5 pickleball tips to get really good in 2024

[@faf1967]

In my opinion number one thing as far as the mental game goes is being able to keep every point separated. If you lose a point because you made a bad shot rewind it in your mind and figure out what you did wrong and then move on. If you dwell on that shot it's going to cause you to make more mistakes

[@pickleballplaybook]

100%. Don’t allow one mistake to turn into 2 and then 10. Blocking out whatever has happened, whether good or bad is the way to go. Being present and focusing on what you need to do next is most important

[@RealPickleballHighlights]

I’m a youth player myself, I’m trying super hard to work on mental game but I struggle with it cause I’ve been told I’m way to hard on myself. Definitely gonna check out the podcast!

[@pickleballplaybook]

It’ll be very helpful!

[@Leaann111]

All good advice. I tell folks the two major components of sport is: 1. Shot selection. 2. Shot execution. The shot selection is much harder. Too many beginners just swing away with no concept of what to do. So, part of the mental game is selecting the best shot.

[@pickleballplaybook]

Absolutely!

[@carlrodrigues6919]

Right on i say technique and shot selection dinking takes practice

[@charlesmuller120]

Great Tips! I can relate to you mentioning the part about beating other rec players but not getting better because you're not drilling. You're just warmup dinking and then playing without drilling to develop confidence in new shots.

[@pickleballplaybook]

Absolutely! Thanks for the feedback 🔥

[@millisock]

Absolutely phenomenal video. I needed to hear so many of these! Subscribed, *and* I bought that tripod. I hope your link earned you a few bucks from Amazon! Looking forward to more of your content!

[@pickleballplaybook]

Thanks a ton man! More good content to come

[@daledonnelly8047]

Hi Austin, I really enjoy your videos. Could you send me the link to the 26.00 tripod that works best for you please ? Thanks

[@pickleballplaybook]

It’s right in the description of the video! Glad you’re enjoying the content. Best Tripod Mount ➤ amzn.to/3NKBLoj

[@jillsdancer]

Excellent content and I’m happy that I’m already following most of these suggestions!

[@pickleballplaybook]

Great to hear! Thank you 🙏

[@sc2coupeify]

Last tournament i play in got paired with a new partner and she was so positive. And soon i was making more and more shoots

[@pickleballplaybook]

It makes a big difference

[@tonycannon3497]

So I moved from a 2.5 to 3.79 DUPR.over the Summer by drilling for.2 hours 1 x week with partner...Help me understand how just dinking or resetting or practicing 3 shot drops or defending speedup or returning or serving deep or practicing roll volleys is better than practicing all of them in the same drilling session...See ten min video of BEN AND COLLIN daily drill.

[@pickleballplaybook]

I actually got this tip from Ben himself. It’s not about all the stuff you do during a practice session but about what you’re focusing on improving. Maybe your focus is to improve your roll volleys. In order to do that with a drilling partner they’re going to need to be hitting drops. But maybe they want to work on dinking. So you do dinking and then practice speeding up roll volleys on your end while they practice resetting. It’s all about having one focus per drilling session regardless of what you’re doing.

[@lenmcintee4367]

I agree with having a single point of emphasis during practice sessions. I’m a high school golf coach, discovered and got serious about PB roughly a year ago. I teach my golf team to focus on one skill at a time. If the task is to improve compression when hitting irons, it gets the most reps during practice, but we still hit our driver and roll 50 putts from various distances and practice chip shots from different yardages. Applying the same principles to roll volleys or the two handed backhand doesn’t mean I don’t practice cross court dinks…

[@pickleballplaybook]

Exactly! 👍

[@HT-sd4to]

Thank you!!! Learned a lot from this video!! My mental games is weak. I afraid to make mistakes, I made even more mistakes during tournament. :(

[@pickleballplaybook]

Enjoy the podcast! It’s a huge help for mental strength. Thanks for the feedback

[@mxpxman31]

PICKING A PARTNER QUESTION. I am a left hand 3.5-4.0 player looking to find a same gender partner for tournaments. What are some good traits to look for in a partner and are there any traits or actions you see in a partner that would make you look for another one? Love all your straightforward teaching and instruction! You have helped me change my non dominant arm when dinking and serving for the better!! Thank you so much!!

[@pickleballplaybook]

Great question. When I’m looking for a partner, i want someone that will let me take over the court cause I like to play very aggressive and take up 65 to 70% of the court. They also need to be positive and show that they simply do not care anytime I miss. The last thing is that they have a solid mental game. People with a solid mental game know how to win! I think it will be a little different for you depending on your playing style but that’s the main things I look for! I appreciate the feedback!

[@cindyondell8317]

Thanks!

[@pickleballplaybook]

I appreciate it a ton! Glad it was helpful!

