5 KEY Strategies that Have CHANGED Today’s Game

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[@BrionesPickleball]

If YOU want to learn how to ATTACK your opponents effectively, so that they can STOP attacking you FIRST, check out our FREE attacking masterclass HERE: www.brionespickleball.com/AttackLikeThePros

[@melisamelisa8929]

Great video, also the Oliver-Sport paddle has made a big difference in refining my technique.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Technique doesn’t have to do with your paddle….

[@melanie2100]

I'm a beginner, I have a drop serve. I was thinking about changing my serve, but some players told me it was good. I recently transitioned to the intermediate games at my gym. it's a much faster pace, I'm doing ok, it's always challenging to be quick enough to return the balls hit close to the kitchen/net area when I'm at the baseline (after our team serves). I have been improving with a lot of practice (at least 3 x's a week), it's a lot of fun. I try to look at it on a shot by shot basis and not get hung up on if we win the game. it's always encouraging when I sneak in a good shot against opponents who are much more advanced than I am. it's a great sport and I'm so glad I've gotten involved with it!

[@BrionesPickleball]

Awesome!!!!

[@scottlewis1479]

A few ideas to add: More aggressive blocking with emphasis on return pace and angles to counter hard drives. ATP defense with aggressive drop back angles has become more prominent. Defending ernies with a scorpion or hitting the attackers feet or chest outside the post.

[@BrionesPickleball]

👍🏻

[@shelkatz]

Great video! Three years ago I remember videos that said don’t try to spin! I didn’t listen!!

[@BrionesPickleball]

Good! lol

[@Vanessa-pe2xs]

I think for newbies with no paddle background...trying to spin gets them in trouble. Basics first.

[@donnettewand6197]

Definitely working on using middle more especially when stretched out. Recover faster and a lot less errors. Also working at speed ups below net and two handed backhand. Sometimes have difficulty recovering quickly from backhand as body is faced away from net. Thanks!!

[@BrionesPickleball]

Awesome!

[@fredmargolin1909]

It has taken me a year to hit a top spin correctly and consistently. I am now practicing to hit a hard fast serve without the ball going out. Also working on a short serve with a high degree of lateral spin as a "change up".

[@BrionesPickleball]

Awesome!!

[@darinrussell]

Awesome video. I got 4/5 right before watching it. I said, “Aggressive dinking” instead of “middle dinking.” I’m working on everything you talked about. I think the use of topspin on my drops and sinking has elevated my game.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Great job!

[@tomfowlerwrites919]

I've been playing about a year now, and I've noticed 2 trends. 1. Players (even at the intermediate levels) attack balls below the net with speedups. 2. People tend not to blindly charge the net when their partner hits a 3rd show now. Most players at least see how good the 3rd is before moving in. For my own game, I'm working on topspin. I don't come from a tennis background, so it's often elusive. I have good topspin when I get it right, so now I'm trying to get it right more often.

[@jimh.4027]

#1 - I agree. #2 was never a good idea. Players were not taught to do that (unless they had really bad coaches) and only rookies made that mistake (and many still do). So I wouldn't call it a trend or a change.

[@BrionesPickleball]

👍🏻

[@leonacosper-ip3df]

Great video! Yes, have topspin dbl backhand in tennis and lately practicing same in pickleball. Not as easy a transition because pickleball bounces much lower than a tennis ball; really need to get low with the knees. Will actively put topspin in drops, dinks, etc., will slice for variety.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Sweet!

[@jimh.4027]

Just to add to a couple of your strategies: 1. 2 handed backhand and dinking: the aggressive 2 handed backhand dink with severe angle and pace is now common and challenging to deal with, especially if you less than great mobility. It used to be relatively "safe" to dink to someone's backhand. Not the case if they have a good 2 handed BH dink. 2. Middle dinks: I like middle dinks, but as a general rule I find it dangerous to dink to the forehand of the left side player. Everyone is so aggressive with their speed ups these days, that's a ball that will often get attacked. If I'm going middle, it will be to the backhand of the right side player.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Great!

