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Category: Mindset Training

Learn focus, confidence, and resilience techniques to stay calm under pressure and play your best every time you step on the court.

  • Why you should be okay with conceding the court in Pickleball

    In pickleball, not every ball is worth fighting for. One of the most overlooked skills is knowing when and how to concede the court. Remember, once you reach the advanced and pro level, every player knows how to execute different types of shots, so not all your shots are going to be winners. This is why you need to be okay with conceding the court; in simpler terms, conceding the court doesn’t mean quitting on the point. It means making a smart positional choice that prevents your opponent from hitting a high-percentage winner while setting you up for a better defensive or neutral rally.

    Players who refuse to concede space often end up:

    • Overreaching
    • Popping balls up
    • Getting passed down the line
    • Or losing balance and court coverage

    Learning when to step back, slide over, or reset is a major step toward smarter, more consistent pickleball.

    What Does “Conceding the Court” Mean in Pickleball?

    Conceding the court means intentionally giving up a portion of the court, temporarily to protect yourself from a higher-risk situation.

    This usually happens when:

    • You’re late to a ball
    • Your opponent has strong court position
    • You’re stretched wide or moving backward
    • The incoming shot is low, fast, or well-angled

    Instead of forcing a low-percentage reply, you retreat, reposition, or block safely, buying time to recover.

    Think of it as controlled defense, not passive play.

    Why Conceding the Court Is Actually a Winning Strategy

    Many players associate court concession with weakness. In reality, it’s a sign of court awareness and discipline.

    Here’s why it works:

    • Reduces unforced errors
    • Forces opponents to hit extra shots
    • Turns offense into neutral rallies
    • Preserves balance and footwork
    • Prevents outright winners

    At higher levels, most points aren’t won by spectacular shots; instead, they’re won because someone refused to give up a cheap error.

    Common Situations Where You Should Concede the Court

    1. When You’re Pulled Wide Off the Sideline

    If your opponent hits a sharp crosscourt angle and pulls you outside the sideline:

    • Don’t try to flick a low-passing shot
    • Don’t lunge for a miracle winner

    Instead:

    • Let the ball travel
    • Reset crosscourt or down the middle
    • Recover back toward your half

    Trying to do too much from outside the court almost always leads to pop-ups or net errors.

    2. When You’re Late Getting to the Kitchen Line

    If you’re transitioning forward and your opponent hits a hard drive at your feet:

    • Concede forward court position
    • Take a step back
    • Block softly into the kitchen

    Forcing a volley while moving forward and off-balance is one of the fastest ways to lose points.

    3. When Opponents Have Net Control

    If both opponents are set at the NVZ and you’re stuck back:

    • Don’t try to blast through them
    • Don’t aim for the sidelines under pressure

    Instead:

    • Drop the ball safely into the kitchen
    • Or drive middle with margin

    You’re conceding offensive pressure temporarily to regain neutral positioning.

    4. When You’re Defending a Speed-Up

    Against a sudden speed-up:

    • You don’t need to counterattack every time
    • You don’t need to win the hands battle instantly

    Concede a step of space:

    • Soften your grip
    • Block the ball back low
    • Reset the rally

    Smart blocks frustrate aggressive players far more than reckless counters.

    How to Concede the Court Properly

    Step 1: Recognize the Losing Position Early

    Good concession starts with recognition:

    • Are you off-balance?
    • Is the ball below net height?
    • Is your opponent in control?

    If yes, it’s time to defend and not attack.

    Step 2: Choose Safety Over Style

    When conceding:

    • Aim crosscourt, not down the line
    • Aim middle, not corners
    • Add margin over the net

    High-percentage shots extend rallies and expose opponent impatience.

    Step 3: Move Your Feet, Not Just Your Paddle

    Conceding isn’t standing still.

    • Slide laterally
    • Create space for contact
    • Recenter after the shot

    Many errors happen because players try to fix poor positioning with wristy shots.

    Step 4: Recover Immediately After the Shot

    The goal of conceding is recovery.

    • Move back into position
    • Reclaim the kitchen line
    • Be ready for the next ball

    Concede → reset → re-engage.

    The Difference Between Conceding and Being Passive

    This distinction matters.

    Conceding the court:

    • Is intentional
    • Is temporary
    • Has a recovery goal

    Being passive:

    • Happens by default
    • Lacks purpose
    • Leaves you reactive

    Strong defenders are proactive about when they give space and when they take it back.

    How Pro Players Use Court Concession

    Watch high-level doubles, and you’ll notice:

    • Players backing off the line to block speed-ups
    • Letting borderline balls go instead of reaching
    • Resetting crosscourt rather than forcing winners

    They aren’t weaker, they’re disciplined.

    Most rallies are won by the player who makes the fewest bad decisions, not the flashiest shots.

