Do you practice? Do you drill? Are you getting better? Are you improving as fast as you would like? If not, perhaps you need to learn the 3 keys to perfect pickleball practice.
Running with Your Arms Crossed
I want you to picture a person standing with their arms crossed tightly over their chest. Imagine they begin to run and continue to run with their arms in that position. They run for twenty minutes, sprinting at the end. Now imagine, they do this every day for the next month. Twenty minutes every day. Sprinting as fast as they can for the last minute of each workout session.
Do you think after thirty days of practice they would be faster? Yes, likely they would.
But would they be as fast as someone who ran using proper form..swinging their arms as they ran to propel them forward? If both runners invested the same amount of time and effort, I think you would agree that the second runner…the one that used his arms, would likely be faster.
Are Your Practicing with Your Arms Crossed?
While I doubt you are practicing pickleball with your arms crossed, I want you to think about how this example applies to our pickleball practice. Unfortunately, when I observe people drilling, I find many are practicing the wrong thing. Over and over again, they utilize the same flawed technique…practicing it perfectly until it becomes second nature. The ball may go over the net. Repetition alone will result in some improvement.
However, I think there is a better way. An approach that will not only result in improved results but will enable the player to improve more quickly. If you have read my post on pickleball mastery, you know that our improvement will not be a straight line. There will be peaks and valleys. However, if we are committed not only to practice but to perfect pickleball practice, over time we will realize greater gains.
Perfect Pickleball Practice
Of course, committing to perfect pickleball practice may require you to make some changes. And it may require you to find a drill partner that is willing to make a commitment too. It will require you to analyze your strengths and weaknesses and to create a practice plan. Most importantly it will require you to follow my three keys to perfect pickleball practice:
- Set a goal for every practice session: This simple step is often overlooked and, frankly, it may be the most important factor affecting your success. What are you going to focus on this practice session? Make it small, and define it as specifically as possible. Instead of “work on my dink”, my goal might be “follow through fully on every dink”…or…”make contact with the ball in front of me on every dink”…or…”push from my shoulder on every dink”. Break down a complex task into its smallest parts and work to improve technically in every area.
- Practice in Slow Motion: We learn best when we learn in slow motion. Instead of repeating the same dink thirty times a minute, I would rather see a student focus on hitting three or four dinks perfectly. Freeze after completing the shot so you can analyze your position fully. Instead of focusing on the external, (i.e. did the ball go over the net), focus on you (am I balanced, is my paddle in the correct position, is my weight moving in the correct direction?)
- Use a Stop Watch: Plan your practice session in advance and stick to your schedule. Most of us tend to practice those things that we are already good at, instead of spending the majority of our time working on our weaknesses. This tendency is only natural…but will limit our success. Spend time analyzing your strengths and weaknesses and then build a practice plan that improves your weaknesses first then builds on your strengths.
Perfect Practice
Rather than mindlessly hitting ball after ball, commit to perfect practice. Even if you are practicing alone. It will require more thought and a commitment to working on the building blocks of proper technique. But if you are committed I am sure you will realize greater gains more quickly.