[@jimw6991]

I struggle to see the advantage of a 2 handed backhand versus a good one hander. Federer and Wawrinka hit very big one handed for example. Can you explain? Seems to me hitting topspin is the key, and contact way out in front is key, not how ma​ny hands on the paddle. Not to mention if you want to hit a nice, aggressive skidding slice backhand I am not sure it is possible with two hands. In next video can you add more on technique including slow motion to better see what you are doing? @BrionesPickleball

[@jimh.4027]

@@jimw6991 From a ground stroke perspective, I tend to agree with you. Although people who lack power with their backhands will benefit from a 2 handed BH, even from the baseline. The value comes into play in the transition zone and at the NVZ. Think of a 2 handed BH as basically a left handed forehand. Lot easier to get top spin and angles with the forehand. Watch Anna Leigh Waters' game and you'll see how deadly that shot is. Another way to think about it: right handed baseball players tend to hit to left field, whereas left handed players tend to hit to right field. That's the natural direction of the swing. The 2 handed BH gives you more power and better angles when hitting to your right. The 2 handed BH dink in particular is so aggressive it can not be replicated with one hand.

[@maryleatucker5232]

Awesome video. I'm working on adding power to my spin serves and on sharp angle overheads.

[@HopWeiForever-ss4xw]

Hi Mary. Try watching pickleball studio's private lesson on overheads with pro amrik donkena. It fixed my brother's lob smashes.

[@HopWeiForever-ss4xw]

You are likely pushing the ball forward towards your opponents rather than driving the angle to the ground

[@BrionesPickleball]

Keep working on it!!

[@davidaldrich3488]

When you are ready for a mural on that block wall consider KZbin guy Abstract Dissent lol. Just love your channel

[@BrionesPickleball]

Cool!

[@daveandrew589]

Would love to see a video on skill development for older (55+) players. We can hit some good shots, but lateral movement gets a lot more difficult, and every time you talk about getting low with the knees, my own knees just start crying and begging for mercy. What do 5.0 players in that age range do to compensate?

[@adamheath4599]

Try working on your knee health. The sled pushes/pulls have been a life saver for my knees. I only need it like once a week, but starting I did it like 3 or 4 times a week.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Great idea!

[@bobs1644]

Dave, you have hit the nail on the head. I’m 77 and a lot of body parts do not work like they did in my 40s and no amount of exercise/physical therapy will bring it back. These guys are laser focused on “higher level” and players their age. Although some of their advice does apply to seniors, I keep looking for someone who focuses on the senior/ lower level game. I think seniors are the major PB market, so I am surprised at how few instructors focus on that instead of “higher levels”. Indeed when I hear the term “higher level” I kinda get turned off.

[@MrGbustamante]

@@bobs1644Play other Seniors that also have the same lateral movement limits. Trying to compete with players 20-30 years younger who play at your level or slightly below is not going to end well. If you must play younger players, just keep the ball low, never pop it up. Master the dinks and drops, avoid unforced errors and hope to stay in the game.

[@jimh.4027]

I play with a couple of guys who have severe mobility issues. They do just fine because they are very smart players and place the ball in the right spot more often than not to give you a difficult shot to handle. They also utilize lobs effectively. You can watch senior matches on you tube and study what the higher level players do. They're not running around like teenagers. They have mastered the fundamentals so that they don't make a lot of errors on basic shots; they anticipate well and are ready to hit balls that come to them; and they are good about hitting position shots that give their opponents trouble.

[@jamesandannschmitt6835]

Top spin drives and partner running the shake and bake.

[@BrionesPickleball]

👍🏻

[@weswes5876]

The 3rd shot drive has taken over. Nowadays the drop usually happens on the 5th shot.

[@BrionesPickleball]

In pro pickleball, it’s about 50% of the time. So not all the time

[@gg80108]

@@weswes5876 have you noticed the short angle in the kitchen instead of "keeping em back"

[@DavidSchilter]

Maybe the popularity of cross-court dinking in the past was related to the popularity of slice dinking. The sliced balls float, so cross-court was the only safe option to not leave the ball high. Just a guess!

[@BrionesPickleball]

That could be part of it, although dink strategy has changed in the past 5-7 years

[@TaeyangOh]

Great video. Any evolution on swing technique? With topspin on the rise do you think more wrist movement for "whippage" is better than the traditional (more stable) arm dominant swings?