    Drills to Practice Conceding the Court

    Controlled Reset Drill

    • One player attacks from the kitchen
    • Defender practices stepping back and resetting
    • Focus on soft hands and margin

    Wide Ball Recovery Drill

    • Feed balls outside the sideline
    • Player practices safe return and recovery
    • Emphasis on footwork and patience

    Speed-Up Defense Drill

    • Practice blocking without counterattacking
    • Goal: reset 5 balls in a row

    Final Thoughts: Smart Players Know When to Give Ground

    Learning how to concede the court in pickleball is about playing the long game within each rally and across the match.

    You don’t need to win every exchange.
    You just need to avoid losing them cheaply.

    The more comfortable you get with controlled concession, the more pressure you put on your opponents to actually beat you, instead of waiting for you to make mistakes.

  • Advanced Pickleball doubles strategies used by Pro players

    Pickleball is arguably the one racket sports that gets more views and attention for its doubles format rather than singles, and yes we said’ ‘racket sports.’ Doubles pickleball opens the door to strategy, teamwork, communication, and that special kind of chaos that makes you laugh even while you’re scrambling for the next shot. It’s social, fast-paced, and incredibly rewarding once you begin understanding how two players can move and think as one unit. As a coach, I’ve seen so many players instantly fall in love with doubles simply because it adds layers to the sport that singles just can’t replicate.

    So let’s break it all down. How do you actually play doubles? What strategies matter most? And how do you become the kind of partner that people want to play with every time? Below, I’ll walk you through everything starting from rules, fundamentals, advanced tactics, all the way to mindset training, so you are always confident stepping onto the court with any partner you play with.

    Understanding the Rules of Doubles Pickleball

    The rules for doubles pickleball are very similar to singles, but there are a few extra details you need to know—especially when it comes to calling the score. In singles, it’s simple: your score first, your opponent’s score second. In doubles, we add a third number: the server position. Before every serve, the server calls out their team’s score, the opponents’ score, and whether they are server 1 or 2 for that rally.

    Throughout the game, both players on a team will get a chance to serve before a side-out occurs. That’s why identifying server 1 and 2 matters. The only exception is the very first service of the match where only one player serves at the start, and a fault immediately results in a side-out. After that, normal rotation takes place.

    It sounds confusing at first, but trust me, it becomes second nature. If you want to fast-track your comfort with doubles, a couple of private lessons or drilling sessions with a local coach can speed up the learning process, only for rules though. To get better and be more consistent you will still have to do drills regularly.

    Basic vs. Advanced Pickleball Doubles Strategies

    When you’re just starting out, your job is simple: get the fundamentals down. You don’t need stacking, crash & drive, or precision poaching right away. Start with consistent serves, cleaner footwork, and reliable shot placement. Get a feel for how the game flows with a partner precisely the timing, the rhythm, and the communication.

    But once those basics feel comfortable, that’s when the fun begins. Advanced doubles strategies like stacking, poaching, and patterned movement add a new dimension to your game. And when you and your partner finally sync up on these concepts? That’s when you start playing real doubles pickleball.

    Now without further adieu, let’s break down the core strategies you should focus on at each stage.

    Getting to the Kitchen Line Immediately After the Return

    The single most important strategy in doubles: advance to the non-volley zone (NVZ) as soon as you return the serve. Almost every high-percentage play happens from the kitchen line. If you stay stuck at the baseline, you’re playing defense the entire point and your chances of winning drop dramatically.

    Good teams sprint to the line together. Great teams know exactly why they’re doing it and even when to stay back, yes you read that right!

    Develop a Reliable Drop Shot

    The drop shot is the bridge between the baseline and the kitchen. When your opponents beat you to the NVZ line, a soft, controlled drop shot forces them to hit up on the ball and gives you time to move forward. A well-executed third-shot drop is often the difference between winning and losing against strong teams.

    Keep Your Opponents Pinned to the Baseline

    Just like you don’t want to stay back, your opponents don’t either. If you can keep them deep while you and your partner control the kitchen line, the point is already tilting heavily in your favor. Use deep drives, heavy topspin, and firm volleys to keep pressure on them and prevent them from advancing. Check out our article on the types of shot to learn how to execute these shots better.

    Aim for the Feet

    Simple but deadly. Shots at the feet force awkward upward contact, which usually leads to a pop-up—your opportunity to finish the point. Whether you’re driving, dinking, or countering, the feet are always a high-percentage target.

    Serve Deep & Consistently

    A deep serve buys you time. It pushes the returner back and prevents them from charging the kitchen too quickly. Instead of overhitting focus on depth, direction, and reliability.

