Is Anything "Good Enough"?

Excellence is an attitude...

First, I'M BACK!. It has always been my intention to provide a new post every day (with the exception of Recycle Sunday, of course). But I was a co-tournament director of the Land of the Sky tournament this past weekend. The tournament work and following recovery were too overwhelming to allow blogging. I have finally recovered enough to have a new post, although not an original one. It is Thursday and that means it is DJ Howard's turn.

DJ's tip this week is all about attitude.

DJ's weekly tip:

Good enough isn't good enough.

Wanna move up a level? You have to get better and be better more consistently.

A philosophy that says, "just get it in and that's good enough" is NOT good enough! 

The higher you go in level, the better you have to be at each aspect of the game.

Volleys Defined

Know your options...

DJ Howard's tip this week is all about volleys.

DJ's weekly pickleball tip:

There are three main types of volleys: blocks, punches, and swings.

Before I go further, you must first understand the difference betweeen a "volley" and "rally". A volley is a shot hit out of the air, whereas a rally is a series of shots hit back and forth. Got it? I am talking about volleys, not rallies.

Use BLOCK volleys when:

• The ball is coming toward you very fast
• You are trying to control the ball
• You are trying to hit a drop
• You want to avoid popping the ball up to your opponent
• You don't know what else to do - note, this should be rare!

A block volley is used more as a "reset" type of shot most of the time.

Grace

Grace is always remembered...

DJ Howard's tip this week is something we all need to keep in mind. Grace never gets old.






DJ's weekly tip:

Show grace.

New players at your courts?

Be kind and include them. Show them the ropes of how you do things at your courts. Help them with the rules. Maybe gently offer some basic advice on how to play and where to move. Do not over-coach, but be willing to teach them what they need to know to want to stay with the game.

Play the Point, Not the Pressure

Stay on track...

DJ Howard's tip this week kind of ties into the Reset and Rescue Shot posts of the last 2 days. His post discusses play when under pressure. This could include play when under attack or out of position.

DJ's weekly tip:

Play the point, not the pressure.

Utilize high percentage plays. Don't take unnecessary risks. Exploit your opponent's weaknesses. Angles create angles. All good advice here. But if you forget all this good advice when under pressure, guess what? You lose.

You cannot afford to alter your game so much that you fail to simply play smart pickleball. If you succumb to the pressure of the situation, you will likely fail to play quality points consistently. And that gets you beat.

Paddle Try-Out

The right tool for the job...

This week, DJ adds to the theme about paddles.

DJ's weekly tip:

Try out several paddles before making a final decision about what to purchase. 
(Unless, of course, you have money to burn and are willing to purchase many paddles. You know who you are and it's ok- go ahead and do your thing.)

It's ok to get suggestions from a friend, a high level player you admire, a local coach, or even a nationally known coach, HOWEVER, please make sure they have your best interest in mind.

There are lots of great paddles and great paddle companies out there and you would be unwise to select the very first paddle the "expert" recommends you try because it is, after all, the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Many top players and coaches are sponsored by paddle companies and it stands to reason they will market and promote that brand. Therefore, it can be difficult sometimes to sort out fact from fiction when someone endorses or promotes a particular paddle. Is this paddle REALLY the greatest new product on the market?

Pickleball Moves You

Remember Newton's Law, not the fig cookies...

This week, DJ talks about how pickleball can help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Stay in motion. Its good for you!

DJ's weekly tip:

Play pickleball to keep your body in motion.

Newton's first law can be summarized as follows: an object in motion tends to stay in motion, an object at rest tends to stay at rest.

Did you know that pickleball is a great way to keep your body in motion? You're moving your arms and legs and getting your heart rate up. It's good exercise! When it comes to your physical makeup, the old adage is true- use it or lose it.

Aggressive Play versus Banging

I need an aggressive, but smart, attitude...

This week, DJ explains why it is important to be aggressive in your play. But aggressive does not mean hitting every ball hard. Yet another reinforcement of percentage pickleball!

DJ's weekly tip:

Understand the difference between being a banger and playing aggressively. There IS a difference!

