Pickleball Therapy | In2Pickle

Ego has a sneaky way of turning every match into a personal story—even when our friends earn the win. In this episode, I challenge you to rethink how you interpret losses, especially after a comeback. When we reframe the moment, we not only grow ourselves—we honor those we play with. A must-listen for any player serious about strengthening their mental game. Show Notes:  https://betterpickleball.com/246-dont-diminish-your-friends/ ‎

Redlining is a hidden obstacle affecting players at every level. This episode breaks down how staying too amped up impacts performance, limits mental flexibility, and leads to critical mistakes. Learn how to recognize when you're redlining and discover practical tools to regulate your emotional energy for more consistent, composed play on the pickleball court. Show Notes:  https://betterpickleball.com/243-how-redlining-holds-you-back-and-what-to-do-about-it

In this episode, C.J. Johnson steps in for Tony Roig and explores the mental trap of chasing flashy pickleball techniques seen online—shots that often harm more than help. Listen in for a mindset reset to help you protect your learning journey and learn how to stay consistent on the pickleball court.Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/244-stop-chasing-pickleball-distractions

A pop-up is not a failure—it is a normal part of pickleball. But your brain may treat it like a threat, thanks to an ancient survival instinct called negativity bias. Once you recognize that, you can stop overreacting and start responding with perspective because not every rustle in the grass is a tiger.Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/243-avoiding-negativity-bias/

Many players search for a “secret” to improve their pickleball game—but there's none. Improvement comes not from tips or tricks, but from understanding how the game works. In this episode, I'll explain why structured learning, clear decision-making, and consistent execution are the real keys to growth—and how seeing the full picture of the game can move you forward. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/242-whats-the-secret-sauce-psst-its-in-this-podcast/

We've all faced frustrating moments on the court—with partners, opponents, or fellow players. What if we could reframe those situations into a healthier, more constructive way? In this episode of Pickleball Therapy, I explore a new mindset tool I'm developing called empathetic framing. I walk you through how this simple mental shift can reduce negativity and help you stay grounded in your game. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/241-empathy-framing-for-the-win/

This episode holds a special place. It distills three foundational mental pillars—Play, Perspective, and Progress—that have resonated deeply with players around the world. These are not just abstract concepts but practical tools that will help you not only play better, but also enjoy the game more fully and consistently.Pillar 1: Play – Embrace the Oops BucketMistakes are inevitable. Even the best players miss easy shots. The question is: what do you do next? Even the best players miss shots. Every shot you miss belongs in the “Oops Bucket”, a mental space where you acknowledge the miss, accept it, and move on. This tool frees your mind to focus on what matters—the next shot. The Oops Bucket is not about ignoring errors. It is about accepting that they are part of the game and letting them go.Pillar 2: Perspective – The Bowl of Ice CreamToo many players tie their experience on the court solely to winning. That is not sustainable. Think of each game as a bowl of your favorite ice cream. You already have the joy of playing—being outdoors, moving your body, engaging your mind. Regardless of winning or losing, you're already winning by playing the sport you love. The games you win add sprinkles and toppings, but even without them, you've still enjoyed a full, satisfying experience. Pillar 3: Progress – Close the Gap, One Focus at a TimeThere is a gap between where you are now and where you want to be. The only way to close that gap is by focusing on one thing at a time. Real improvement in pickleball is not about volume—it is about intention. Resist the temptation to chase the latest YouTube tip or hot strategy.Join us at the Better Pickleball Academy; https://betterpickleball.com/academy/Pickleball System Class; https://betterpickleball.com/system/

Today we dive into a topic that resonates deeply with many of us: the journey over the destination,  and how our approach to it can significantly impact our enjoyment of the game.Join the Better Pickleball Academy for the competitive play series.In our quest for improvement, there's a pervasive trend: rapid progression promises. We've all seen them—programs promising to elevate your rating from 3.5 to 4.0 in just 30 days. These promises sound enticing but often set us up for unreasonable expectations and rob us of the joy found in gradual progress.The Growth and Fulfilment of the JourneyIf you were hiking a mountain, would you want to skip the journey and magically appear at the summit? The answer is likely no because the hike itself is where the real beauty lies. It's in the sights, sounds, and experiences along the way. Similarly, in pickleball, it's easy to become fixated on reaching a specific rating or winning a medal. But in doing so, we risk missing out on the joy of playing, improving, and connecting with others. As you work on your game, remember to celebrate small victories. Perhaps your volleys have improved, or your serve is stronger. These are the flowers and trees along your hike. Even if you never reach the metaphorical "top," the experiences and memories you gather along the way are what truly matter.In this episode I'll also share with you about a tournament I participated in and observed an undercurrent of stress among players and I'll tell you why I think you shouldn't let the pressure of competition overshadow the fun and camaraderie of the sport. Check out our upcoming Strategy Lab If you enjoyed this podcast, consider rating and reviewing it. Your feedback helps us reach more players.

When we think about pickleball, there are three pillars that comes to mind which we developed a few years back; the mechanical, the strategic, and the athletic pillar. The mechanical and strategic pillars focus on how and when to hit the ball and the athletic pillar emphasizes the synergy between body and mind. The mind is super important, but it's one-a-half of the athletic pillar, there's the other part of the athletic pillar, which is the body. Your body supports and nourishes your mind thus a healthy, well-conditioned body enhances mental performance.To enhance mind-body connection, consider these steps; 1. Physical activity: Engage in regular exercise to boost both physical and mental well-being. It could be focusing on strength training, mobility, or flexibility. What the exercise session does is that it uplifts your spirits and sharpen your focus.2. Hydration, sleep and nutrition: Dehydration or lack of energy can impede your ability to concentrate and perform. Ensure you're adequately fueled and hydrated to maintain mental clarity. 3. Manage expectations: If your body is not at its peak, it's normal for your cognitive abilities to reflect that so be kind to yourself and adjust expectations accordingly.If you're new to physical training, begin with simple exercises like controlled chair squats or full-body workouts like getting up from a lying position. Walking is also an excellent low-impact cardio activity. If you're already active, good for you, consider incorporating additional elements such as strength training or flexibility exercises.Join our email list; https://betterpickleball.com/Stay confident and perform at your best prepare with this play guide; https://betterpickleball.com/prepare-to-play/Podcast episode on controlling how you respond; https://betterpickleball.com/237-why-are-you-upset-mindset-shifts-for-competitive-play-in-pickleball/Tony's favorite workouts; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8CDeZurWmQ&list=PLRe6hjjhF-o4F-8QyurfoW0RM8_664o_T

