Pickleball Therapy

The journey to be a more well-rounded player can be filled with distractions that pull you in different directions, that are not as productive as others, the Erne being a good example. When you watch the Erne in action in pro matches, you'll find that it's of very limited strategic value. What's an Erne? In this episode I explain to you what that is, why it's not an effective shot, and unless you're super excited about it, I would suggest putting it on pause and really think about it, again. Because winning in pickleball comes from the basic, non-sexy stuff, as well as doing it better and better than you have before. In the RIFF, we thank you, as a listener to the podcast, for trusting us with your pickleball journey and your relationship with the sport. The Soft Game is DEAD ... or is it? - Let's stop guessing and find out on the In2Pickle Channel: https://betterpickleball.com/the-soft-game-is-dead-or-is-it/ Check out our courses: https://betterpickleball.com/academy/ Join our Live Game Studies: https://betterpickleball.com/live-game-study/ And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do.

Is everything fast and hard? This week we turn towards a strategy concept. It's something I've been working on recently based on a question that's frequently asked - is the soft game dead? And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. The soft game is alive and is being used by those who know how to use it well, to win a lot of times against teams that don't apply a soft game approach. When you study the best teams, you'll notice that they rely on a soft game, Chapter One, disciplined approach to pickleball. Listen to this episode as we discuss Chapter One Pickleball, what you need to add to the soft game or make sure you have that approach to your game and more! In the RIFF I share with you a quick story I read from a post that was in the Pickleball System Facebook group. Check out Better Pickleball Camps: https://betterpickleball.com/pickleball-camps/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxtrHYdJT1Iy_SHckPt6cg The Pickleball System: https://betterpickleball.com/system/ Video on In2Pickle channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46eAo_G0Y3Y Beat the Bangers course: https://betterpickleball.com/beat-the-banger/

This week we wrap up the series on setting the right baseline for yourself. The key here is basically grounding ourselves in reality to evaluate our performance in a good and healthy way. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. I share with you a quick side story I was reminded of that has nothing to do with pickleball, but you'll see how it ties together. Now one of the benefits of setting the baseline is that it gives you accurate information about how you perfom today. Listen to the full episode as I talk to you about this and more benefits of setting the baseline and using this approach to evaluate performance. In the RIFF I'm going to talk about the concept of seeing the game that maybe foreign to some, but when you're able to see the game, it really changes how you engage with the sport. Subscribe to The Pickleball Therapy Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxtrHYdJT1Iy_SHckPt6cg/ Join us for the Live May 2024 Game Studies: https://betterpickleball.com/live-game-study Previous Episodes on this series: Part 1 : Doing the Best You Can Do PLUS Incremental Growth- Episode 187 Part 2: Setting the Right Baseline for You PLUS an update from the US Open- Episode 188 Part 3: Avoid these 2 Baseline Traps PLUS Hybrid Pickleball is Amazing- Episode 189

What is this Pickleball Therapy podcast all about? In one word: you. In 3 words: your pickleball improvement. In 16 words: You enjoying the fullest, healthiest, and best relationship with this awesome sport that we all love. If that sounds interesting to you, join us inside the podcast. You can watch it here or listen to it on Apple, Spotify, and all podcast platforms. See you on the inside.

We had an opportunity to sit down with Mark Lashley, the CEO of UTR Sports. They have been in the ratings game for a long time & in this episode he explains why ratings and rankings matter. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. A rating and a ranking creates level-based play so no matter what level you're at, it's fun to be on a court and you get to enjoy the experience with people at your level. Mark explains how the rating system works to determine the level of a player. It's a really good episode that you'll also get to understand why a good rating system is always going to be more accurate than a ranking system. If you're either a tournament player,playing league, you play at a facility that uses levels, or you're just curious about ratings, listen to this episode and check out UTR Sports for yourself on how they impact the group and the environment in which you play. UTR Sports: https://www.utrsports.net/ Join us for the Live May 2024 Game Studies: https://betterpickleball.com/live-game-study