A "banger" is a player who hits the ball hard because he or she can't do anything else or simply doesn't want to do anything else. They rip the ball and hope that the pace of the ball can make the opponent make a mistake or hit a weak reply. They rarely hit drop shots or lobs or use much in the way of strategy. This type of player is typically impatient and will get frustrated if too many of their hard hit shots are returned.

F.I.T.

Go hard or go home...

While all of D.J. Howard's tips are targeted toward improvement, today's is very specific. It talks about improvement through practice and three key elements of effective practice.

DJ's weekly pickleball tip:

Want to improve? Remember the acronym F.I.T.

Frequency

Intensity

Time

The Myth of Sides

"I'll Take Everything on My Side"...

DJ Howard's tip this week is about court coverage and communication. These are two topics that have been discussed a lot here but a new perspective is always welcome.

Myth - "I have my side, you have your side."

There are two sides of the court, but that does not mean each player ought to cover precisely one half of the court. On the contrary, all things being equal, there ought to be overlap over the center by each player. Since all things are NOT equal, each player's positions should shift left or right along with the location of the ball on the other side of the net, meaning the center line is no longer the middle of the two players. The middle of a doubles team is NOT the center line most of the time.

When to Use a Timeout (Part 1)

When you can't play, stop...

DJ Howard has written a couple of tips about the use of timeouts. Last week, I posted his second tip and promised to come back to the first. His first tip is shown below.

DJ's weekly tip:

Use your timeouts wisely.

There are a number of reasons why you may want to use a timeout. The main thing is that you actually THINK about using your timeouts because you really want to use them wisely, not carelessly.

P.S. I will be discussing many of these options in the coming weeks, so I kindly ask that you not inundate this post with all kinds of ideas as to when to use a timeout. That isn't the point. I'm sure y'all have great ideas. But since this is my post, you just calm yo'self down and comment only on this particular situation. Thanks! Y'all are too kind. 

When to Use a Timeout (Part 2)

When you can't play the momentum, stop the play...

DJ Howard has written a couple of tips about the use of timeouts. I have chosen to skip his first tip and go straight to his second because it fits neatly with the "focus" post from yesterday...and tomorrow. I won't forget his first tip, though. We will come back to it soon.

DJ's weekly tip:

This is the second installment of when it's a good idea to use a timeout. Use a timeout when your opponent has gained momentum and/or confidence.

Playing Net Cord Balls

Be ready for anything...

Daniel Joseph (DJ) Howard is an IPTPA instructor in Michigan. He is also a member of the Pickleball Forum where he offers a weekly tip. DJ has kindly agreed to allow me to include his Forum tips on this blog. This week's tip talks about being ready when a ball hits the top of the net.

Scenario: You see the ball coming toward your side of the net, but right at the level of the tape. How do you keep ready and not get caught off guard or be surprised by the "snap" against the tape? How do you make a play on the ball when it hits the tape?

First, make sure you are in an athletic stance, with your weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet, your knees are flexed, your shoulders are not hunched over, and your chin is up. Your body will then be better prepared for any shot that comes your way.

One Step at a Time

Change your strategy based on the situation...

We will again look to the far distant past for this week's tips from DJ Howard. 

There are six different levels of offense and defense on a sliding scale from most offensive to most defensive. I'll break them down:

High offense 

= "attacking/finishing". 

Goal - end the point. 

Example - overhead smash.

Medium Offense

= "building/hurting". 

Goal - create an opportunity to attack/finish.

Example - high volley to opponent's feet.

3 Essential Skills

Mastering the basics in needed to advance...

A couple of months ago, I started publishing weekly tips from DJ Howard. I started the series with a tip that was relevant to my topic that week. But it was not his first tip. Today we will go back to the beginning.

If it may be of help to some of you, I would like to offer a weekly tip. It's straightforward information I have taught my students and they seem to benefit from it. Your feedback is always welcome.

Pickleball is comprised of three, and only three, essential skills: Receiving, Sending, and Recovering. This process is repeated over and over again when you play.

Unconscious Excellence

Get your mind out of the way...