You can't control every event in your journey, but you can control how you respond. And control goes beyond the physical aspect to include a mental dimension too. Sometimes when things happen to us in pickleball, we tend to externalize them by blaming external factors. The idea is, you can control how you react to those events to dictate the pace and outcome of the game. Just like holding the reins of a wagon; it's up to you to steer it in the right direction. This mindset is crucial for maintaining perspective and not letting setbacks derail your progress.Here are some practical steps to help you cultivate control; Don't let in your mind: Whether it's the outcome of a game or external opinions, choose what you let into your mind. This decision shapes your mental landscape.Constructive Processing: If scores do enter your mind, treat them as data points. They don't define you; they're just numbers.Retrospective Adjustment: If a reaction occurs, apply perspective retrospectively. Recognize negative emotions and consciously steer yourself back to a balanced mindset.Reflecting on my journey from tennis to pickleball, I've had my share of struggles with frustration and self-criticism. Listen to the full episode as I share with you how confronting my mental approach has transformed my interaction with sports and life in general. Consider rating and review us, as well as share this podcast with your friends. Our Spring Bootcamp happening now; https://betterpickleball.com/spring-bootcamp/ See you inside the Pickleball System; https://betterpickleball.com/system/Check out our resources section; https://betterpickleball.com/resources/

Pickleball System Spring Boot Camp starting on March 27th; https://betterpickleball.com/march-bootcamp/Will a smile help your pickleball game? While there might not be specific studies on the effect of smiling in sports, research shows that smiling can positively affect our attitude, calm our nerves, and enhance our overall well-being.On this episode CJ Johnson shares a story from her visit to the BNP Paribas Open in Palm Springs, where she observed a match between Frances Tiafoe, the 17th ranked tennis player in the world, and Yosuke Watanuki, ranked 349th. Despite the significant ranking gap and missing some shots, Watanuki's demeanor while playing was remarkable. The key highlights being;Staying Positive: Watanuki entered the match with a big smile. Even when he missed a shot, he didn't let it get to him. Instead, he kept that positive energy flowing, which helped him stay focused.Engaging the Crowd: Normally, Tiafoe is the crowd favorite, but Watanuki's genuine enjoyment of the game drew some of the crowd to his side. His smile made people appreciate his performance, showing how a good attitude can shift the atmosphere.Enjoying the Game: Watanuki celebrated both his good shots and the ones he missed. This attitude allowed him to stay in the moment, which is crucial in a match.In sports, maintaining a positive mindset can allow players to stay in the present moment, relaxed and focused.Try to smile during your pickleball games, regardless of whether you make or miss a shot. Observe how this affects your mindset, you might find that it helps calm your nerves, improve your focus, and ultimately enhance your performance.Learn about SwingVision App and track progress with automated start, scoring and line calling; https://swing.vision/r/betterpickleball

We had the pleasure of featuring a pro pickleball player, Richard Livornese Jr., in this special episode. It will be interesting to listen to the discussion, not just about the mechanics of the sport, but the mental journey that accompanies it. Richard shares insights about his pickleball journey which began four years ago during the COVID pandemic. Despite his achievements, Richard, like many of us, faced moments of doubt and frustration. In this episode he discusses the mental challenges he faced, including the pressure of expectations and the pursuit of success in pickleball.His turning point came in 2023 after a series of unexpected losses. This led him to explore stoicism and mental resilience, which transformed his approach to the game—and life.Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting your pickleball journey, there are valuable takeaways from Richard's experience. If you're curious about exploring Stoicism further, Richard and I discussed a few resources that might interest you:Podcast: "Stoicism on Fire" offers digestible insights into Stoic philosophy and how it can be applied to modern life.Book: "The Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer, although not strictly Stoic, provides valuable guidance on understanding your inner thoughts and achieving emotional freedom. Check out Richard Livornese, Jr. on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richard_pickleball/ and YouTube 

Join us for the March Bootcamp; https://betterpickleball.com/spring-bootcamp/ This week, let's dive into a concept I stumbled upon through an insightful video featuring a psychologist from Duke University. She introduces the idea of the "learning space"—the journey from not knowing to knowing. Picture two dots on a board, one representing ignorance and the other knowledge, connected by a squiggly line. This "learning space" is where growth happens and, interestingly, where frustration resides.Frustration is part of growth and is the single emotion that dominates the learning space. But here's the twist—those who thrive in their journey are the ones who embrace it.Now, why should you embrace frustration? Because it signifies movement. It indicates that you're transitioning from not knowing to knowing, inching closer to your goals. The learning space in pickleball, and life in general, is dynamic. As you conquer one aspect of pickleball, another challenge emerges. Imagine first struggling with scoring, then tactics, and onwards. The cycle of not knowing and knowing perpetually shifts, ensuring endless opportunities for growth. Unlike a sedentary lifestyle, pickleball's challenges build your mental muscles, preparing you to tackle life's adversities with strength and grace.Be well!

Open play can be interesting with players of varying skill levels playing and enjoying the game together. But that's not always the case when dynamics of it set in and players advance in skill; exclusivity sneaks in and can lead to less inclusive play. In this episode we discuss the state of play in terms of how players at different levels interact with each other. This arose from our state of play event that we had a couple of weeks back.  Here's the thing, we have more control over things than we may think and we do a couple of things when it comes to social play to help that such as; Trying to keep an open eye for dedicated players in lower-level courts and inviting them to join your group. Nurture a supportive community while working on specific aspects of your game. Step into the shoes of those playing at different levels by playing with them – it's a great way to foster inclusivity. Become an organizer to mix different levels of players. Online tools and resources can simplify the process of organizing inclusive events and ensure everyone feels welcome and valued.And then I'm going to share with you a personal story about progress and taking a step back in terms of your journey as a pickleball player.  Join our email list to get notified about the March open play event; https://betterpickleball.com/ or check out the event here; https://betterpickleball.com/spring-bootcamp/Find online tools and resources on Pickleheads; https://www.pickleheads.com/Bookmark episode; Mental Warmup: Prepare to Play Your Best; https://betterpickleball.com/1525-mental-warmup-prepare-to-play-your-best-bookmark-episode/

