PICKLEBALL TIPS
QUICK
TIP
Mechanics Quick Tip
W
e all know that most points in pickleball are won and
lost because of unforced errors or hitting pop-up shots
to your opponents. The highest level players make far fewer
errors than lower level players and also hit fewer pop-up
shots. Some of this is because of better shot selection, but
oftentimes it is because of better mechanics. Generally when
I see top-level players, their mechanics are very simple, with
much less that can go wrong. In this quick tip I would like to
point out one of the biggest mechanical flaws that I see in
players struggling to get to the 5.0 level. The mechanical flaw I
am referring to is opening and closing of the paddle face while
hitting a volley. Changing the paddle angle through the impact
zone will decrease your chances of accurately hitting the ball,
and many times will turn winning shots into losing shots. The
best players actually create the biggest hitting zone by using
good mechanics. By doing this, the best players are always
good. They don’t have to rely on unbelievable timing to hit
every ball exactly where they want it to go. Now, if you combine
great timing with great mechanics, you probably have a great
player! •
Correct:
Incorrect:
I like to show how opening and closing the paddle face can cause big
problems by attaching a ball with a stick to the paddle. In this picture
the paddle angle is set correctly for this shot. The angle should remain
the same the entire swing.
In this picture the paddle has started in an open position. The ball is
also being struck slightly late, so the ball is going long.
This is after the ball has left the paddle and it is heading toward the
target. Because the paddle face did not open and close during the
swing, the hitting zone is much bigger.
In this picture the ball is struck slightly early, so it will go down into the
net.
MARCH 2016 |
MAGAZINE
23