There's a baseline appropriate for us based on where we are right now. Why? Because the baseline is supposed to keep us in reality. It's meant to ground us in the modality of our situation. A baseline is like a snapshot of your performance. You can, ofcourse, improve in the future and move your baseline with some work, a focus on your game and growth. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. In this episode I'll share with you a conversation I had with a friend of mine and why we need to compare ourselves to a baseline that's appropriate for us as well as how to avoid the trap of being theoretical. In the Riff I share with you a particular story about the US Open Tournament Play that has to do with hybrid pickleball that was both eye-opening and exciting plus the lessons that I took away from that experience. Episode 188: https://youtu.be/m05zWoDcSAk Join us for the Live May 2024 Game Studies: https://betterpickleball.com/live-game-study

Are you asking the right questions when setting the baseline for yourselves? In this episode we dive deep into setting the baseline for ourselves and understanding the realities of the game. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. It's important that you resist the temptation to compare yourself to the other player or trying to look for the perfect sequence when you're out there playing . Because we're all in different places. Some of us are younger, some older, some of us are left-hand, and some are right-hand and so many other differences, including our backgrounds. Simply ask yourself, 'Did I do what I could do? Did I do the best that I can?' I am recording this podcast on location, down at the US Open in Naples and in the RIFF I talk about the US Open and the camaraderie that you see at an event like this. I have two requests; i) Please rate and review us, even if you have left a review in the past of the podcast ii) If you like YouTube and you're on there, go to Pickleball Therapy on YouTube, like a video or write a comment here and there to help us reach more players. Purchase from our friends at Total Pickleball.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Eric Brynes, a very passionate player & former Major League baseball player. Eric talks to us about his journey as a pickleball player, his book and more! And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. The beauties of our pickleball is seeing many folks with different backgrounds, all playing this awesome sport. During this episode, Eric talks about various concepts I think you're going to find super interesting. One of them is that we sometimes fight with our students or with players in terms of understanding that they are, in fact, athletes. Listen to the full episode as Eric also talks about how he takes care of his body, why positioning matters and lot's of other awesome stuff, including how he puts himself in a position to succeed. You can get KT Tape at this link.

This week we go deep in defining our metrics to analyze games we've played. How do we ask questions or frame ourselves in a correct and more constructive way of thinking about performance? Start working on asking yourself, did I do the best that I could in that situation from my performance standpoint? And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. In this episode I'll also read to you a story that's a really nice perspective, that all you need to know is your name and we can play some pickleball. It's a good reminder of the general sport of pickleball, why we play it and the camaraderie that gets developed. In the RIFF, we talk about the three-minute plank which is about incremental progress and not big, chunky progress. That's the progress that you're going to see in your game and eventually it'll come together. Join us here for our awesome tournament class: https://betterpickleball.com/tournament-play/ Check out Tyrol shoes Use code BP10 at checkout The Pickleball System Class: http://thepickleballsystem.com/

There are serious losses that we encounter that's part of being alive. If your favorite team did not win a contest, it's not an upset and does not mean that anybody suffered a loss. It just means that the contest ended with one team having more points, or other defining measurement of that sport, than the other team. That's why in this week's episode we're talking about how we reference losing sporting events. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. There's an old Japanese Samurai proverb that says, Do not speak bad of yourself, for the warrior within hears your words and is lessened by them. Language and the words you use is so important, it affects us and it's how we interact with our mind. Listen to this episode as we talk about how we can guard ourselves from the resistance inside our mind to events are nothing more than normal expected events Episode 182- Remove Your Mental Plaque and You'll Play Better; https://youtu.be/bxnby2E3QDI

We've had great conversations with our therapists that we will share here. One of our therapist talks about the importance of the mental game as we age & the mental and physical challenges. How do we deal with those as we get older? Here's my take; - As we get older, we have to be cognizant of life, the change in our bodies and our mind because it can change our ability to, for instance, stay focused for longer. - Use the FOSS approach of understanding the game to understand what you can do in different situations that's going to be more effective. Then repeat what works. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. Listen to the full episode as I answer more questions and suggestions on; Send us an email: therapy@betterpickleball.com Join our email list: https://betterpickleball.com/ Join us here for our awesome tournament class: https://betterpickleball.com/tournament-play/ Subscribe to the YouTube channel for Pickleball Therapy: https://www.youtube.com/@pickleballtherapy