[@cindyking789]

Helpful content thanks what’s the brand of the tripod you recommended

[@pickleballplaybook]

Best Tripod Mount ➤ amzn.to/3NKBLoj Thanks for your thoughts!

[@alvinaburke5305]

I noticed your slinger machine. I got one for Christmas… any tips for setting up practicing dinks?

[@pickleballplaybook]

SLINGER BAG SETTINGS kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZjNiHt_q92eepo

[@waynebuckelew7597]

What’s your take on the new Luxx paddles?

[@pickleballplaybook]

Best paddles in the game. Been using it since it came out. Cons: spin wears off after a few months Pros: great touch and feel from the non volley zone. Great power and control from the baseline. Just feels solid off the surface. 👇 www.selkirk.com/products/luxx-control-air-invikta?sca_ref=4516571.n0z0Xqk6sI

[@SageAustin]

Hi Austin. I’m interested in the tripod you recommended. What height is best? The67” height tripod?

[@pickleballplaybook]

Yes 67! The one that is linked in the description is perfect!

[@SageAustin]

Thanks!

[@pickleballplaybook]

You bet!

[@LinedanceArt]

I don’t know where to position the camera. Behind me or facing me from the opponent’s side? Directly from the center line or somewhere else.

[@pickleballplaybook]

Side is best! Shows how far back your backswing is going

[@Rocmisty]

Hey I just started pickleball but I’m getting serious and a teen and can’t find where to do tournaments can’t find any/ I want a pickleball paddle like the one you have but it brakes the bank

[@pickleballplaybook]

Find tournaments here 👇 Pickleballbrackets.com The most affordable paddle that is a great paddle is $140 👇 www.selkirk.com/products/slk-halo-max?sca_ref=4516571.n0z0Xqk6sI

[@Rocmisty]

I wanted to ask how does it work with like 300 poeple ?

[@pickleballplaybook]

All different levels in the tournament👍 you only play against your level

[@faf1967]

Hey how about the slinger bag because of you but I didn't put your code in there. Is there a way for me to tell them I bought it because of you and you get credit?

[@pickleballplaybook]

There actually is! Just email Eduardo and let him know you tried to use my link but it didn’t work. Here’s his email 👇 [e-mail] Thanks 🙏

[@Casey_999]

Which pickleball coaching license did you earn Austin?

[@pickleballplaybook]

It’s actually PTR cause I started with tennis. Invaluable things it taught. Would highly recommend going through the PPR or PTR (same thing), just one’s tennis and one’s pickleball

[@JaneGurtiza]

Do you still have a code discount for the Slinger? Would like to purchase one. Thank you for your pickleball tips.

[@pickleballplaybook]

They no longer have a discount running but they ended up changing their pricing to $849 instead of $900. So they’re currently $50 off. slingerbag.com/Playbook If you use my code I get a little push back. Thanks!

[@chrisgann99]

Love the hat

[@pickleballplaybook]

Thank you! 🙏

[@BenjaminWeinberger-u4d]

Great video. Curious what angle for recording makes the most sense for improvement (recording from behind yourself on your side of the court or from the opponent's side to see yourself head on)? Also, do you offer couching and if so where do I find info about it?

[@pickleballplaybook]

Best place to video from is front side angle. That usually helps us see everything best Yes I do offer coaching. Shoot me a dm on instagram: @pickleballplaybook

[@bo6354]

do you take private lessons too?

[@pickleballplaybook]

Take?

[@mariofournier9663]

Very very good teaching! Can I add a supplement? When you talk about muscle memory, you're going in the right direction. This applies to many sports and in other areas as well. Don’t forget that we can also use our mental imagery to develop our skills. Which means that we can dictate the movements we want and do them repeatedly, and execute them in our head in slow motion. When I was teaching figure skating I use this mental image technique and you can get very good results.

[@pickleballplaybook]

Wow cool!

[@mariofournier9663]

With a little practice you can add details in slow motion. And you make the moves in the best playing conditions, it’s up to you to decide! The brain is programmable and to achieve very good results you have to be patient and practice. Happy pickleball everyone.

[@joshschott395]

Great content as always, explained and demonstrated beautifully. Thank you Austin.

[@pickleballplaybook]

My pleasure! Thanks a ton Josh. 🙌

[@rachy9801]

the drill sessions out there on yt include different stuff to work on instead of just one that you emphasized on, so u recommend to just work on one specific shot during a drill session?

[@pickleballplaybook]

Correct. Go out and start with dinks but have your focus be hitting dinks out of the air. Then when it turns into volleys your focus remains the same to drop a dink into the kitchen because that’s what you’re focusing on. Does that help clarify?

