now, you’re holding a continental grip suitable for beginners.

Conclusion-How to Get Better at Pickleball?

To improve at pickleball, you have to find your weaknesses and try to correct them. As discussed in the article, you can do this with practice and multiple drills. Practice is the key to success in this sport. You have to sweat in court to achieve your goal. Without struggle, you can’t do anything. You’ve got to be resilient by temperament to get better at pickleball.