Pickleball Therapy

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 PositiveEngaging the CrowdEnjoying the GameIn 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 journey into pickleball, 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: PodcastBookCheck 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; 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.com See 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 Nook 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/411cey4 At 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/411cey4 Whenever 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 Pickleball How 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 Mistakes It'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 Gratitude Ask 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 Thing There'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 who 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/411cey4 Strength 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 court Get 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/camps Better 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; In this podcast episode podcast we feature Swapnil 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. Check out SwingVision here: https://swing.vision/

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. Because you can never exhaust pickleball and when you get there, there's going to be more and more magic places to get to. 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 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 :).