5 Pickleball Mistakes to Avoid This Year

Pickleball is a fun and exciting sport that has been around since 1965, but it is always changing and improving. The sport, the strategies, the shots, and the players are all evolving over time. If you want to keep up with the game and play your best, you need to evolve too.

5 Pickleball Mistakes to Avoid This Year 2024

In this article, we will reveal the top 5 pickleball mistakes that you should avoid in 2024, and how to fix them. These tips will help you boost your performance on the court and enjoy the game more.

Here are the top 5 pickleball mistakes to avoid in 2024:

1. Serving Too Softly: 

The serve in pickleball is not just a way to start the point. It is also a way to gain an edge over your opponents from the beginning. Don't serve too softly or too predictably. Instead, be aggressive and confident on your serves. Try to vary your speed, spin, placement, and angle to keep your opponents guessing and off balance.

2. Taking Too Big of a Backswing: 

Don't overcomplicate your pickleball game. Bigger is not always better, especially when it comes to your backswing. Instead of taking a long and flashy backswing, keep it simple and short. A short backswing will help you react faster, hit more consistently, and disguise your shots better on the pickleball court.

3. Hitting and Moving at the Same Time: 

Learn to master the split step for better balance and control on the pickleball court. The split step is a small hop that you take before hitting the ball, which helps you stop and adjust your position. Don't hit and move at the same time, as this will cause you to make more mistakes. You might overrun the ball, miss your contact point, hit the ball too hard, or make other errors that could have been avoided.

4. Not Using the Lob Enough: 

One of the most underrated shots on the pickleball court is the lob, especially the offensive lob. The offensive lob is a high and deep shot that you hit over your opponents' heads, forcing them to retreat and giving you more space to win the point. Use offensive lobs wisely and strategically as a powerful weapon on the pickleball court.

5. Staying Stuck in Your Comfort Zone: 

Don't settle for where you are now, or where you were last year. Pickleball is a relatively new sport that is constantly evolving, and so should you. In 2024, don't stagnate or become complacent. Instead, find something to work on and improve. For example, work on your ability to change speeds and to hide your different speeds and shots by having the same pre-motion and body language on every shot. Work on your footwork, which will improve every shot on the pickleball court. Work on new strategies, such as "the fade," the "bait ball," the "shake and bake," etc. Stay ahead by actively adding new dimensions to your pickleball game.

By avoiding these 5 common pickleball mistakes, you will be able to play pickleball like a pro in 2024. These strategies will help you improve your skills, outsmart your opponents, and have more fun on the court. Pickleball is a great sport that can bring you joy and satisfaction, so don't let these mistakes hold you back. Happy pickleballing! 🏓