'The good thing about pressure is that it lets you know that you care.' Billy Jean King. The difficulty comes in when you let the pressure build up too much that it spills over into our hobbies and sports, including pickleball. It's perfectly normal for players to start feeling pressure in terms of their performance but not to the point where you're not having fun or can't function anymore. Here are three ways to release pressure and help you stay focused and relaxed on the court;1. Between-Rally Pauses; A simple yet effective way to reset between rallies using brief pauses to take a mental step back. This allows your brain to slow down and it could be in form of paddle tap or removing the paddle from your hand to reduce tension and allow your body and mind to relax.2. Breathing Techniques; Focusing on your breath can help shift attention away from stressful thoughts and bring a sense of calm. In this episode I explain to you two techniques you can try to that bring focus and calmness.3. Change Your Approach Strategically; If a particular strategy or shot isn't working, it might be time for a tactical change. For instance, if you're struggling with your third shot drops, try driving the ball instead. This switch not only relieves pressure but can also improve your rhythm.In the RIFF I share with you why sticking to a successful formula during competitive play maximizes your chance of success, using an example of a PPA match that happened during the Mesa Cup.Anna Bright's great framing after the game; https://betterpickleball.com/232-anna-brights-positive-perspective-win-or-lose/Upcoming boot camp in March; https://betterpickleball.com/march-bootcamp/Get on our email list; https://betterpickleball.com/Check out Pickleheads website; https://www.pickleheads.com/Have a feedback? We'd love to hear from you; therapy@betterpickleball.comSee you in the next episode!

In this special episode of Pickleball Therapy we sit down for an insightful and fun conversation with Shelley and Sher, the duo behind Life Lessons from Pickleball.We discuss the genesis of their podcast, their relationship with pickleball,  eye-opening moments from their mental side of playing pickleball and much more!Listen to the full episode as the duo shares with us how they deal with competitive partners, the pressure of improvement and more importantly, enjoying the journey and focusing on personal growth rather than just results.Check out and support Shelley and Sher at https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com/ or you can find them on any podcast platform.If you want to listen to the mentioned podcast episode featuring Tony as the guest, go to https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com/2311660/episodes/16612545-e43-tony-roig-winning-strategies-for-pickleball-and-beyond

In doing some video review for a project I was working on, I came across some really good interview answer by Anna Bright, a top pickleball player in the world right now. When asked about what happened and despite losing the gold medals match, Anna expressed some thoughts that just reminded me of how we can have a better, a more constructive interaction with the sport that we play. She focused on the bigger picture of enjoying the sport and recognizing the value of competition while maintaining a positive outlook because there's other pieces to the puzzle that are more than just us on the court, more than just ourselves as individuals.That's a classical example of reframing. Instead of worrying so much about the volume of shots you missed, you pivot away from it to the bigger story and bigger picture of the situation.The next time you step onto the court, reframe the challenges, celebrate the competition, and most importantly, enjoy the game. Whether you win or lose, you're always gaining something valuable.Coach Pete's book on mental training; https://betterpickleball.com/resources/Coach Pete's Playbook. Visit: coacheschoice.com and use Code CLH50 at checkout.Note that the Book and Playbook are two separate resources. To get the most out of the experience, recommend ordering the Book from the link in Resources and the Playbook as described here. Please leave Amazon reviews for each of them as it helps Coach Pete reach more players with his powerful message.Bowl of ice cream concept; https://betterpickleball.com/winning-is-a-bowl-of-ice-cream/The Pickleball System class Spring opening; https://betterpickleball.com/system/

Join us on February 22, 2025, for a FREE online event where we will share with you the State of Pickleball Play for 2025. You are not going to want to miss it. It is free, but you need a ticket. Click the link to get your FREE ticket: https://bit.ly/411cey4At first glance, pickleball might seem simple—just a paddle, a plastic ball, and a court. But as you play more, you'll realize the sport's complexity. It's a puzzle that challenges you, both as a player and as a person, and that's what keeps us coming back. Think of pickleball as an onion, used for many purposes, it's delicious, complex, deep, but can also lead to crying. The onion layers represent various aspects of the sport and personal growth, and each layer you peel back reveals another, deeper layer.Let's explore how this analogy can help you engage with the game more effectively and avoid frustration;i) In Play: Concentrate on specific skills and mastering the current layer of your game during play. This helps you avoid being overwhelmed by every aspect of the game at once.ii) In Improvement: Understand that you can't skip layers, master the basics before moving to more complex strategies. All that requires patience. Work on your current skills and trust that you'll get to those layers in time.iii) In Personal Development and Objective Progress: Recognize that there are layers you can't see yet. This awareness helps you stay positive and motivated, knowing that with time and effort, you'll uncover new aspects of the game. Continually peel back layers of understanding about yourself, your mindset, and how you interact for personal growth.Be part of our email list; https://betterpickleball.com/See you on the next episode!

Join us on February 22, 2025, for a FREE online event where we will share with you the State of Pickleball Play for 2025. You are not going to want to miss it. It is free, but you need a ticket. Click the link to get your FREE ticket: https://bit.ly/411cey4Whenever you're getting ready to play, you want a little bit more focus, framing for yourself and perspective. This special bookmark style episode of the podcast is designed to help you before you go out for recreational or social pickleball play. Here are four different areas to ensure you get the most out of your play on the courts; i) Perspective Part One: Understand Your Relationship with PickleballHow would you describe your relationship with pickleball? What keeps you coming back for more pickleball? Reflect on why you play pickleball. Is it for exercise, socializing, or the love of the game? Winning should not be the primary reason why you come out to play; focus on enjoyment and personal growth. ii) Play Principles: Embrace MistakesIt's normal to want to play well but we are 100 % certain that we are going miss shots. Accept that making mistakes is part of the game. Even professional players miss shots and make poor decisions. Prepare mentally by creating two categories for your shots: "Yay" for positive outcomes and "Oops" for errors. iii) Perspective Part Two: Practice GratitudeAsk yourself, are you playing pickleball? After your first game, pause to appreciate the opportunity to play pickleball. Recognize the privilege of participating in the sport, embrace the camaraderie and environment,  and the joy it brings, regardless of the outcome.iv) Progress for your improvement: Focus on One  ThingThere's only so much that we can do while we're heading to a play session. Concentrate on improving one specific area of your game during each session to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Drill down into a particular shot or technique, such as your punch volley.Remember to bookmark this episode and listen to it whenever you need a little pick me up before you go out to play your next session of pickleball. Be well.

