PLAY . P I C K L E B A L L

Stretch achilles tendon first before playing -- especially right foot (and left foot). An achilles tendon tear is bad bad bad. Separates from heel -- rolls up all the way to the calf. 6 months not being able to walk !!!

Stretch right arm rotator cuff slowly -- up down left right. (left shoulder too)

**   ADVANCED   PLAY   **

• blocking and tackling reminders:

• 1. get to the net always
• 2. third shot drop
• 3. return serve drop
• 4. dink vs full swing hard
• 5. if the ball is coming in hot, the person in front refrains from hitting it because the person in back has more time to adjust to the ball
•  6. use 270 degree eyesight behind you to KNOW where your partner is -- MOST IMPORTANT SKILL to win. Let partner who is behind you take it.
• 7. POACH (use 270 degree eyesight ...)
• 8. BANGERS stagnate...DROPSHOT-ers get incrementally better every PB day
• LESSONS WITH BRUCE--here FREE-FREE-FREE! (you must share this page--abundance mentality.  In person? -- not free -- unless synchronicity puts us both on the court "by accident."  REAL LESSON: scroll down in the middle here:

1. When I am off position getting to a ball at hard angle (beyond the court), always go for middle. Live to play another point. Do not go for winner at the other court using the hard angle 
2. APEX : make ball hit the apex of flight ON MY SIDE of the net. (regardless of where I am)
3. At net-- PUSH ball back to server near the baseline (not some easy dink near the net) aka no more softies to net
4. Shoulder High, Let it FLY! (it's going OUT)
5. Solve the Riddle ...Down the Middle (of course)

• 1) Listen for knowing when balls go out (not getting caught up in the moment) and SHOUTING "OUT"
• 2) Aiming down at people's feet at least 70% of "defensive" plays
• 3) Dink strategy when all 4 are in soft dink mode
• 4) Returning slams without feeling intimidated
• 5) Being less enthusiastic and staying super focused (I played w Eddie this morning and he calls it "playing with an edge")
• 6) Switching hands on cumbersome backhands
• 7) Write down your most frequently occuring UNFORCED ERRORS on an index card and stick card in your PB backpack

• Push dink or tap dink (paddle in front)

• Back release dink (for when it’s coming in hot)

• The kitchen is 7 feet… Red is the first 2 feet… Yellow is the next 2 feet… And green is the last 3 feet equals 7 feet. Wanna dink Red or Green. Never Yellow!

• Only DINK FROM SHOULDER HINGE—never from wrist (not reliable)

• Speed up, Clean up (dink, then Slam)

• Paddle at 12:00 o’clock — move feet diagonally at the net, just like in tennis, then the paddle always always remains at 12:00 o’clock

• Warm up dinking with someone else for 10-15 minutes straight

• Serve and Stay! (Don’t move up)
• ALWAYS return serve deep
• (You will forget ABOVE...if you return serve SOFTLY, you INVITE both opponents to the net sooner--bad move)
• Sometimes return serve in kitchen corner— especially server’s backhand
• Learn SPIN serve
• Learn backhand SPIN serve
• Learn bounce forehand serve
• Learn to be 100% IN on all your serves (translation: don't try to win the point now)
• Be unpredictable

• ALWAYS ALWAYS  jump even if I don't need to, to slam the ball only at the net never from "No-mans-land" and definitely never from the baseline
• always use paddle in line of sight (like tennis at the net)
• At the net, get ball in the air, not on the bounce, and just punch it over with great aim

red yellow green:

red: low, baseline, at feet

yellow: low and close to feet

green: anything above the net (easy)

• MUST MUST MUST try to learn  switching hands
• Running around hard backhands will lose you points consistently
• Practice your less dominant hand in low risk situations: brushing teeth, combing hair, writing stuff down
• Always try--never get frustrated and quit.
• Warm up dinking with someone else for 10-15 minutes straight only using your less dominant hand
• Play one entire game with the other hand (except for serve)

• EMAIL TO INITIATE:  bruce@brucecoastal.com
• Hourly $35/ 1 player (I always give away 15 minutes FREE, because you invest in YOUR game, not us being social, which we naturally will)
• Hourly $35/ 1 player 
• Hourly $50/ 2 players
• Hourly $60/ 3 players
• Hourly $75/ 4 players
• Hourly $95/ 8 players  
• All coaching is at Midway Park, please (unless your community has PB courts)
• When MIDWAY is crowded, we travel north 6 minutes to 67th Ave (enough courts here to accomodate 8 players)
• 100% Money Back guarantee on your very first lesson (I call this our "chemistry insurance policy")
• Homework: write down 6 skills you want to improve right now
• "I must master the Mental Mindset"
• "I must play chess at lightspeed in my head micro-seconds before contact"
• "I must play chess at lightspeed in my head micro-seconds before contact"
• "I must play chess at lightspeed in my head micro-seconds before contact"
• "I must play chess at lightspeed in my head micro-seconds before contact"
• "I MUST use my peripheral vision to "SEE" my opponent's weight shift BEFORE I make contact micro-seconds before"
• "I MUST use my peripheral vision to "SEE" my opponent's weight shift BEFORE I make contact micro-seconds before"
• "I MUST use my peripheral vision to "SEE" my opponent's weight shift BEFORE I make contact micro-seconds before"
• "I never ever ever use my wrist at the net. It's always a PUSH shot with the ball"
• "I never ever ever use my wrist at the net. It's always a PUSH shot with the ball"
• "I laser-focus and watch the ball hit my opponent's paddle...so I can anticipate my footwork"
• "I laser-focus and watch the ball hit my opponent's paddle...so I can anticipate my footwork"
• tiny.cc/fear-and-love
• https://www.instagram.com/reel/CukOTX2rmAa/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

