People who don't stay on the back line and just wail on the ball every time, always so annoying. I try to say "it's easier if you move up" and they say "nah I'm good"🙄
My favoeites are the ones I have good playing chemistry with and/or I enjoy their company. I tend to play a softer game, so I hate playing with a banger as I'll be setting up points, but look bad as a partner is constantly speeding up resulting in bad things at the net. I either have to play like a banger (which I hate) or be murdered by return shots. My teammate is setting up with thier ill advised speedups.. If my partner can reset and hit drops, I typically love playing with em. ❤
Another great video filled with substantial content to help in becoming a better Pickleball player in the way that you think and strategize on the court in real time. The idea of the screenshots at the end of your videos is also great. I don’t think anyone else is doing this presently, but I would not be surprised if some of the other instructional videos begin copying you in this regard. Keep up the good work. Thank you
Excellent! I like the way you break down the strategy. What to do and why. In a way this reminds me of running plays and set pieces in soccer. More please.
Players who are students of the game! I play with a wild variety of ages of players and I love playing with those who know what to do and try to do that even if sometimes their abilities don’t allow them to do it. We all miss shots but not everyone knows where to be and why to be there. ❤❤
Love the thorough explanation of how and why to do these step, as well as the different in-game examples to see it in action! Excited to try these technique with my partner
Wow, this is exactly the kind of instructional video I was looking for! Thank you so much. I instinctually had been trying to do an inside out forehand from the left side to the crosscourt player's backhand, but this explains why. I am going to share this with all my doubles partners and MLP team. I still need lots of help with doubles strategies, getting out of the transition zone, and courts positioning, so keep this amazing content coming!
I'm very active when my partner is hitting the ball. I've been insufficiently aware of retaining the ability to drop back quickly into defense when partner hits a bad ball. There are several reasons for this. First, is that I only recently learned to kick balls smashed at my feet back over the net. Until I gained that skill, dropping back didn't serve any purpose. Second, many of my partners in rec play never use a drop shot, and always bang from deep, and usually bang again from midcourt (with mediocre results).
Hi John - I just recently switched from the power air to the vanguard control (midweight). Curious if you could share how you customize your paddle (paddle weight, where you put weight around the perimeter, etc.) much appreciated! Love the content!!! Best instructional RU-vidr.
@johncincolapickleball great video! Would you consider doing a video on strategies/player assignments on the court while playing with a righty lefty combo?
Great description of positioning. This is exactly how I approach that sequence. I am not strong or fast, but I do have good positioning which is my type of pressure. I try to protect my partner's inside foot and apply pressure by narrowing my opponents window. Being 3.5/4.0 I generally overplay a half step to make for some additional mental stress for my opponents. i.e. make them think more about my threat & how open the line looks (I do get burned down the line quite a bit, but that makes it more interesting). I like playing with players that are balanced and that I understand what they are doing & that trust me (I often play slowly, that seems to make some folks jumpy). I like playing with partners who are thinking and in control of their bodies.
I'm still amazed in rec play when the player up at the net on the serve receiving side just stares straight ahead on the serve and doesn't look back and follow the ball.
I want to address this… when I first started pickleball I did this. I played tournament tennis in the past. This is a tennis thing. We look straight ahead. We have more time in tennis and a bigger court. It took me awhile to incorporate looking at my partners shot as he is returning the ball. So it could be that.
A good question. I would add what are you doing when you see it is dropped straight ahead and not the cross court scenario that was done all 3 times. Thanks.
@johncincolapickleball - Came to ask the same question - variations for when the 3rd shot is driven (cross & straight ahead) and when the drop is straight ahead. The moving up in tandem that is often taught, will make this hard to implement with the occasional open play partner, yet I can see advantages when you and your partner are both aware and choose to implement this approach.
I get the strategy but what if (like me) you were left handed and on the left side. It's a lot harder to protect your partner with your forehand not facing center court.
I like this video idea, but I'd about 90% of the time when I am that player who goes up and split steps, the ball gets attacked off the bounce right at me so this seems to be a better vid when playing against better players because lower levels won't even think about where to not hit the ball, they'll happily swing right at the person in front of them
this is where when you split step, you get low, lean in and be ready to counter the crap outta that at their feet. Best way to force opposition to play soft game is to punish a hard game
You just need to be close enough to make them think twice about blindly hitting back at the inside foot of your partner. That's Cincola's point about positioning. Even if you just take a few out of the air as they try and roll that way, it'll make them think twice and they are forced to try and attack you straight up which is a better play for you if your partner hits a decent drop cross.
I’m not so sure I agree with you. Yes, move 2 steps forward and turn sideways to watch your partner’s 3rd shot. No, do not position yourself towards the middle. You leave the down the line shot open. I say, if your partner’s diagonally hit 3rd shot drop is going to bounce in the kitchen, both you and partner advance as close to the nvz line as possible, you covering the line, your partner at the T. You force the opponent into dinking cross court, or popping up into your partner’s forehand for a strong reply. If the 3rd shot is high, you both stay back and play defense…resetting until you can bounce the ball into the kitchen.
Wrong, wrong, wrong...what you do in the first four minutes is leave the line open on your side. I or any experienced player would smoke you down the line if you did this. It is a bad habit...and certainly not one to teach others to do. Yes, if the drop by your partner is perfect the opponent will hit a dink to your outside line as done at minute 8:15, but on a not-so-good drop by your partner, the opponent can hit toward your partners feet or down the side, your side. In other words, you must protect the line on a not-so-good drop, and your partner, who hit the cross-side drop is responsible for the middle. This is pickleball 101.
Ok, you got it. So I guess all of the top pro players are doing it wrong. I’m a 6.5 DUPR by the way, so when you say you or better experienced players I’m assuming you’re in that range too. I’d love for you to share that info
interesting video. I'm always moving forward, but I think I am not moving with a purpose. This was very helpful in breaking down they strategic thinking behind moving forward when not hitting. I really will work on this.
You should NOT always be moving forward! You SHOULD always be improving your position. That means moving back when it’s appropriate…when you or your partner hit a high ball, when your partner is stretched way out, or off court. KNOW when you are on DEFENSE, and when you are on OFFENSE. When on offense move forward! Defense…move back to give yourselves more reaction time.