Join us on February 22, 2025, for a FREE online event where we will share with you the State of Pickleball Play for 2025. You are not going to want to miss it. It is free, but you need a ticket. Click the link to get your FREE ticket: https://bit.ly/411cey4 In this weeks podcast we talk about different strokes for different folks. We got a couple of reviews I'm going to read to you here because I thought it was interesting. I'll start with a shout out that's a five-star game-changing review which says 'the podcast really helped me,' and explains why. The second review is one-star, and it's entitled 'Hot Air Nonsense.' Both people listened to the same podcast, yet their takeaways couldn't have been more different. And that's perfectly fine. Not every approach resonates with every person. I give them credit for listening to several of the podcasts episodes.That got me thinking about the idea worth reminding ourselves from time to time, that we're not all identical. How we interact with the sport of pickleball will be different depending on who we are. Some of us will interact with it more competitively, some for exercise and others will interact with it more socially. Some are in a place where the understanding of the game is at a level Eight out of 10, others are at a level 5 out of 10 and that's okay in terms of just understanding the game. Additionally, there's different ways of approaching how you want to address pickleball, meaning are you going to play the game? Be mindful of you and what you allow into your ecosystem, and ask questions, challenge it, and make sure that it's something that is going to be additive or positive for you in your journey.Sign up for our email list to get notified of upcoming events and trainings; https://betterpickleball.com/

Join us on February 22, 2025, for a FREE online event where we will share with you the State of Pickleball Play for 2025. You are not going to want to miss it. It is free, but you need a ticket. Click the link to get your FREE ticket: https://bit.ly/411cey4Strength training and proper exercise are essential for improving pickleball performance and should be a regular part of training, it's part of the athletic pillar that we talk about at Better Pickleball. In this special episode we feature Ty Woody, a sports performance coach. Ty specializes in preparing pickleball players, both pros and amateurs, for optimal performance and injury prevention. He shares with us why we should take care of our bodies because, at the end of the day, we want to play the sport that we enjoy.Listen the full episode to learn more as Ty takes us through;- A walk through on his experience with pickleball players and what he has seen in terms of suffering injuries and more- As to whether warming up can improve performance, make you play better, and help reduce injuries - What is it that a pro player thinks about or does in terms of recovering and dealing with the stress of playing pickleball the way they play- How he would talk to an amateur player who plays five days a week, six days a week, in terms of figuring out how to do this weight training and practices. Find Ty Woody on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickleballsportsperformance/

How can we gatekeep information and use that to best enjoy our pickleball journey? A lot of times when we're exposed to information in an area we're not sure what the right answer is, like pickleball, we're likely to err on the side of letting the information in. This happens because we're just curious or we heard something and we're not sure how to discern that it's not correct for us.The algorithm dictates for you information (as it knows you better than you know yourself) and even well-meaning advice from friends at the courts may not best suit our specific needs. All that information about pickleball can be overwhelming to sift through.Ask yourself, given the framework of the game and the objectives I'm trying to accomplish, what's going to help me the most play the sport of pickleball? The answer to this question will help you set clear goals for your practice.Gatekeeping your journey is as important as gatekeeping your information, perhaps even more important and will have an impact on your improvement journey on the courtGet your ticket for the Feb 22 'State of Play' open event; https://betterpickleball.com/state-of-play-2025/

What Does it Mean to Perform? How many games do you expect to win the next time you play pickleball? All of them? Most of them? Half? Extend that out: what win percentage would you be satisfied with over your pickleball playing career? Would you be happy with winning about 50% of the time? It is common to react with a “No” here. After all, why should 50% be an acceptable result. But reflect on that for a moment. If your win rate is more than 50%, what happens to the win rates of your fellow players (most of whom are your friends)? If your win rate for all time is 80%, that does not leave a lot of winning for anyone else. Seems odd, doesn't it? Having a better perspective on what it means to perform – in terms of our results – can help us avoid needless pitfalls in how we feel about ourselves and our pickleball experience. We explore this in more depth during this week's episode of the Pickleball Therapy podcast. Find it on Apple, Spotify, or at BetterPickleball.com under “Free Insights.” See you there.Check out our offerings and get on our email list; https://betterpickleball.com/Coach Pete's book; https://betterpickleball.com/resources/

In 2025, the rules change has a little bit of impact on the non-volley zone when the volley starts. Basically the volley included the swing of the paddle before the ball was struck. Rules change in pickleball can rob us in different ways leading to unnecessary stress, conflicts on the court or detract us from the enjoyment of the game. In this episode we also discuss how to deal with criticism and how we determine, at the first level, whether what's happening is a criticism or constructive feedback. Nobody likes criticism, especially criticism without a point. Before you consider something being criticism, be aware of a couple of things; i) What we think of something is a result of how we interpret it in our own mind. That's the everything.  ii) Ask yourself, why is this criticism as opposed to feedback? Why am I looking at it that way? iii) Consider the source and the context or the environment in which the feedback is being provided. iv) Focus on the positive aspects of feedback that will help if you are feeling criticized about your pickleball or anything else. Join our Camps; https://betterpickleball.com/campsBetter Pickleball Academy; https://betterpickleball.com/academy/Join us inside the Pickleball System Class; https://betterpickleball.com/system/Conveniently store all your essential equipment in one place using The Titan Ball Machine; https://titanballmachines.com/?sca_ref=5916769.Ghuy0VgJ0B

Imagine having the same stats about your game like the pros. Things like:How fast is my serve? How accurate is my forehand? Am I making more mistakes on my backhand? In this podcast episode podcast we feature Swupnil Sahai, co-founder and CEO of Swingvision. SwingVision is an app that provides such stats by offering AI-assisted game analysis.The app provides real-time stats, tracking elements like ball speed and trajectory, and generates game highlights. It includes additional features such as automatic line calling and a challenge system using an Apple Watch.The app is optimized for standalone pickleball courts, with adaptability for courts overlaid on tennis and basketball courts.  Get a $100 Swing Stick for FREE with a year of SwingVision Pro HERE (and FREE international shipping!): https://swing.vision/r/betterpickleball