[@BrionesPickleball]

Depends on your background, although more small moving parts leads to inconsistency

[@DAVIDDOERNER-fi2nl]

On the top spin serve, I have a few questions. When the serve is long: 1) The returns are often popping up with the return high enough that it is difficult for me to drive. What is the best shot to hit in this situation? 2) When people slice/chop it back, my partners often struggle with the slice, and I often just kind of float it back. What are good options for this situation? Changing gears: 3) Is the short (not deep) top spin serve something to focus on, or do you suggest sticking with long? I find it to be a good change up and people often struggle with it. I recognize it allows people to come forward, but it keeps them guessing and uncertain of what is coming.

[@BrionesPickleball]

1 drop 2 slice it back or drive it 3 I’d always focus on a deep serve

[@HoboHabilis]

Yeah. Spin, controls the ball. The game gets faster and more fun. Maybe ten or thirty years you can start making a unit turn. Since you’ll need more room make the court bigger. Redesign the racket, 27” long 90”-110” face with I dunno maybe polyester and or multifilament strings. Loose that wiffel ball for a nice felt covered rubber ball. Yeah I can see it now.

[@zhuzhou]

What about another idea - maybe make the ball smaller, and racquet too? Then we don't need to increase court size. Maybe even possible to shrink it? Players would be too low then... Perhaps raise it on a table-like setup?

[@BrionesPickleball]

Or you can just have fun playing

[@zhuzhou]

@@HoboHabilis the paddle evolution game is just a waste of energy. I wish they'd just pick a fixed design and we'd all use that forever. It'd be cheap and everyone would be equal. Sure tournaments wouldn't have as much sponsorship. But 90% of players don't care about high levels. It's just riduculous to keep expanding paddle powers when we're already capped by pingpong and tennis. Is anyone evaluating whether the new paddle tech is actually improving the game, anyway? I seriously doubt it. It just exaggerates return on money. That same money would be better to spend on coaches and trainers for a fixed equipment game, anyway

[@HoboHabilis]

Brilliant!

[@alohaleslie9407]

@@zhuzhou Perhaps. I do agree that marketing is bringing out new paddles at ridiculous prices. My first paddle was a Selkirk at $79. Now they run up to $250-$300. Now that is insane. I do think my game has elevated with the new carbon paddles. My power and control are more equal, which gives me more confidence. Paddles can definitely make a difference for many players.

[@dallaspickle]

Kitchen lobs off bounce and from air

[@BrionesPickleball]

Yes!

[@caponteh]

We need to see close ups of how to hold the paddle and where the ball hits the paddle

[@bonniebowers4603]

I like adjusting playback speed to see these things.

[@BrionesPickleball]

👍🏻

[@guittadabe5214]

Funny how people were telling me to remove my table tennis shots from Pickleball. Now they're all the rage! The difference? Better paddles, which are allowing better spins.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Yep….

[@aljerones99]

My name is Alistair Jones ... and I approve this comment. 😊

[@wadejensen6829]

Jordan, do you have to resurface your court that much here in the AZ sunshine?

[@BrionesPickleball]

It’s been good for 3 years!

[@billhumpertt6290]

Every point is so right. Thanks guys.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Np!

[@Holden_Prio]

I see that the cost is approx 2k$ for two days VIP training one on one in PHX. What is the cost of the 5day training (the one with multiple other people)?

[@gg80108]

@@Holden_Prio better be inside, PHX in the summer!

[@andreascott9577]

It's on the site.

[@Holden_Prio]

@@andreascott9577 is it though? I looked and couldn't find pricing information.

[@BrionesPickleball]

If you fill out this form with your info, we’ll send you everything you need! www.brionespickleball.com/5-day-super-intensive-training

[@gg80108]

@@andreascott9577 what site, the backyard court?

[@gg80108]

Players being surprised after a bad 3rd shot drop, the short angle dink to the kitchen reply, so getting caught in the back court feels worse than coming in on a higher 3rd shot, at least you have a chance. Especially if you don't have wheels. Help! 😢 Keep em back seems to become obsolete.

[@BrionesPickleball]

If that’s happening, then I would suggest working on your drive

[@gg80108]

@@BrionesPickleball you need to watch more pro film. It is happening more at that level too. Keep em back will be the next myth busted. And if you scramble up your most likely to pop the ball up, point over too. Also players trained they are gonna keep me back then short angle in kitchen!, good shot ! As your wondering why they did not hit the long ball, so own beliefs work against one. Like the offensive lob at the kitchen own training works against one.