Playing a tournament but are not sure what to choose? We've got your covered in this special episode. You can confidently make your selection, knowing that there is a cogent reason you are doing so. Your opponents will likely be baffled. But you will know - and that's what matters. Join us here for our awesome tournament class: https://betterpickleball.com/tournament-play/

You become a fierce competitor by applying something specific to your mind. When we are playing out there, there are times when we're going to be in trouble. What do we do in that situation? Thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. Now I was reminded of the never say die mindset thought process in watching a PPA finals match between Andrei Daescu and Anna Bright against the strongest mixed doubles team in the history of pickleball, Ben Johns & Anna Leigh Waters. Check out Tyrol Pickleball for the best shoes designed specifically for pickleball. Use BP10 at checkout. The never say die mindset is where the three pillars of pickleball overlap. Understanding that all three, strategic, mechanical pillar and the athletic, is necessary and working on all of them is how you're going to really maximize your potential as a pickleball player. In that match I recommend really focusing on Andre in terms of how you're going to get the most out of this process, how he moves, how he uses his paddle, and everything he does. In the RIFF, I'm going to be chatting about paddles, and basically our mindset when it comes to paddles Send me an email- therapy@betterpickleball.com Pickleball Therapy Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@pickleballtherapy Video on finals between Andrei Daescu and Anna Bright: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoF1zOwLWVY Pickleball is Messy - and that is Awesome PLUS Why Players Share "Advice"- Episode 164: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XkjnnwnKpA How to apply lead tape to your pickleball paddle: Add Lead Tape to make your paddle for you - I'll show you how This video will be live next week. Subscribe to In2Pickle on YouTube to get notified of when the video goes live and for other awesome content.

There's a wall that players can sometimes run into when trying to improve. But there's a wall that some players spend a lot of time standing in front of that they're not able to scale it. This week I'm going to talk about the mindset that you want to bring to your improvement. This is an improvement episode where we talk about big picture improvement. The term fundamentals is a turn off to some players but the irony of it is it's what exactly the players need in order to scale that wall or break through that wall. It takes some dedication, work and patience to be able to get where we want to go. Join us for the Win-More Series here: https://bit.ly/4bRLvYp THE Pickleball System: https://betterpickleball.com/system/ Video in In2Pickle: Breaking Through: Secrets to Surpass the 3.0-3.5 Wall Join our email list: https://betterpickleball.com/ Thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do.

Players often struggle to recognize what occurred in the rallies they played. It’s through recognition that we can make adjustments as we move forward in our play. A lot of times players have difficulty recognising or relating to what just occurred in the rally they just played. For instance, who hit what shot, where was the ball hit and things like that. It even includes sometimes players having difficulty remembering that they hit a particular shot. Start working on recognizing what's going on on the pickleball court as you play and what you need to improve to help you fix flaws. That will do the most lifting to help you elevate your game, advance your play and play better. We need to recognize we hit the shot, where we hit the shot and then recognize how the shot compares to the shot that made the most sense. Recognition as a skill is something that you can work on, improve and build on. And you know what's the key? To start with one shot. Join us for the Win-More Series here: https://bit.ly/4bRLvYp THE Pickleball System: https://betterpickleball.com/system/ As always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do.