At the beginning of the year, we have all that enthusiasm and most of us are filled with hope, promise and a lot of excitement for the coming year. When players set resolutions or goals for the year, it's very easy to fall into the trap of trying to tackle too many things at once. In this episode we're going to talk about how to actually achieve your goals, take those New Year's resolutions that may be rambling around in your brain, and to actually achieve some(if not all) of them when it comes to your pickleball game.This will prevent a situation where we either don't take any action or we take very inconsistent action and by the end of January or perhaps by the end of February, most of the resolutions are by the wayside. Start with small, consistent actions. Here's a way for you to do that;i) Begin by taking a look at your pickleball game right now. - Pull out a piece of paper and just draw a line down the middle. On the left side of the paper, try and do an honest assessment of where you are right now as a pickleball player. This should feature the different parts of your game. - Do a little visioning and think of who you would like to be as a pickleball player at the end of 2025. Write that all down as well. What would you like to have? - Then, pick out one thing on the list, that one most important thing that you're going to start closing the gap on. Check out Better Pickleball Camps; https://betterpickleball.com/pickleball-camps/Eight-week fitness challenge; https://betterpickleball.com/pickleball-fitness-challenge 

Happy 2025! Let's think about our progress journey through pickleball as worth experiencing and enjoying to see the game better. Because here's the fact, there's really nowhere to arrive at and there's no magic place to get to.Embrace the infinity of your journey and try and avoid pestering yourself with the, 'Are we there yet?' question.Take a minute to imagine yourself as the player you want to be in the future. It could be a six months from now player, six years from now, however long you want to do it, and however much you want to add to yourself as a player. Picture that player for a moment. What does that player look like?Placing yourself in the future you and who you want to be or grow helps us avoid being dissatisfied with where we are now because we want something more in the future. You are in charge of how much you want to grow as a pickleball player and the game will always have something to teach you. Now to the soft game- it's valuable and useful as a tool when you're playing. Consider adding it into your game or working on it more. It's the central feature of our game and continues to be the most reductive form of our game. Check out our upcoming live events; https://betterpickleball.com/events/ Get you paddles from Pickleball Central. Use code BetterPB0125 for 10% off qualifying items; https://betterpickleball.com/resources/Our Pickleball system course; https://betterpickleball.com/system/Better Pickleball Academy; https://betterpickleball.com/academy/

Ben Johns is no longer going to play with his brother, Collin, and is looking for a partner for 2025. It's a little bit sad in the sense that they're brothers, they play together and I imagine they love pickleball.There's been a lot of opinions about who would be the best partner for Ben for 2025 and I thought it was a good time to talk about picking a perfect partner. In this episode we'll also talk about your journey, getting ready for the new year and what you want for yourself in 2025. How do you pick a partner? What do you look for? If you play rec play, you can also use also these ideas conceptually; i) Shared Goals. Be on the same page so you can put in the work necessary to achieve your objectives.ii) Compatible play energy. Approach the game from an energy standpoint as you flow through different situations for better partnership.iii) Complimentary skills. This applies more to competitive situations, although in rec you can just be aware of it. For instance if you have two players that are super hyper aggressive, attacking everything all the time, that's probably not going to be ideal. Same case applies when the two players super passive.There's other factors you can consider in your decision making that are not strategically driven in terms of chances for success in partnership from a pickleball standpoint, but are certainly super important, such as good partnership.The key takeaway here is doubles pickleball is a team sport, such as basketball, thus needs the performance of the individual player like being able to hit your dink, your serve, return, volleys etc.Better Pickleball Academy; https://betterpickleball.com/academy/Purchase your paddle at Pickleball Central,  Use code BetterPB1224 for 10% off qualifying items; https://pickleballcentral.com/?rfsn=8407285.cad0f5

Think of a perfect world as one that includes adversities because things will occur to us that are not in line with what we would hope or like. That in and of itself is the perfect world. How do you deal with adversity when you're working on your game or when you're playing? i) If you're working on your pickleball improvement, let's say you're working on your serve and you have a tendency to pull your paddle across your body (a very common mechanical flaw in players' games), understand that that's part and parcel of the game ii) Allow yourself to not lose sight of the positives of the journey itself. You're going to have to deal with obstacles as part of your process to get to where you want to go, but that's just how it is.I'll relate this to a personal story that we'll tie it into pickleball where a lot of times we focus so much on the final painted room, and lose sight of the moments that we're painting, the seeing it develop and trying to do your best.In this episode I also share with you ways of thinking about your process that make it seem more manageable and use it for your benefit if you haven't done something before.Be part of our email list; https://betterpickleball.com/New camp dates in 2025; https://betterpickleball.com/pickleball-camps/Check out our resources for the Pickleball Central link and discount code; https://betterpickleball.com/resources/Move Your DNA by Katie Bowman; https://www.amazon.com/Move-Your-DNA-Restore-Movement/dp/0989653943

You can register for the class and find the Pickleball Central link and code at BetterPickleball.com.Have a great week and we will see you this Friday for our regular episode - Pilling: It is a thing :). 

Obstacles will naturally arise and are the reasons why you cannot reasonably say that you will not miss a single shot the next game you play. If obstacles are unavoidable and they generate the percentage, then that percentage is unavoidable by extension. This week we drive home the conversation we're having last week about 15% volley and setting reasonable expectations as we try to figure out the best way for us to approach the invariable situation where we miss a shot.  If you understand what goes into your shots like shot variability, and removing variables, you can work your percentage error rate down.You can improve your shots by;i) Working on themii) Drilling iii) Playing more But no matter what, you're gonna have a number that is higher than 0% as there's no 0% error rate. Not even the pros have a 0% error rate. So set the number you want then get it down from whatever your number but recognize that you're always gonna have a number at the end of the day, and how you decide to react to the missed volley relative to that number is going to be relevant to, how you feel and also just dealing in the real world.Better Pickleball Academy; https://betterpickleball.com/academy/Check out last week's episode here; https://betterpickleball.com/221-mistakes-arent-a-failure/

