As you learn more, it is important to accurately understand what you are hearing out there – including from us. Oftentimes we find that tips or instruction are misapplied or misunderstood by players. This not only undermines the potential benefit of the instruction. It can result in a negative impact by the misunderstood or misapplied instruction. It is critical that you properly understand what you are learning or hearing. Check out Episode 105 of Pickleball Therapy – the Podcast dedicated to Y...
Sep 23, 2022•21 min
All pickleball players have received advice about how to play the game, particularly when we were beginner pickleball players. Some of the advice is good: how to score a pickleball game, where to stand when your partner is returning serve (hopefully at the Non-Volley Line), etc. But there is also some bad (as well as at least not always applicable advice): forehand takes the middle, do not cross the middle of the court to hit a ball, etc. The worst one of all – the one we take aim at in this wee...
Sep 16, 2022•16 min
None of us has unlimited time in our days, and certainly not unlimited time to work on our pickleball games. If we want to play our best pickleball, we must prioritize the areas of our game that are most important; those that will give us the biggest bang for our buck. For example, the third shot drop. Is it an important pickleball shot? Of course it is. But not always. For many players, the third shot drop is unnecessary – for now. Let’s say you are missing punch volleys into the net or wide or...
Sep 09, 2022•13 min
Getting coached at the courts can be a tricky proposition. Sometimes the advice you are getting is correct: scoring, 2-bounce rule, and similar usually do not present a problem. But oftentimes the advice is wrong: rush to the NVZ on the 3rd shot, have to wait for the ball to bounce to step into the kitchen (non-volley zone), and forehand in the middle are much-repeated erroneous maxims. What do you do when a fellow player offers unsolicited, even if well-intentioned, advice? In this episode of P...
Sep 02, 2022•13 min
I was reminded this week about how negativity can affect the way we interpret information that is otherwise aiming to be helpful. It can also affect your mind when you are trying to play your best pickleball. Two things can happen: 1 - you are focusing on the negatives rather than the positives - if instead you change your focus on the positives you will allow them to crowd out the negatives and 2 - your mind ignores the term "no" - just doesn't know what to do with it. This means that when you ...
Aug 26, 2022•15 min
Dr. Peter Scales will change your relationship with pickleball - for the better. In this, our 100th Episode of Pickleball Therapy, we bring you a "greatest hits" of the several interviews we published with him early on in the podcast's life: Episodes 9, 10, 12, 14 and 15. If you have not had the pleasure of learning from Dr. Scaled before now, get ready. You can check out the full episodes by scrolling down to the Episode you want - they are well worth the listen. You can find Dr. Scales book he...
Aug 19, 2022•15 min
If you want to improve as a pickleball player, it helps to know what is important - what you should focus on. This will avoid you from exerting efforts on aspects of the game that will probably not generate the same results. In this episode of the Pickleball Therapy podcast we will give you what you need to work on (spoiler alert - it is actually the easier side of the game). Focus on this side of the ball and you will see improved results when you play. In the riff I will discuss whether you ca...
Aug 12, 2022•14 min
Save/tag this Episode and put it on after your day on the courts. Sometimes we have a good day out on the courts. Sometimes a not so good day. Perspective will help you maintain a balanced view of how your day went. In this episode we give you some tips to decompress from the day. Give it a listen and improve your perspective. You will feel better about the day, no matter what. Plus we give you some tips to continue on the journey to improvement. We share the 3-2-1 and 1-2-3. These two technique...
Aug 05, 2022•14 min
Save/tag this Episode and put it on when you are on your way to play. When you go out to play, avoid beating yourself up out there. Second guessing yourself, thinking you have failed, wondering what others are thinking, and similar feelings can wreck your day and also have a negative impact on how you play the rest of the day. In this week's episode we give you 5 Tips you can use to avoid beating yourself up next time you play. In the riff, we speak about picking the right game for you and give ...