[@jimh.4027]

@@gg80108 "you need to watch more pro film". Wow. I recommend not posting comments on social media after you've had a couple of drinks.

[@Peter-nc7ce]

Every time I warm up before playing, I always use Dink balls, but this kind of Dink is rarely seen during actual playing. Is this stereotyped Dink warm-up the best warm-up?

[@jimh.4027]

Warm up should include dinking from both the backhand and forehand sides; third shot drops; kitchen zone volleys; serves; returns; and ground strokes. If you have more time: hitting and defending overheads. If you don't actually dink in your live games, you can cut down on that aspect of the warm up and focus on something else.

[@BrionesPickleball]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@BrionesPickleball]

Volleys returns and drives are important too!

[@texassimon]

I have seen more and more pro players making the 3rd shot drive instead of the traditional defensive 3rd shot drop. Apparently, good offense is the best defense. 😃

[@BrionesPickleball]

Partly true. Drops will always be relevant.

[@ginjaninja3627]

Gosh, adding topspin to a backhand drop is hard, man. I guess you have to use two hands in that case?

[@BrionesPickleball]

Yes, it’s much easier that way

[@silverdc5]

is 4:44 Julian Arnold?will my backhand dink get better if i make that sound?

[@BrionesPickleball]

lol

[@Houjixful]

i see ben johns and jdub do backhand slice drops

[@BrionesPickleball]

Yes, and both of them are starting to implement two-handed BH topspin drops as well. They both drop with topspin on the FH side.

[@Blazervitch]

@@BrionesPickleballJW hits a flat shovel drop on the forehand side

[@jessicakraft6854]

What I took form this video: be more like a tennis player ;) Joking aside, good content overall.

[@BrionesPickleball]

lol

[@wadejensen6829]

lol dad's got good drugs ;) plus a 2-handed backhand lol.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Lol

[@DA-lk5np]

This is all good stuff that I have already been doing. The "old" way of pickleball with dinks and such being the primary part of play was absolute nonsense and was never going to stick around once younger people, tennis players, and real equipment entered the game. Bang away people - its WAY more fun.

[@BrionesPickleball]

The sport was still very young. Also, dinks are still and will always be a crucial part of the game.

[@jonathonskinkle5030]

Noticed now it's not about resets but attacking back when the ball is sped up. Resets have to be near perfect or you'll continue to be attacked. Most resets don't bring you back to neutral anymore.

[@gg80108]

@@jonathonskinkle5030 Collin Johns do, but not for the rest of us.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Resets is still a skill that everyone needs to learn; and is still effective at any level.

[@tennisace40]

pickleball…. Aarghh!

[@BrionesPickleball]

Yep pickleball!

[@jeromesooyee1527]

poaching and getting as many balls back in play

[@BrionesPickleball]

👍🏻

[@voltaquake]

Lobs are being used more now.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Yep

[@sc2coupeify]

Great video, cant wait to watch caden live in kansas city

[@BrionesPickleball]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@RiomaWF]

Nobody wants to practice backhand roll with me : /

[@BrionesPickleball]

You’ll find Someone !

[@fratersol]

What's changed is borderline over the limit power paddles taken over the sport and you finding people with less skill able to pull through with there banger paddles.

[@BrionesPickleball]

Yes, it does happen

[@Uncle-Nacho]

This video pretty much mirrors your video with clips from you including Kayden’s dad telling him to develop a two handed backhand. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZbEYZWIhpV_rKssi=ZsM1oPOyJ_c-nfko Hmmmmmmmm.

[@BrionesPickleball]

😊

[@BrionesPickleball]

Wow, they just ripped our content. Thanks

[@anoka114]

Those serves are illegal and shouldn't be allowed. This isn't tennis and pickleball wasn't designed to be like tennis.

[@BrionesPickleball]

They are definitely LEGAL.

[@anoka114]

@@BrionesPickleball Not by the original rules which all you new people seem to be in a hurry to change. It once was simple without controversy, Now it's not.

[@bleuShoErn]

Come on now… we all know that the object of the pickleball serve is only to begin play. “We need to keep the game in its purest form.” 😂 What happened to that logic?

[@BrionesPickleball]

I never taught that. lol

[@26realmc]

Are you reading the 1970 handbook?😊

[@bleuShoErn]

@@26realmc