When we're playing a match and we miss a shot, particularly one that we consider 'easy', we can get down on ourselves. Missing shots is usually the most negative feeling that we have besides losing.How do we process when we miss a shot when we play? This week I'm gonna share with you a technique of dealing with misses because they are going to occur .And it is a normal part of overall execution and strategic decision making in pickleball for us to miss shots when we play, even the easy ones. We need to change our mindset from 'I should not have missed that volley' to 'Okay, I missed a volley. That's just simply part of the deal.' This approach will help you stay in the real world and not create some discord between the words you're trying to tell yourself and the reality you're dealing with. And it allows you to avoid needlessly beating yourself up. The key is to avoid the negativity of always classifying your shot or expecting that you should not have missed and accepting that the shot is within the parameters of your overall game, which includes, by definition, missing shots when you play pickleball.Check out Better Pickleball Aacademy's packages; https://betterpickleball.com/academy/ 

This week we dive deeper into a recent episode by Tony on a very powerful perspective that had me reflect on my journey about learning. What I discovered about the reality of the struggle during practice is that, first of all, it's unavoidable. The absolute only way to master a skill to proficiency is through repetition where you will inevitably face both success and failure, no shortcuts.Now practice is about finding joy in the process and being fully present in that moment. There is just something so satisfying about the rhythm of drilling, practicing and the repetition of hitting a pickleball. What helps me to stay grounded a majority of the time is a really simple tool that I use after every practice or play a session called 3, 2, 1;

A distraction pulls our attention away from the main thing that we're trying to focus on and it could either be physical or mental. For instance, if you're trying to paint something, and somebody keeps tapping your paint brush right on the end, it becomes hard to paint because you're distracted by it. Same thing happens when we play pickleball and we're trying to focus on the shot or we're trying to focus on ourselves and what we need to do better the next rally but we're distracted by a number of things.How should we approach and deal with distractions in a way that is more productive or constructive for us?Think about challenges and distractions in pickleball as puzzles. So when you're facing a challenging opponent, good dinker/shotter or challenging situations such as the wind or sun, look at those as pieces of the puzzle.And the more complex the puzzle is, the more challenging the game that you are playing is going to be for you. This will help you generate more challenge for yourself and create more reward because you get to work through the challenges as you play.At the end of the day, is that not why we play pickleball? Do we not play pickleball because of the challenge that it presents to us? If it was easy, then you'd probably grow bored with it.

I got to play in one event at the USA Pickleball Nationals in Mesa, Arizona, that I'm going to be using as the centerpiece for today's conversation- How do we play better pickleball?It was a mixed doubles match where me and my partner, Ken, got to play hybrid which is one standing player and one player in a wheelchair. We were going to play Troy and Ryan in that Bronze Metal match where they won the first and second game. In the third game, we're getting hammered but we put on a run and beat them in the last match. So what changed between when we were getting hammered and when we ended up winning? Here are the tips for success based on that game;i) Play at a tempo that makes sense for you, slow yourself down, and you're going to play better. ii) Smile. I know that sounds so simple that it can't possibly work but smiling gives you additional calmness leading to better play.There's a lot of things you need to improve your play and that's fine. But all things being equal and having done the other stuff to the best of your ability, consider taking your time and consider smiling to enjoy the situation more. Be part of our email list; https://betterpickleball.com/

Let's talk about the concept of clicking when it comes to knowledge acquisition. How do we acquire knowledge and how do we know that we've acquired it? Sometime there's frustrations of not acquiring knowledge as quickly as we would want it to. So things may not be clicking for us and there's something that we're missing right now. i) Something as simple as listening to the podcast is a click, because you didn't do that before, and now you listen to the podcast.ii) Looking back and knowing, 'I've already learned a lot in the past' or that things clicked in the past gives you a sense of comfort and a sense of confidence that you will be able to learn the new things you're working on. iii) Understand or embrace the fact that you will never learn everything that pickleball has to teach. It's just not possible so keep at it, as long as you're curious and want to keep growing as a player.  We also talk about gratitude because playing pickleball is a wonderful opportunity and we get to enjoy or experience a positive moment every time we're on the pickleball courts with our friends. Our Camps; https://betterpickleball.com/pickleball-camps/Send an email to support@betterpickleball.com

On a pickleball court, there are four factors that affect the outcome of the game; us, our partner, and our two opponents. We'll use an analogy where factor A is going to be us, factor B is going to be our partner then factor C and D are our opponents-the two players across the net. The input in a pickleball game is going to be the game, the rules, the ball, the wind conditions, the court size which is standard and all the things that are happening to play a pickleball game or affecting the court conditions. Those are inputs while the output here is win the game or lose the game. Of the four factors, the only thing you can control is you and your play; how you did relative to you or what you're able to do, relative to your baseline, and relative to what you can bring that day to the court, nothing else.This means I can't look at the results of the game to determine how I played so play pickleball as a contest of you against you. To test yourself against yourself. The best way to think about competition in this game is to view it in terms of our journey as pickleball players. Look at your play and determine whether your play is improving or not improving during a session and also over time. Join our email list; https://betterpickleball.com/The Pickleball System Class; https://betterpickleball.com/system/

 Pickleball, in its essence, is a zero sum activity because it's built around the concept that there's going to be one winner and one loser. In a zero-sum world, our opponent's victory is our loss. Their positive is our negative. But it doesn't have to be that way. Think about your losses as simply learning opportunities so now you have a positive and a positive. Let's go into an analogy metaphor where you, or a loved one or a partner of yours, drops a dish that means something to you and it breaks or cracks. That's the reality. That is the thing that happened. How we react to that reality is 100% entirely within our ability;i) We can just get upset about it and despair over itii) We can acknowledge that these things happened and it's human nature to make these sorts of mistakes and drop thingsiii) When your opponents overpower you or play a really good rally, celebrate their rally rather than getting bogged down.iv) Embrace the beauty of the cracks and understand losses are just a natural outcome. We have a certain amount of control over the way that we react to and handle adverse events when we play pickleball at the different levels of events; from the end of the game to the rally, all the way down to being inside of a rally.Turn potentially negative loss into a positive, which is a celebration of your opponent's win. Pickleball System; https://betterpickleball.com/system/