Jul 29, 2022•19 min
Slowing the game is not just a strategy for play. It is a mental approach to your play where you remain in control out there. In this podcast we share with you several tips to help you slow your mind and play better. In the riff, we help you identify the right questions to ask. Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillars of Pickleball here . WeArePickleball immersive pickleball camps at https://wearepickleball.com/camps/ Get the same visual...
Jul 22, 2022•16 min
We all want to play to the best of our ability. These 3 tips can help you do that. They will also help you maintain your focus on the court. The third tip is a bit outside the box - let us know what you think. Pickleball Tip No. 1 - Keep things simple out on the pickleball court. Over complicating your game is increasing the errors in your game. Simplifying things out there will help you win more rallies and, thus, more games. Pickleball Tip No. 2 - Slow things down out on the pickleball court. ...
Jul 15, 2022•15 min
Intentionality can change your game - not just how you play, how you interact with the game. Hear how these 4 pros use intentionality as part of their games. Apply them to your pickleball and see the results. In the riff, we share with you a powerful concept if you want to improve your game. Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillars of Pickleball here . WeArePickleball immersive pickleball camps at https://wearepickleball.com/camps/ Get t...
Jul 08, 2022•15 min
Not knowing why you are missing shot after shot can leave you frustrated and confused. In this episode we address one of the most common (if not your most common) sources of errors. In the riff, we talk about giving your best - it may not be what you think. Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillars of Pickleball here . WeArePickleball immersive pickleball camps at https://wearepickleball.com/camps/ Get the same visual training that CJ and...
Jul 01, 2022•11 min
Click here to get your no cost ticket to THE 2022 Pickleball Summit . The largest gathering of pickleball professionals anywhere. You are not going to want to miss it. To fix something you first must know what is wrong with it. To do this, you have to "see" it. You can learn to see the game by focusing first on a shot, and then another shot. And so on. Until it all becomes clear. In the riff, we talk about your journey and the agency you have over it. We are focusing this week on a common paddle...
Jun 24, 2022•10 min
Failure is a prerequisite to improvement. Not an option. Required. Only when you fail will you have the fuel it takes to want to get better. Not sure about that? Listen to the podcast and let us know. In the riff, we talk about a common problem that is causing you to lose games. Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillars of Pickleball here . WeArePickleball immersive pickleball camps at https://wearepickleball.com/camps/ Get the same visua...
Jun 17, 2022•15 min
How do we avoid distraction when we are on the pickleball court? In this episode we give you some tips to help you maintain your focus when you are in the heat of the moment. Is hitting a winner the optimal strategy when you play. BONUS - how do you deal with a player who targets your face - it happens! Click here to get your no cost ticket to THE 2022 Pickleball Summit . The largest gathering of pickleball professionals anywhere. You are not going to want to miss it. Click here to Join us insid...
Jun 10, 2022•19 min
Want to play better pickleball that day AND be recovered in time for your next time on the courts? Then you will want to hear CJ's tips about preparing for your day and then getting your body ready afterwards. Remember, injury = no pickleball. So let's minimize that injury risk. You can get our Dynamic Stretching Guide here. Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillars of Pickleball here . WeArePickleball immersive pickleball camps at https:...
Jun 03, 2022•25 min
You only have so much time (and focus) to dedicate to your pickleball improvement. Any time spent on non-productive aspects of the game is time not spend on productive aspects of the game. Example: working on the Erne when the punch volley is what you need. Prioritize your work and you will see greater gains. In the riff, we help you avoid the potential frustration from ebbs and flows in your improvement. Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three...
May 27, 2022•15 min
The obvious: you need your body to play pickleball. It is a physical activity and how your body performs will dictate how well you play on the court. The not so obvious: there are things you can do off the court that will help improve your body and get you ready to play when you are back on the court. Pay attention to those and you will play better pickleball and, more importantly, enjoy a better quality of life. In this episode we are joined by my friend and partner, CJ Johnson, who shares with...
May 20, 2022•26 min
Losing is within your control. Not losing a game - that is just a series of numbers. But you can control your behavior on the court: the thing that will actually determine whether you lost the day. In the riff, we discuss sportsmanship. Mistakes vs intentional. It's all about perspective. Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillars of Pickleball here . WeArePickleball immersive pickleball camps at https://wearepickleball.com/camps/ Get the ...