This episode focuses on our Pickleball System course. Is it right for you? If you’re on the fence, this episode will help with the decision as to whether it's the right time to join. The Pickleball System course is a big deal from our end because we only do this two times per year. This is the spring opening of our course. If you would like to join us here are two questions to ask yourself in making the decision: 1. Are you genuinely interested in making real improvement in your play? We're talking about paradigm shift, transformational changes to your game, not gimmicks or quick fixes but real meaningful change in your game? If you answer yes to that, then we're halfway there. 2. Are you willing to put in some work? If you answered yes to both those questions, then The Pickleball System is right for you and I would recommend that you enroll in our March class, or at least give real serious consideration to enrolling in our March class. Here's what you can expect in the one year course: A top-down approach to pickleballA complete curriculum,Live class coaching callsAdditional resources If for whatever reason you decide The Pickleball System is not for you, we offer an unconditional 90 day money back guarantee. Sign up today! The Pickleball System Class: http://thepickleballsystem.com/ As always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do.

Protect yourself from the buildup of negative mental habits (mental plaque). In this episode, we’ll look at signs that plaque has built up in your mind and how to remove it. For example, when a game finishes and the reaction of a player on the court is that the game sucked, sometimes it's because the player who's saying that is the losing player. You want to spend some of your mental bandwidth on protecting yourself from such potentially negative mental habits. Because the cleaner our minds are from this plaque that builds up, the better we're going to play. I'll also share a personal story that happened to me many years ago. Let keep it positive in terms of our understanding that it's a game of ebbs and flows. You're going to play great sometimes, you're going to play crappy sometimes, and so are your opponents or your partner. Join us for the Win-More Series here: https://bit.ly/4bRLvYp Join our email list: https://betterpickleball.com/ Check out Tyrol shoes Use code BP10 at checkout: https://tyrolpickleball.com/?rfsn=5851206.d03ea9&utm_source=cj Pickleball is Messy - and that is Awesome PLUS Why Players Share "Advice": https://youtu.be/1XkjnnwnKpA As always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do.

5 tips to prepare for a game and the struggles that often occur. Like navigating a ship, in a game the wind shifts, the water gets rough and we have to tack in a different direction. Thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. If pickleball was easy and always a calm sailing wind at your back, you probably wouldn't enjoy it as much. That's why in this episode we look at the play aspect of pickleball, and more specifically how to navigate a game because oftentimes we'll find that the wind has shifted or the waters have gotten a little rough and all of a sudden we have to tack in a different direction. More like navigating a ship through waters. The first key to navigate a pickleball game is to be able to weather the storm, the natural ebb and flow of a game, the tops and the bottoms. And that includes all aspects of the game. Listen to this episode for more about this and four other tips to help you better prepare to experience the natural turbulence and struggles that will occur during a pickleball game. Join us for the Win-More Series here: https://bit.ly/4bRLvYp Join us inside our Academy for our Unbeatable Partner Play course. https://betterpickleball.com/product/the-winning-edge/

Our March Win-More Series got me to thinking about…winning. We talk about it a lot because it takes up a lot of our mental bandwidth. Winning is fine, and it is A-OK to want more of it. And based on that, here are two areas worth exploring: 1 - How do we win more? In actuality not just conceptually 2 - Does winning become the end all and be all? Keeping our eye on the real importance of pickleball to us Join us for the Win-More Series here: https://bit.ly/4bRLvYp See you on Friday Tony

In today's episode, my partner CJ Johnson is taking over the pod. She talks about how to develop a growth mindset wherever we are on our pickleball journey. A great episode for all of us. Thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. Growth and development are usually not linear. It requires patience, time, and really, faith in the effort that we're investing. We dive deeper into one of the crucial elements that can make all the difference- growth mindset. I share with you a post from one of our pickleball system members that really illustrates how a growth mindset can help manage the ups and downs of a pickleball's (or any life's) learning journey. The post perfectly encapsulates the principles of the growth mindset. Now, why is a growth mindset imperative for improvement as opposed to a fixed mindset? Let me give you an example. Legendary basketball player Michael Jordan was widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all times. But his success was not solely attributed to his natural talent, but rather to his unparalleled work ethic, and he had unwavering determination as well. Embracing effort as the pathway to mastery encourages a love of learning and a resilience, which are essential for great accomplishments, fosters resilience and helps one to develop a deeper love of the game. Join us for the Win-More Series here: https://bit.ly/4bRLvYp THE Pickleball System: https://betterpickleball.com/system/