• what I say at the start with  a new Partner:  "Points come and go--what matters to me is 'this:' (move my paddle from my heart towards their heart)

• forehand takes the middle

• if the ball is coming in hot, the person in front refrains from hitting it because the person in back has more time to adjust to the ball

• poach anytime--please move your feet as if you own both sides of the court

• speak words of encouragement 

• If you are righty and you play with a lefty--both forehands get the middle, so always communicate first--no mind-reading

• shout "OUT" to your partner when you think the ball is going out (listening as the ball strikes your opponent's paddle is foretelling)

• say "YOURS" when the ball could be either person's (or "MINE" when you know you're going for it)

• "SWITCH!"  actually means "stay switched"

• "I must play chess at lightspeed in my head micro-seconds before contact"

• "I MUST use my peripheral vision to "SEE" my opponent's weight shift BEFORE I make contact micro-seconds before"

• "I never ever ever use my wrist at the net. It's always a PUSH shot with the ball"

• "I laser-focus and watch the ball hit my opponent's paddle...so I can anticipate my footwork"

• One of the most commonly missed shots, a ball straight down the middle, can be played by simple communication cues such as "you" or "me." 

• Another essential prompt you should know is "bounce it," which indicates to your partner they should let a high lob bounce before they hit it to see if it could land out. 

• One of the most common words on short balls is "go," telling their partner to rush the net and play the shot. 

• lesson number one: NET: keep your paddle out in front of you -- elbow extended 
• lesson number two: "I send people back to the baseline--You will, too!  Don't give them a reason to come to the net 
• lesson number three: learn how to drop... learn how to drop and when to move back and when to move in and move out ... it's a whole thing, it's a whole system (it's just not slam the ball, unless you are going DEEP down the middle, or whether you are advanced enough to control a BELLY-BUTTON aim), regardless of whether you're dinking or going in the middle for the kill shot 
• lesson number four:  upon dinking, no wrist -- it's all flat paddle there's no risk even it's all just push flat panel... push, no risk 
• every time I am at the net and hit a backhand (sweep) , it goes out. Do this instead: 1. Jump off my feet. 2. slide left foot back immediately before contact (if you're right-handed). 3. a very slight wrist snap. (I never ever ever use my wrist at the net. It's always a PUSH shot with the ball). 4. wait a micro-second longer to make contact (in other words, let the ball travel behind your natural inclination to strike.
• at the baseline or no man's land: let the ball bounce higher-- which means move my feet back--and the ball will never go into the net. 
• I watched so many people hit the ball in the net because they did not allow enough height on the bounce. "Little bounce, guaranteed into the net!"
• The head game: forget bad plays. Next point. 
• Never get angry. No one is paying us to play. It's fun, it's social, it's exercise, and it's all "chess game." 
• If I lose a point, no one cares--especially my partner !
• When both opposing players are at the net, NEVER slam! Only dink, and run up to the kitchen Angles, finesse, and dinks,  Remember how to effectively "SPEED UP, CLEAN UP"
• Stay out of NO MAN'S LAND! Instead, get to the net!
• When you Poach and leave your side wide open, hit the ball crosscourt only (makes it difficult for opponent to hit into your open void)
• learn "down the line" with 80% plus consistency
• watch where your opponent LEANS after they hit the ball
• Watch the ball hit your opponent's paddle...so you can anticipate your footwork
• Learn how to quicken your reflex at the net--your game depends on you mastering this skill--it CAN BE learned: https://youtu.be/oRqBizRAQNU?feature=shared&t=96

Search for "Pickleball TV" in your Channel Lineup Menu

http://tiny.cc/funny-PB

Best Teacher Online

"That Pickleball Guy"

https://www.youtube.com/@thatpickleballguy

PB videos:

https://youtu.be/oRqBizRAQNU

https://youtu.be/FNopxER6hWs?si=X51RW1NGxO9LF_Bg

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=tab

http://tiny.cc/dink-4balls

PICKLEMALL:

https://finance.yahoo.com/video/pickleball-highest-total-adjustable-market-211549447.html?contentType=VIDEO

Fear versus Love:

tiny.cc/fear-and-love