In this episode we're going to re-up one of our most popular and best episode. How do we customize the journey best for ourselves?Think of your journey as a customer experience and treat it that way to feel the best about yourself as a player and as your experience.We also talk about the concept of agency in outballs that applies to everything you're doing. What shot did you just hit? Where are you standing on the court? Did you play with a player who was not pleasant to you? Take some ownership over the decision to hit the ball that puts your opponent in an uncomfortable position.Now the idea of doing a second accountability concept or being a therapist is a commitment to yourself that you commit to listening to a certain number of the podcasts and doing other things which include starting some mental training with a book. The Pickleball System: https://betterpickleball.com/system/Pickleball Rules-The Definitive Guide to CALLING OUT BALLS || Avoid Mistakes and Controversy; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvO9jR6N9JI&t=51sBecome a Pickleball therapist by writing to us; therapy@betterpickleball.com 

You can be successful as a pickleball player with different types of approaches, both hard and soft game strategies, and being a proponent of the soft game, doesn't mean that I'm an opponent of the hard game.Most pros have both a good soft game and a good hard game, because they'll mix the two depending on what's working in that moment and their overall strategy. The analogy/metaphore I like to think about in terms of the approach to pickleball is mixed martial arts or MMA which is a format of fight where you can almost do whatever you want.   Each player has their own strategy, their own way of coming at the fight, and their own approach to how they want to fight the other fighter in that match. Pickleball is the same way, it's multidisciplinarity, meaning jiu-jitsu, boxing, wrestling.You can win as a good jiu-jitsu practitioner with a soft game, or you can win as a good hard game practitioner in the boxing. Find the approach that allows you to customize the game to your particular style, personality or how you like to play the game. Get really good at that. Understand that you can win a ton of games from that solid foundation. From there you can grow, expand, maybe add a little boxing, wrestling or even a little judo into your game. 

Sometimes we'll play in situations in open plays where there's really no gathering of levels. So it's basically a free-for-all. How do you keep the game fun? How do you keep playing productively with players who you've known for a long time when you, or they, get to different levels of the game? This is a common question or situation we encounter and that's what we're going to be talking about in this new format of a Walk and Talk episode.i) Work on your game and when you're playing outside level, work on the social part too.ii) Work on the nontechnical parts; your gratitude and parts of your game that make you feel a little bit more stressed about the results of a particular game. iii) Understand that pickleball has no end line, there are lots of positives that you can gain from it.  Regardless of the level of play, as long as you choose to be a part of this sport, pickleball will have something to teach you, it never runs out, and you can never exhaust it.Have a topic that you're interested in that we can cover in the podcast, send us an email; therapy@betterpickleball.comBe part of our mailback episodes. Send us an email, at therapy@betterpickleball.com, put on the subject line, Pickleball Therapy Question

Let's talk about ratings, one of those double-edged swords that really don't say anything about how you play. While there's definitely a place for ratings in our sport, the only reason you need the rating is if it's consistent with what you want. Always ask yourself;1) Why do I need the rating? 2) What's the rating doing for me and what I want with the game? So if you want to play tournaments and it requires a certain type of rating, then you're going to have to comply with that requirement. That's a tournament specific requirement. Use DUPR or any rating system, only as necessary to accomplish your objectives as opposed to a vicious cycle that interferes with the reason for your play and why you go out to the court. What really matters at the end of the day is how good you feel about how you're playing. In this episode we also look at another email that I received from one of our students talking about focus- baseline focus. The focus you can reasonably bring to bear while you play. Now, you want to try and bring your attention to the thing that matters when you're playing pickleball in the technical sense and the thing that matters is the little yellow ball. That's all that matters. Where is it? Where's it going? What am I going to do with it? The better you're able to ignore that score, the better you're going to be to stay in the moment and focus on what needs to get done.Enroll for the pickleball system class; https://betterpickleball.com/system/

As a pickleball player, I want to feel good and play without doing that at the expense of my opponent. Taking advantage of my opponent and paying attention to my opponent's negative feelings to expand my confidence should not be something to look forward to or to work towards.The idea that our tank of confidence will be filled by our opponent's misery, them being upset at their partner or some negative thing for our opponent is way of thinking like a vampire or a parasite.Why? Because a vampire needs the blood of a human and a parasite will need the sustenance of its host. It's a very short-sided way of thinking about the game, and not a healthy one for anybody, not just for your opponents, but for you either. Building anything on external considerations means you're always going to be subject to whatever those external considerations and fluctuations are. Here's the bigger picture, I don't want to live in a world where my success is built upon or relies on your failure. Now, that's different than winning and losing, right? Because I can play my best and feel good. We can focus on making ourselves strong human beings while allowing others to do the same. We can encourage them and consider building them up rather than knocking them down. Learn more about The Pickleball System here: https://bit.ly/4eptAZd(if you prefer the long-version of the site link, you can use this one: https://betterpickleball.com/system/?utm_source=in2pyt&utm_medium=youtube+description&utm_campaign=sign+up&utm_id=youtube+in2p) They go to the same place.If you want to join the clinic, send us an email at Support@BetterPickleball.com. Put "Virtual Clinic" in the Subject Line and tell them Tony sent you :).

Good pickleball, and the best pickleball you'll ever play, is built upon a foundation of sound FUNDAMENTALS.I was reminded of the 'imagined' bad word, fundamentals, during a pro level match that I was watching because as pickleball players we often shy away from that word and dismiss it as only applicable for beginners.The truth is, executing everything really well, including those fundamentals, is what separates pro players from the other teams that they play against is their focus on the fundamentals.  A good example of those pro players is Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau who I believe are the strongest pro team right now in terms of everything that they do from beginning to end, including the fundamentals. They don't take a shot off, execute everything really well and they're very good at every part of the game. That is what separates them from the other teams that they play against.Now to the idea of an actual bad word that I discuss in this episode; if you have this attitude at the end of a tough game where you make statements to demean or diminish the other player, I would challenge you to put yourself in the shoes of your opponents. Have some empathy and think about it through their eyes.How to learn more about our upcoming course: ThePickleballsystem.comTo sign up for our Virtual Clinic: BetterPickleball.com (click at the top header)To join us for our Pickleball Therapy live podcast:, send us an email to support@BetterPickleball.com and put in the Subject Line: "Therapist live"

