If your game is struggling WATCH THIS | Pickleball Strategy Q&A

 

00:00:00 - Welcome to the Briones Pickleball Q&A Podcast 00:03:52 - Why we LOVE coaching 00:07:49 - The New Selkirk LUXX? 00:11:42 - How should you pick a paddle for you? 00:15:36 - Being Proactive vs. Reactive in pickleball 00:19:38 - The Importance of Mindful Playing 00:23:35 - Switching Hands on the Court? 00:27:36 - Volley serve vs. drop serve? Which is better? 00:31:43 - Why coaching is essential if you can't break through 00:35:50 - On the rise?? A big DEBATE! 00:42:07 - Recognizing and Correcting Bad Habits 00:49:05 - What kind of grip should you use? 00:55:14 - Dealing with different Spins in Pickleball 00:56:50 - The Advantages of Two-Handed Shots 01:06:58 - The Two-Handed Backhand 01:09:23 - Covering the Middle 01:12:42 - How to put the ball AWAY! 01:22:35 - The Worst Advice on YouTube 01:27:41 - Celebrity Pickleball Draft 01:31:35 - Exciting Podcast Special Guest Announcement Very soon!

AI instructional Video: 5 tips for Beginners at Pickleball

 

00:00 Pickleball is an inclusive sport that anyone can pick up regardless of age or skill level. 00:27 Understanding the rules like double bounce, service faults and foot faults is crucial for mastering pickleball. 02:19 Choosing the right paddle involves considering core material, thickness, surface material, grip size and weight. 03:56 Mastering footwork techniques like pivoting, shuffling and shot recovery gives you a strategic edge. 05:04 The serve is vital for gaining control and applying pressure on opponents from the start. 05:59 Playing alongside experienced players accelerates learning strategy, technique and tactics.

5 Things I wish I knew when I started Playing Pickleball

Master Pickleball From the Start: Essential Skills for Beginners Want to start dominating on the pickleball court? Learn from the mistakes of others so you can fast track your skills. Pro player John Cincola shares his top 5 tips to help beginners level up quickly. John vividly remembers his early pickleball days back in 2018. While the sport looked easy at first glance, he soon realized there was far more technique and strategy involved than meets the eye. After years of refining his game, John wants to help new players avoid common pitfalls he sees all the time. This guide will prime your mindset, positioning, shot technique and pace handling. Before you know it, you'll be crushing those smashes and winning more matches! 0:31 - Dink With a Purpose The most common advice given to beginners is "don't pop up your dinks." But constantly thinking about what NOT to do often backfires. Instead, John recommends dinking with purposeful intention. When you tell yourself "don't pop it up," your mind has no clear direction. The ball could go anywhere! However, choosing a precise target like "land it 6 inches over the net in that corner" provides clarity. Giving your shots more purpose builds confidence in your technique. Your mind understands the exact desired outcome. Dinking with purposeful precision is far more effective than just trying not to make mistakes. 1:49 - The Third Shot Drop Isn't That Hard Newbies often hear the third shot drop called the toughest shot in pickleball. But John wholeheartedly disagrees with this narrative. In his view, the third shot is simply an extension of your basic dink. If you can dink consistently from close to the net, nothing fundamentally changes dinking from farther back. Simply maintain the same simple, compact technique on that third shot. There's no need to over-complicate it in your mind. Approach the third shot drop with confidence, not worry. Remind yourself it's just like your regular dink that you've practiced many times. Keeping that positive, simplifying mindset goes a long way on mastering this essential pickleball shot. 3:12 - Master the Ready Position Coaches constantly remind players about proper ready position. Your body should be athletic and alert, paddle neutral and ready to react. But misunderstanding the "why" behind ready position causes many mistakes. Poor ready position often happens not from laziness, but due to overextending on the previous shot. When your weight is too far forward or paddle away from your body, it's physically impossible to get back into ready position in time. The fix? Make preceding shots more compact and controlled. Don't let your momentum carry you outside the optimal ready zone. Staying centered after each shot eliminates scrambling back into position. 4:53 - Court Positioning Matters While John knew on-court positioning was important from the start, he didn't initially emphasize the right elements. He recommends focusing on these three principles: As the returner, urgently get to the kitchen line behind every return. This instantly puts you in an offensive position. As the server, patiently play your way up. Don't just bum rush the net off the serve. Earn your way forward.

Between shots, stay closer to your partner. Squeezing the middle forces shots into the outside corners where more risk exists. Work on nailing down these core concepts first. Proper positioning sets you up for pickleball success. 7:17 - Learn to Handle Pace When John started, lessons all stressed the soft game – volleys, dinks and drops. But he was mystified about losing to players who blasted hard shots right at him. Why didn't his superior dinking translate into wins? The answer: handling pace is arguably the most vital pickleball skill, especially as the sport trends faster and more athletic. Expect speed and smash it back with control. Don't just play pattycake - learn to power up when required. Start Strong By Avoiding Common Pitfalls There you have John Cincola's top 5 pickleball tips to help new players get off on the right foot. Avoid the common mistakes John sees time and time again when people are just starting out. Arm yourself with the basics of purposeful dinking, smooth ready position, strategic positioning, simplified drop shots and pace handling. Combine athleticism with smarts and you'll be dominating the courts in no time. Now grab a paddle and get out there! These essential techniques will have you volleying, spinning and smashing like a pro.