    Stand Behind the Baseline on the Return

    Many new players stand right on the line and end up jammed or forced to backpedal. Standing a couple of feet behind gives you time to react, step into your return, and maintain balance. And remember you must let the serve bounce, so you don’t want to be standing too close to the baseline while receiving a serve.

    Hit Deep Returns

    A deep return of serve keeps your opponent back long enough for you to get to the kitchen line. It also makes their third shot tougher, forcing them into lower-percentage drops or rushed drives.

    Be Intentional With Your Positioning

    Great doubles teams don’t just stand in “their side.” They adjust based on opponent tendencies, partner strengths, and shot patterns. Sometimes that means shifting closer to the middle, shading toward a dangerous shot, or spreading wide to protect angles.

    Win the Race to the NVZ

    Back when I was new at Pickleball, a senior player would always tell me, “take control of the net, take control of the net,” at first I did not realise how important that it but later when I got to higher levels, I realized that almost all points are decided by which team gets to the kitchen first and holds it. So remember, tour mission: get to the kitchen early, make sure you’re partner gets there too, and stay disciplined once you’re in the NVZ.

    Third Shot Options: Drop or Drive

    Your third shot is your first tactical decision as the serving team.

    • Drop when the return is low, short, or when you want to advance safely.
    • Drive when the returner is out of position, when you see a backhand target, or when you want to set up a fifth-shot drop.

    Attack on the Fourth if You Can

    If your opponent fails to get to the kitchen line, the fourth shot can be a fantastic time to go on offense. Keep the ball low, find their weak side which is mostly a player’s backhand, and force them to hit up.

    Use Spin When Appropriate

    Adding topspin, backspin, or sidespin creates unpredictable bounce and trajectory. It doesn’t need to be excessive, controlled, consistent spin is more dangerous than flashy inconsistency.

    Attack the Middle

    Hitting down the middle creates hesitation, confusion, and miscommunication. It also provides plenty of margin for error. If you hear your opponents arguing about whose ball it was, you’re doing something right. Besides aiming for the middle is always a high percentage shot in comparison to aiming for the corners.

    Poaching With Purpose

    A poach is an aggressive move where you take a ball intended for your partner. It’s not about stealing, it’s about capitalizing on patterns. Great poachers communicate clearly, move decisively, and finish points efficiently. Poor poachers… well, they frustrate teammates.

    Stacking

    Stacking allows each player to stay on their preferred side of the court. Lefty/righty combos benefit most, but even same-handed teams use stacking to maximize forehands, protect weaknesses, and control the middle.

    Dinking with Patience

    Dinking is a chess match. You’re not just hitting soft shots you’re building patterns, targeting weaknesses, and waiting for the ball that sits even half an inch too high. Patience wins more dink rallies than power or skill ever will. As a pro tip I would suggest that not every high dink needs to be put away, bide your time and make the put away count the most.

    Keep Every Ball Low

    If you consistently send high, attackable balls, you’ll constantly be defending. A soft grip and clean technique help you keep the ball skimming just above the net.

    Pro/Advanced Tips for Playing Doubles Pickleball

    Improve Your Decision-Making

    Skill matters, but smart decisions win matches. Know when to attack, when to reset, and when to simply keep the ball in play.

    Accuracy Over Power

    You can’t overpower strong players, but you can outplace them. Hit smarter, make your opponents move around, once you tire them out you improve your chances to not only win the rally but even the entire match.

    Communicate Constantly

    Call “yours,” “mine,” “switch,” “no,” and “bounce.” The quieter the team, the more points they give away.

    Trust Your Partner

    Good teams back each other up. Great teams anticipate each other’s moves. You should be well aware of your partner’s skillset, for eg even if you are on the left side and your partner has a strong backhand let them pick the center balls, that way the opponent will always have to second guess their strategies.

    Read Out Balls

    Learning to let balls go long is one of the fastest ways to jump levels. Shoulder-high drives with pace almost always sail long so let them, by chance if it lands it, your opponent will still stop driving hard knowing you are up for letting high balls sail away.

    Move Together

    If your partner moves left, you shift left. If they move back, you do the same. Think of yourselves as connected by an invisible rope.

    Stay Patient

    The best players don’t rush. They wait for the right ball, the right moment, the right angle. Patience is a weapon.

    Should You Drive or Drop the Third Shot?

    It depends on the return. If it’s low and short, a drop is your best option. If it’s deep and gives you space to generate pace, a drive might create a pop-up or force an error. Your goal isn’t to hit a perfect shot—it’s to put your team in a better position for the fifth.

    How to Become an Ideal Doubles Partner

    Practice with your regular partner often, do match pattern drills, as that is where the real magic happens. Play with your partner often. Learn their habits. Celebrate their good shots, support them after bad ones, and stay calm no matter what. Body language matters do not slump, groan, or show frustration. Be the partner who lifts the team, not the one who sinks it.