[@joshtaylor9214]

So is the hundred dollars off just a scam or am I doing it wrong? I clicked on the link and it takes me there. And it's the same price as it is if I go to the website on my own. It isn't $100 off

[@pickleballplaybook]

It’s not longer $100 off. The discount expired 2 weeks ago unfortunately

[@joshtaylor9214]

@@pickleballplaybook thank you

[@pickleballplaybook]

You bet!

[@joshtaylor9214]

@pickleballplaybook when they asked I listed you as where I heard about the bag from when I bought it

[@pickleballplaybook]

I appreciate that!

[@halfsourpickleball]

I think you can even film yourself and look side by side with yourself. If you hit a shot well and hit the same shot poorly you could probably look at the differences.

[@pickleballplaybook]

Definitely!

[@bosoxer4eva]

I've only been playing about 6 weeks now, but I feel like I'm improving pretty quickly as I'm trying to play against better players. I think this is important. Trying to focus on parts of my game that are weaker during games regardless if lose points or not. Practice practice. Great video. Thank you.

[@pickleballplaybook]

Love it! Keep it ip

[@cindyondell8317]

Great tips! I’d love side by side analysis. Following you!

[@pickleballplaybook]

Cool! Dm me on instagram, and I’ll get you set up with some game play analysis 🙌

[@86309]

Awesome! Love all your content Austin!

[@pickleballplaybook]

I appreciate that! Thanks for your support

[@nilkamals]

I bought the tripod thanks....been too lazy to record and review my play but going to change that in 2024

[@pickleballplaybook]

Glad you did! It’s a game changer

[@joysonmenezes2158]

Please provide your insights/tips on singles! I am working on my singles too.

[@pickleballplaybook]

Sounds good!

[@madrum]

Austin, what are your thoughts on a drill where you and a partner go through the sequence: serve deep, return deep, (3rd) drop to the middle, (4th) dink out wide to start cross-court dinking, (5th) dink cross court, then play out the point skinny-singles style. As I write this, it sounds like a football play. I drilled this yesterday and didn’t feel great about my execution, but watched the video and it was better than I thought. I also took the time to record whether we executed each shot or not and if the server or returner won the rally. I plan to keep recording that and track my progress. This morning, I drilled with a different group this morning and played a couple games at the end, and I was surprised how much easier it was to execute that pattern. I also won each point where I initiated cross court dinking. btw, love the tripod you recommended. So easy to transport and use. To anyone reading, I recommend recording and (optionally) editing out big dead spots with CapCut, then uploading to KZbin, either as public, unlisted, or private. KZbin is my favorite way to watch videos in general, with the ability to jump around easily, plus you don’t have to deal with storing massive video files anywhere. KZbin is free! Also, super easy to share with your drilling partners.

[@pickleballplaybook]

Love it man! Love the tripod… glad you are enjoying it. Over 100 people have bought it from my link and they’ll love it. I don’t understand your question. What do I think about the skinny singles drill?

[@madrum]

@@pickleballplaybook I’m trying to get at whether this is too complex of a drill or not. I’ll spend most of my time on specific skills, like drop shots, but I’m curious if anyone practices specific patterns like this.

[@lindsaymyers6331]

Mental game...I always go with the Yogi Berra quote, "90% of this game is half mental"

[@pickleballplaybook]

I love it!

[@denniswood3626]

What kind of grip on the paddle is that?

[@pickleballplaybook]

How I set up my paddle. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKjSgaKum8mjjtk

[@JohnJabbour]

Best racquet for spin?

[@pickleballplaybook]

Luxx Control Air or the Power Air. If you want more control (insane spin)👇 I use this one www.selkirk.com/products/luxx-control-air-invikta?sca_ref=4516571.n0z0Xqk6sI If you want more power (insane spine) 👇 www.selkirk.com/products/vanguard-air-invikta?sca_ref=4516571.n0z0Xqk6sI

[@waynebuckelew7597]

I love your edge guard, how can I get one?

[@pickleballplaybook]

Hey! Go to 4rthpickleball.com This specific one is sold out but they have tons of options. I think you can use code PLAYBOOK for 10% off

[@conniehaynes3346]

15 second reset

[@pickleballplaybook]

💯

[@-A.K-]

Amazing content!

[@pickleballplaybook]

Appreciate it!

[@joshtaylor9214]

How do I get the $100 off ? I clicked the link in description and it's the same price as normal.

[@pickleballplaybook]

No longer has the discount! Only lasted that week

[@jensmith44]

Do you have a good paddle wirh a super small handle size “kid size “ I could try ….

[@pickleballplaybook]

Selkirk does!

[@joanc551]

yep thats what happened in my first three tourneys---no more tourney for me. I like competing but tourney was a very disheartening! good info tho, i believe in drills

[@pickleballplaybook]

Sorry to hear that. Listen to the podcast, apply the stuff, and you’ll change your mind!