Paddle: The texture at the sweet spot is completely smooth

Source: Facebook Group - The Kitchen Poll 

Since November 2022, I've been using the Selkirk Invikta Power Air. Selkirk Sport - We are Pickleball $250.00

I've really enjoyed playing with this paddle because of it's great combo of spin and power.
However, after playing with it for 2-3 months, the texture at the sweet spot is completely smooth as compared to the gritty texture it comes with when it is brand new.

To be fair, Selkirk's customer service is top notch and have replaced it 3 times over this past year because of the issue and another time for a broken end cap.

Unfortunately, they are no longer gonna honor their 'Lifetime Warranty' which lasted less than a year- that's a short life in human years.

Poll Stats

• 19% Lasting 2/3 months is normal wear and tear
• 52% Seek another paddle
• 8% Is this a defect? Paddle should be replaced or the purchase price refunded.

Tech Specs

• Midweight Range: 7.7 – 8.1 oz.
• Custom weights are not available
• Grip Circumference: 4 1/4"
• Grip: Selkirk Geo Grip
• Handle Length: 5 1/4"
• Paddle Length: 16 1/2"
• Paddle Width: 7.375"
• Face: Hybrid Blend of Fiberglass and Carbon Fiber
• Core material: Polymer Honeycomb
• Core Thickness: 0.5''
• Edge Guard: Edgeless DuraEdge

JAMES IGNATOWICH: Two-Hand Backhand Cross-Court Dink with Side-Spin

Two-Handed Backhand Dinking: Unlocking Aggressive Play

Introduction

In pickleball, mastering dinks is critical for success. While one-handed dinks allow for control, two-handed backhand dinks open up more aggressive options. In this video, a 4.0 pickleball player works with a pro James Ignatowich to develop his two-handed backhand dink technique. Ignatowich provides guidance on grip, ball contact point, spin, and strategy for maximizing this shot.

Key Points

• There are two main types of dinks - "dead" dinks for resets and aggressive dinks for offense. Dead dinks can be hit slightly higher over the net with more margin. Aggressive dinks are hit lower over the net and can be placed deeper.
• For two-handed backhand dinks, the left hand provides most of the power and control. The right hand offers support. Start by practicing strokes with just the left hand to develop confidence.
• On two-handed backhand dinks, the key is covering the left side of the ball with the left hand to impart side-spin. This is different than normal backhand dinking where you get under the ball for topspin. The side-spin creates a biting action that's tough to return.
• Mastering two-handed backhand dinks opens up the court, especially down the sideline. Since many players at the 4.0 level don't have effective backhand ATPs, these dinks can really put opponents on their heels.
• While top pros like Ben Johns succeed with one-handed backhands, the two-handed grip provides additional options for aggression on backhand dinks. The player should practice both but use the two-hander when looking to attack.

Practice Session

The player starts off working on his two-handed grip. Ignatowich emphasizes keeping the left hand locked into the paddle and letting the right hand provide support. At first the player hits the dinks too high over the net, allowing them to be attacked. After a few tries, the player starts making solid contact on the left side of the ball, creating heavy side-spin.

Ignatowich reinforces that the player needs to resist the habit of getting too far under the ball like on a topspin dink. The key is driving through the left side of the ball with the shoulders to impart side-spin. When the player connects correctly, Ignatowich struggles to even return the biting dinks.

After some good repetitions, the player begins popping the dink back up. Ignatowich reminds him to stay shoulder driven and hit the left side of the ball. The last dink of the session has perfect side-spin and lands right at the coach's feet.

Conclusion

Adding a two-handed backhand dink opens up opportunities for aggression, especially down the sideline or behind a poaching partner. While top players can succeed with one-handed dinks, the two-handed grip provides additional options. By continuing to practice this technique and focusing on the proper contact point, the player unlocks the ability to attack with his backhand dink. Mastering this shot will raise the player's game to the next level.

Pro Allyce Jones teaches how to do a “Two-handed Backhand Roll Dink”

 

Master the Two-Handed Backhand Roll Dink in Pickleball Learning how to execute a controlled and deceptive two-handed backhand roll dink in pickleball can greatly improve your ability to control the pace and placement of shots. Pro player Allyce Jones teaches her technique for this versatile pickleball stroke. Step 1: Grip (0:16) Use a continental grip with your dominant hand. Grip the paddle handle as if holding a hammer, with your knuckles lined up along the edge. Grip the paddle with your non-dominant hand on top. You can experiment with finger placement to find what's comfortable. Step 2: Backswing (0:40) Extend both arms straight out in front of you, keeping paddle face angled down. This sets you up to brush upward on the ball. Some players prefer a bent-arm backswing. Step 3: Stance (0:56) Stand with your non-dominant foot slightly ahead of your dominant foot. Hold your paddle on the same side as your front foot. This open stance allows you to step into the shot. Step 4: Contact (1:25) As the ball approaches, step forward with your front foot and make contact with the ball by brushing upwards on the back. This lifts the ball over the net in an arcing "dink" shot. Step 5: Follow Through (1:35) Follow through up to ready position, with paddle in front of your body. For a cross-court dink, follow through high across your body. For a dink down the line, follow through lower. Step 6: Recovery (1:37) Immediately recover to a centered ready position, prepared to react to your opponent's next shot. Keep weight shifted slightly forward. Summary Mastering the two-handed backhand roll dink gives you better control over pace and placement. An extended backswing, forward weight shift, and upward brushing contact are key. Follow through fully and recover quickly. Practice hitting controlled, disguised shots to keep your opponent guessing!