When someone picks up an easy sport like pickleball, they assume it’s simple. Yes, it is quite easy to play but that does not mean it’s all fun. Some various strategies and techniques are used in pickleball. Knowing these pickleball rules can help you improve the game. As a beginner, improvement in anything piques interest, so to improve your game you need to know a few tips and tricks.
We have given these tips keeping in mind that you are a beginner completely. Also, you might already know them but we will provide you with how to use them effectively as well. Knowing these are important as they help you better understand the game. Plus, applying pickleball tips for beginners will help you in your improvement journey. In addition to that, if you do not improve at all you might be frustrated and give such a fun game up which is not helpful. Therefore, do read these pickleball tips for beginners to have better control on the court!
Stay alerted:
The first tip is not to laze around during professional court pickleball games. Pay attention at all times and stay ready for upcoming shots. Let us give you a few tips on how to stand in court:
- Curl your knees lightly whilst standing with feet at a distance of shoulder width.
- Do not put your body weight on heels.
- Ease your body and make sure to stretch to warm up as well.
- The paddle and ball should be away from the body in a little up direction. But not too far away just keep it near your chest.
By following the posture and practicing it, your mind will build reflexes to stay ready for hitting shots accurately. Also, staying in a neutral position is the best as you can not predict whether the opponent will give a dink or forehand shot.
Controlled Power
It’s a common theme that we all want to show our powerful moves and shots in every sport. Pickleball is a light sport, there is no need to show hulk-like power shots just shot at controlled power in a precise manner. So keep in mind the goal is not to overpower the opponent by giving powerful shots but by giving unexpected shots at a balanced pace.
Pickleball Tips for Serving
Serves are the basis of the game and matter a lot. Imagine faulting while giving the first serve; that would be humiliating. To make sure you do not go through this experience, here are a few tips to give the perfect serve shot.
- Shot your serve deeply without any need for an extra spin or fancy strategies. Keep the service simple and make it placeable on the opponent’s side.
- Do not think about the opponent missing the service, pay attention to placing the ball on their side.
- The best services are given in the form of loft service.
- As soon as you hit serve, run to the kitchen or non-volley zone.
- Try to avoid service from the sidelines as they have a higher risk of losing points.
These will help in improving your service skills!
Targetting opponents feets
The best tip to weaken opponents is by aiming to hit in their feet. Plus, you can also give shots to the opponent’s weak side. Another weakness of opponents is hitting backhands. Also, you should improve your backhand shots so you do not show this weakness.
Kitchen zone importance
Most beginners do not know the vital role of the non-volley zone or kitchen zone in pickleball court. So, the tip is to stay in the kitchen zone and shot in the opponent’s kitchen zone. Along with that, keep your opponents near baselines. This will help you in having more control over the court.
Dink shots
You must have heard about dink shots, if you haven’t then these are the shots that are hit from the kitchen zone to the opponent’s side. Cross-court dink shots are preferred best and whoever dinks more has more chances of winning.
In the beginning, you might feel scared or cautious to go near the non-volley zone, but patiently practice dinks and take over the non-volley zone whenever you can. As dink shots are tricky and require lots of patience it’s better to practice this as a beginner so you can master it in the future. Here’s how to give the perfect dink shot:
- Curl your knees.
- The paddle blade should be at a 45-degree angle in accordance with the net.
- Hit with your shoulder power keeping and keep your elbows and hands stable.
- Keep hitting like this until the opponents miss it or cause an error!
The importance of the third shot
Another thing that is common in regular players of pickleball is the effect of the third shot. The service is the first shot and the third shot is when the service comes back from the opponent’s side to you. This shot counts and usually the one that misses it likely has drawbacks during the game.
- If you are hitting the third shot: Beginners who are on the receiving end of the third shot should stay alert to hit a neutral, forehand, or backhand shots. Stay alert to hit the ball and keep it natural by relaxing your body but not your reflexes. All you have to focus is on getting the ball pass through the net to the opponent’s side.
Keep in mind not to rush or get hasty to hit a powerful shot. I recommend practicing to hit lob shots from baseline with a partner to improve your third shot.
Selecting shots
Another great pickleball tip for beginners is that do not to shoot the ball randomly. Usually, beginners see what other professional players are using to hit shots and try to imitate them. This will ruin your score as there is a certain time for a specific shot. Here are some ideas:
- Lob shots should be used somewhat strictly as they are the most predicted ones.
- Excess of dinks will help in playing slow game pickleball which is safer to earn points.
- When shooting from bottom to top, hit the ball softly.
- When shooting from top to bottom, hit the ball hard.
- During speedy games just try to hit the shot however you can, do not focus on making opponents fall until the game gets slow.
- Hit the ball in the direction where your opponents have no choice but to stay near the baseline.
Have perfect partnership
Having a perfect link with your partner in double pickleball is important. Make sure that you cover the area which is out of your partner’s reach. More importantly, both of you should stay away from each other to make sure none of the shots are missed.
Communication is important in real-life and in pickleball. You can communicate or signal each other to show a response to the shot. This will help in not hindering each other’s movements and hitting each shot!
No man’s land
The zone in-between the baseline and the kitchen is termed as “No man’s land”. You should avoid getting stuck in this zone during fast-paced matches. Here are a few reasons why you should avoid it:
- The fast response of opponents
- The gap in the back zone
- The gap in the front non-volley zone
- Opponents can aim at your feet easily
All these reasons conclude that you should stay away from this zone as much as you can.
Final words
We hope you found these pickleball tips for beginners helpful. The more you practice the better you will get! Also wear safety shoes and light sportswear so you can move comfortably. Moreover, there are also paddles for beginners that are light to hold so look into that as well!