How to learn more about our upcoming course: ThePickleballsystem.comTo sign up for our Virtual Clinic: BetterPickleball.com (click at the top header)To join us for our System tour, send us an email to Support@BetterPickleball.com and put in the Subject Line: "Tell Me More"Hope to see you in classTony

In this episode we talk about three subjects; assigning fault, increasing our evolutionary empathy and staying focused.I got to play in a mixed group recently where I was paired with Dakota, a younger player, both in terms of her time in pickleball and also just a younger person. It was a tight match and we ended up on the losing end of it.I complimented her on a few of her shots and let her know that the game was on me. And what was interesting is Dakota response by saying, 'No, I didn't play well.' As an objective observer of the game, I can tell you that Dakota played very well and if there was a player on the team who did not play well, it was me.As players it's common to think that it was 'us' that was the problem or did something that we shouldn't have done better in a rally or in a game. That's something we need to be careful about.  Now to the idea of of evolutionary empathy and how to apply it to pickleball- each of us is operating within their operating module and we're entitled to our opinions and our ability to navigate the world.Evolution doesn't happen instantaneously, it's not like a light switch where all of a sudden everybody becomes something else. Then the last area cover in this episode has to do with staying focused, staying in the moment or staying in bite-sized pieces. I'll share a story about a para-athlete, visually impaired athlete, who set the world record for the marathon and why we should not just look at the end or focus on just have a winning day.  Focus on what you can actually do; your next rally, the next serve, next return to serve or one shot at a time. Sign up to participate in our Pickleball Therapy live podcast: https://pbtherapists.obv.io/sign_upSend us an email; support@betterpickleball.com Enroll for our September system class here: https://betterpickleball.com/system/ Level up your pickleball game with our online workshop: https://betterpickleball.com/fall-2024/Therapist event coming up on September 18th:  support@betterpickleball.com

Have you've been dreading doing something or having a conversation for a long time? The pool is an interesting way of thinking about it where you're standing by the side of the pool trying to decide, do I get in the pool? Do I not get in the pool? One way to deal with it is to just dive into the pool. Take the plunge into the pool- quicker than 20 seconds, and everything else becomes easier and more natural. Same applies to pickleball, there a few different ways break out of stagnation and move forward. One is listening to this podcast and building habits to change your mental connections in a positive way. And do you feel as though pickleball is complex? You're not alone, in this episode I'll tell you a relatable view of John Isner, who comes from a high level of tennis.Pickleball is a wonderful gift for all of us who play the sport and are interested in knowing more about the sport. It's inexhaustible as long as you remain curious and young in your mind, wanting to learn and know more or something different. All that can be a little bit overwhelming, so focus on one thing.  Sign up to participate in our Pickleball Therapy live podcast: https://pbtherapists.obv.io/sign_upor send us an email: support@betterpickleball.com 'Winning is a Bowl of Ice Cream' episode: https://betterpickleball.com/winning-is-a-bowl-of-ice-cream/See you inside the Pickleball System class: https://betterpickleball.com/system/Check out our camps and trainings: https://betterpickleball.com/

In this special episode of Pickleball Therapy we talk with the incomparable Sara Weiss about her pickleball journey and the idea of being an animal on the court.We also talk about how she balances between pickleball and life coaching and how that led Sarah to this amazing place where she's now playing pro-qualifiers. It's interesting to learn about how she views the interaction of pickleball and the overall life experience of players because sometimes we get really caught up in our thoughts, which takes us out of being present, animalistic and instinctive. The Pickleball System: https://betterpickleball.com/system/

The idea of strategic fluidity (wanting to be adapt to everything) and pickleball is a fine concept that sounds great in theory.But how does that work in practice when it comes to pickleball rules and what rules to apply or not to apply? Having an idea of the rules or guidelines can help you determine the best shot in any given situation, as opposed to a purely fluid approach that requires you to factor in all of the variables in a rally before you decide how to hit every single shot that you hit.There are two ideas or suggestions I can recommend to give you a better understanding of the way a pickleball rally is constructed and how to deal with who takes what shot. i) Look for sources who are serious about pickleball and are professionals. Check to see where a rule or suggestion comes from. Is it well thought out or from a source who is serious about pickleball? ii) Be consistent with what you already know. There are times you're going to hear something that runs contrary to something else that you've heard and you have to figure out what to do. Most advanced players have certain patterns and tendencies that they bring to the table.And when you're playing, make sure that you're viewing all parts of the game or the big picture and not letting parts that you've already gotten better suffer because you're so hyper-focused on this one potentially smaller piece of the puzzle. September Workshop- Discover the "Play Smarter, Not Harder" Strategies That Helped Over 2,000 Pickleball Players Elevate Their Games; https://betterpickleball.com/fall-2024/Respect the X free guide: https://betterpickleball.com/respect-the-x/Respect the X playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItFZ5JWm_hw&list=PLRe6hjjhF-o4tSBHKPscxPhJgBeQnc5oIForehand in the Middle. You've Heard it. But it is WRONG. Abandon this “rule” and play better; https://betterpickleball.com/forehand-in-the-middle-youve-heard-it-but-it-is-wrong-abandon-this-rule-and-play-better/The Pickleball System class: http://thepickleballsystem.com/ 

There is another side to your game – and there's plenty to be proud of I want you to list all the things you do not do well as a pickleball player – or that you could do better. Things that frustrate you or that you “cannot just get.” Actually, hold on for a moment before you start writing your list and hear me out. The moment you read the above words “the things I do not do well” I imagine your brain flooded with things. We are always primed to respond to everything we do wrong. Let's take that same framing and flip it around. I want you to list all the things you do well as a pickleball player – or that another player you know does not do as well as you do. This last piece is not really about the other player. It is how we find out what could be worse. What parts of the game are you confident about or that you know more about today than you did in the past. If you are up for it, actually spend a few minutes creating this list. Because I bet these things aren't just flooding into your mind right now. It will take a moment (or 2) to bring this to the front of your mind. It is important to aspire towards balance in our life – and that includes our pickleball. It's easy to have our scales tip too far towards the negative – towards what we do poorly or want to do better. Keep that side balanced with the “what we do pretty well” side and you'll feel better and, I am going to guess, play better too.  Send us an email; therapy@betterpickleball.com