May 13, 2022•16 min
Are you winning? In this episode we suggest you may already be winning. Improve your results as well as your relationship with pickleball by eating some more ice cream. What could be better? In the riff, I share some thoughts about pivot points. These are the points that change a game. Are you hunkering down when they are yours? Hunkering down when the other team is looking to capitalize on theirs? Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillar...
May 06, 2022•18 min
When you step onto the pickleball court you are out there battling your opponent. Understanding this can help you navigate your next game. Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillars of Pickleball here . WeArePickleball immersive pickleball camps at https://wearepickleball.com/camps/ Get the same visual training that CJ and I use to improve our vision, our game, and our lives (better night driving included). Visit here for more information....
Apr 29, 2022•9 min
Bookmark this Episode. Play it whenever you are on your way to the courts and get ready to play your best pickleball. Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillars of Pickleball here . WeArePickleball immersive pickleball camps at https://wearepickleball.com/camps/ Get the same visual training that CJ and I use to improve our vision, our game, and our lives (better night driving included). Visit here for more information. You can find out mor...
Apr 22, 2022•11 min
Picking the right shots when you play is important. Part of that decision making is making selections that are not too risky. That get the job done without needless chance for error. Think of the shots in terms of their marginal advantages. Some shots offer high advantages relative to the risk they create. An example is a deep return of serve that is aimed 4 feet inside the baseline along the centerline. This shot gives you what you need with little risk. If you target the return 1 foot from the...
Apr 15, 2022•16 min
There is a reasonable chance that you might be wasting your time. And perhaps even wasting a lot of it. If you are working on shots, tactics, or strategies that only provide limited benefit but require lots of work, then you are not using your time well. In this week's episode we share a concept - marginal advantage - that will change how you go about your improvement work. Determine what mechanical, strategic or athletic pillar item will give you the greatest benefit and then compare the benefi...
Apr 08, 2022•18 min
Want to win your next pickleball game? Of course you do. We all want that. The trick is how to do it. In this week's episode we share with you how to win Pickleball games. Lots of them. It is not what you think. We also share with you the ins and outs of improvement - how are you going to finish that huge chocolate elephant? Click here to Join us inside THE Pickleball System. It will change your game. Get the Three Pillars of Pickleball here . WeArePickleball immersive pickleball camps at https:...
Apr 01, 2022•16 min
There is only so much information you can take in at a time. Less even once you think use “apply it” as compared to just taking it in. To get the most out of your work, make sure it is actually becoming part of your game. Reading a WeArePickleball blog post is good. But applying that same knowledge to your game and yourself out there – now that is awesome. That is where the magic happens. In this episode we discuss how to prepare your cup to receive new information and, importantly, apply it. Cl...
Mar 25, 2022•17 min
Sherlock Holmes made “elementary” cool. The most seemingly complex situation is rendered elementary once you have the right perspective on it. Pickleball is much the same. It is a complex interrelationship of rules that create a framework in which we play the game. But, once you understand them, then navigating the game becomes elementary. What happens to many of us is that we try to match perceived complexity with complexity in our game. We want to learn that shot which will unlock the game for...
Mar 18, 2022•17 min
A lot of our frustration when we are trying to improve stems from not seeing the big picture. Pickleball is deceiving. It is a “simple” game .You just go out there and bat the ball around. Right? What you are seeing is the portion of the iceberg that is above the water line. Most of pickleball (its big picture) lays underneath the waves. And this is what frustrates us. We should get it – we know there is something we are missing. But we just cannot see it. We want to show you the big part of the...
Mar 11, 2022•17 min
If you were to build yourself a home, you would probably want it to have: a. A solid foundation b. Completed wall and c. A roof to keep the elements out. You may also want it to have some plumbing and electrical. So … if you were learning how to build your own home, would you not need to learn how to do all of the above? But what about crown molding, and paint selection, and finished carpentry for those awesome accents around the place? While those are nice to have, you first need the solid home...
Mar 04, 2022•17 min