    Remember Doubles isn’t just about great shots it’s about great energy.

    Final Thoughts

    Doubles pickleball adds strategy, teamwork, and fun to every match. Whether you’re learning the basics or stepping into advanced tactics like stacking and poaching, every layer you add makes the game richer. So grab a partner, hit the courts, and start building the kind of chemistry that turns rallies into highlights.

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  • How to improve your serve in 5 simple steps

    A pickleball rally starts with a serve, and when it is your chance to serve, you can dictate the flow of the point from your first shot itself. In this article, we will show you 5 tricks that every pro player uses to make their serve into a weapon, so without further adieu, lets get into it!

    5 Pickleball Serve Tips That’ll Instantly Make You Look Like You Know What You’re Doing

    If there’s one thing that sets the tone for every rally, it’s your serve. You could have the best dink game in town, but if your serve is weak, you’re basically starting every point on defense. So let’s fix that.

    I’ve seen it all on the courts the stiff-arm servers, the “I forgot my hips exist” folks, and the dramatic tossers who think they’re auditioning for Wimbledon. Let’s clean up those habits and serve like a pro.

    Tip #1 – Use Your Whole Body, Not Just Your Arm

    If your serve looks like you’re swatting a fly, we need to talk.

    A lot of beginners (and even a few sneaky intermediates) try to serve using just their arm or wrist. Sure, it works, but it’s like trying to hit a home run using only your forearm you’re leaving all that power on the table.

    Think of your body as a chain your legs, hips, core, and shoulders should all work together. Start from the ground up and rotate through the shot. That’s your “kinetic chain.” Use it, and suddenly your serve feels smoother, stronger, and way more consistent.

    Tip #2 – Master a Closed or Semi-Open Stance Before Going Fully Open

    Here’s where I see a lot of players go wrong they face the net square-on, like they’re posing for a passport photo.

    When you’re serving, try a closed stance, where your front shoulder points toward the net. If that feels too tight, a semi-open stance works just fine. This gives you room to rotate your body and really drive through the ball.

    It’s not that an open stance is “wrong,” but it’s like running before you can walk. Master the fundamentals first, your future self (and your shoulder) will thank you for it.

    Pro Tip: If you’ve been hammering in nothing but power serves, your opponent is already coiled and waiting to crush the return. They’ve read your play! To flip the script and win the mental battle, introduce the surprising slow serve. By wrong-footing them with a soft shot they weren’t expecting, you disrupt their momentum and instantly reclaim control of the point. Think of the serve as your opening gambit in a chess match; always mix up pace and placement to keep your opponent guessing and off-balance. Read our guide on the types of pickleball serves to learn what is a power serve, slow serve and other

    Tip #3 – Tension Is the Enemy of Power

    Here’s a coaching truth: if your grip looks like you’re trying to strangle the paddle, your serve is doomed.

    A tight grip and tense arm make your motion jerky and inconsistent. Instead, loosen up. Let the paddle do some of the work.

    Your motion should be smooth a simple low-to-high swing, like you’re brushing up through the ball. Imagine hitting through three balls lined up in a row, not just one. That’s the follow-through we want.

    Pickleball serves are all about rhythm, not muscle. So relax that death grip, take it from us, your shots (and your elbow) will love you for it.

    Tip #4 – Don’t Reach Back, Just Rotate

    Some players think they need a giant backswing to get power. You don’t. This isn’t golf.

    If you’re taking your paddle halfway to your neighbor’s backyard, you’re doing too much. Instead, set up with your paddle near your hip, turn your shoulders, and let your body rotation bring the paddle through naturally.

    Power doesn’t come from reaching, rather, it comes from timing and technique. Plus, you’ll look way smoother doing it.

    Tip #5 – Stop Tossing. Just Drop It.

    Here’s a funny thing that a bunch of players do is that they toss the ball like they’re pitching a softball. Don’t do that.

    In pickleball, the serve drop rule means you’re literally just… dropping it, duh!. Hold the ball around hip height and as you start your swing, simply let it fall. No toss, no flick, no drama.

    Your goal is one clean, fluid motion — drop and hit. It’s simpler, more consistent, and way easier to repeat under pressure.

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ_ksz6jSk6/?igsh=MWNnN2RrZTNyNmJ0dw==

    Final Thoughts

    Serving might look simple, but it’s one of the most technical shots in the game. Each of these small details right from using your legs to relaxing your grip, it all adds up to a serve that’s not just consistent but confident.

    So next time you step onto the court, remember:
    ✅ Engage your whole body.
    ✅ Stay relaxed.
    ✅ Drop, don’t toss.

    And if all else fails just smile, breathe, and remember that even the pros miss their first serve sometimes.