I hear a lot of pickleball players say, “We have to stop to hit a ball.” While I appreciate where this is coming from, I am concerned this can be taken to an extreme.
misinterpreting stop
One of the most important things when playing pickleball is our ability to transfer our weight through every ball. Proper weight transfer allows us to create more length, followthrough, and power. When a player stops they are likely to hinder proper weight transfer through the ball. One of the ways I identify this in my students is by observing the sole of their back foot. If the sole of their shoe is not visible, they are not fully transferring their weight. I want to see the toe of their back foot drag and their heel to come up off of the ground.
Too often I see players jumping into the ball. They stop and then lunge their upper body forward, keeping their feet planted firmly to the ground. They may do this because they have been told, “not to run through the shot”. There is a big difference between running through a ball and moving through a ball.
Tempo…dynamic stability
Rather than limiting your swing to your upper body, I want you to learn the proper tempo for a shot. The key is a term I used called dynamic stability. I want to be stable for every shot…but I also want to finish every shot in the direction I am hitting the ball.
A key to learning this is to focus on your breathing. In an ideal world, we want to exhale when we swing through the shot. I can already hear your thoughts as you are reading this. “You want me to think about yet another thing when I hit the ball?” Yes, I realize this may seem like a lot to think about…but let’s break it down. The basic set up would be:
- Paddle preparation – Once I see the direction of the ball, I prepare my paddle so it is open to the ball;
- Move – I move toward the ball and distribute my weight in the correct direction;
- Exhale – I exhale as I make contact with the ball. Allowing my weight to move forward and finish in the direction of my target.
To put it simply PREPARE -STEP – STRIKE 1-2-3
Getting the Order Right
Players tend to get these out of order sometimes. We might step after we swing, or attempt to swing without properly preparing our paddle. If we are not able to fully swing through the ball, it is likely to go into the net. When we distribute our weight in a balanced
manner, we allow our energy to move through the ball. When we exhale, it relaxes our body and allows for a smoother motion.
Yesterday as I practiced, this was my sole focus. Every shot, I focused on the proper tempo and sequence…PREPARE – STEP – STRIKE. I was able to identify when I did it correctly and when the tempo was a bit off. When I did it right, I was able to exhale as I made contact with the ball and the shot had more control and power. I was also in a better position to prepare for the next ball.
When in doubt we always go back to the basics. These are the foundation of our game. Sometimes we need to be reminded not to stop.
