If you only rely on power in pickleball, you lose control. Why less pace and smart placement get you to the kitchen line faster.
Many recreational players believe that a fast, hard-hit ball is automatically the best way to win a point. But the opposite is often the case. If you play with maximum power, you put yourself under time pressure. The ball is already with the opponent before you can position yourself optimally again or plan your next step. A controlled, strategic game with deliberate changes of pace is the key to taking your game to the next level.
According to reports from The Dink Pickleball, which are based on the experiences of coaches and pros like Jilly B, the speed of the drive is one of the most misunderstood concepts in recreational sports. An extremely hard drive rarely leads to a direct point. Instead, it takes away the time you need to compose yourself. A slightly slower, controlled drive that skims low over the net forces the opponent into an uncomfortable position and gives you valuable seconds to move up.
The combination of the third and fifth shot is particularly effective: If the third shot is played deep as a controlled drive, the opponent usually has to react with a short volley. This creates an easier ball in the transition area, which you can place as a precise drop low into the opponent's kitchen with the fifth shot to safely move up to the net.
A common mistake is trying to attack balls that arrive much too low. This is where the so-called traffic light rule, which goes back to Mari Humberg, helps. It divides the body into three zones based on the contact height of the ball:
If a ball lands directly at your feet with a lot of topspin, this is a purely defensive situation. Do not try to make this ball fast. It is strategically smarter to temporarily give up the position at the net, neutralize the ball, and rebuild the point.
Another problem with recreational players is the excessive use of the wrist to generate topspin. As More Briones Pickleball explains, hitting from the wrist under pressure leads to extreme inconsistency. The topspin should instead come from the shoulder movement. This also protects the joint and prevents overuse pain.
If you face opponents who hit every ball extremely hard (so-called bangers), you should by no means try to match their pace. A hard shot on a hard ball plays into the opponent's hands. The solution is a passive block volley: Keep the paddle stable in the path of the ball to completely absorb the pace. Make sure you have a stable, slightly forward-leaning stance with your weight on your forefeet to maintain control.
Your takeaway: Pace is not an end in itself in pickleball – use controlled, low balls to buy yourself time and strategically conquer the net.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.