Last week we learned how to reach Nirvana. This week DJ Howard teaches us that Nirvana is not the last step of the journey. 

DJ's Weekly tip:

Last week I described the levels of development for skill sets-

1. Unconscious Incompetence
2. Conscious Incompetence
3. Conscious Competence
4. Unconscious Competence

These are very important to understand.

But there is one level I did not mention or describe. There is one more level of development and is reserved for the highest levels of performers.

You ready? The next level of development is...

Unconscious Excellence

Ever watch a concert pianist or other top musician play their instruments? Or an artist draw or paint? Their fingers seem to move perfectly without any thought to the process. Their timing, balance, and rhythm are perfect. They make a decision of which song to play or what piece or artwork to put on paper, but their body takes over and simply performs. They simply "feel" their way thru. Sounds a bit like a top athlete too, does it not? They display perfect timing, balance, and rhythm, all while appearing seemingly effortless.

Unconscious Competence

Enlightenment is earned in stages...

Nirvana is the ultimate state of enlightenment in Buddhism. It is attained by passing through 4 stages of realization. I am woefully inadequate to explain these stages. But I found it interesting that attaining the Nirvana of Buddhism correlates with attaining nirvana in pickleball. You will see what I mean when your read today's post from DJ Howard.  

Weekly tip: Understand your level of consciousness and competence.

There are four stages of development that everyone must go thru when learning an athletic skill. They are as follows:

1. Unconscious incompetence. Basically, you don't know what you don't know. There is so much to learn and you don't even know where or how to begin. This person often looks at pro athletes on tv and thinks, "that's not that difficult" simply because the pro athletes make it look so easy. He doesn't understand all that went into making it look that easy.

Don't Coach Your Partner

Just between us...

Yesterday's Recycle Sunday post was about the right kind of communication between partners. Today's post is a bonus DJ Howard post about the wrong kind of communication.

DJ's Weekly Tip: Do not "coach" your teammate during matches!

Your teammate is your teammate, not your student (unless, of course, you are a real pickleball instructor and your teammate IS your student, but that is rare and you get my point, so please go with me here). You are peers with your teammate. This is true whether you are a guy playing men's doubles, a gal playing women's doubles, or you're playing mixed doubles.

You ought not be TELLING your teammate what to do. If they ask for advice, you may give it. Exception: if you have a longstanding relationship in which you are the boss and they are a mouse who is willing to do the bidding of whatever the boss says, then I guess I'm not speaking to you. But my guess is that is a very small minority.

Space

I need more space...

Daniel Joseph (DJ) Howard is an IPTPA instructor in Michigan. He is also a member of the Pickleball Forum where he offers a weekly tip. DJ has kindly agreed to allow me to include his Forum tips on this blog. This week's tip talks about influence.

When receiving a ball, you want to think about creating or maintaining space between yourself and the ball.

Adequate spacing allows you to perform the shot more efficiently and effectively. Don't allow yourself to get jammed by a ball too close to your stance. On the other hand, don't allow a ball to get too far away so you lose balance leaning over for it.

The goal is to maintain as strong of a posture as possible so you may send the ball back with as much control and accuracy as you're able. Proper spacing is the best way to ensure this.

Influencing your Opponent

Strategy is thinking about choice...

Daniel Joseph (DJ) Howard is an IPTPA instructor in Michigan. He is also a member of the Pickleball Forum where he offers a weekly tip. DJ has kindly agreed to allow me to include his Forum tips on this blog. This week's tip talks about influence.

That is really great term that correlates to what I have called "constructing the point". For example, in my post The Most Important Shot, I stated:

There are preferred next shots that should be used to gain advantages. These have been discussed extensively in many posts and are too numerous to mention here. General guidelines are to keep the opponents deep and exploit their weaknesses, such as a backhand. Hit the shot that would allow the ball to get to opponents' feet, i.e., use soft shots when hitting up and use hard shots when hitting down. Ensure that you know these preferred shots and targets and focus on hitting them on the next shot in order to improve your chance of winning.

Check out DJ's tip below to see how much we agree.

It's all about influence!

Pickleball is an exchange in which you are trying to gain an advantage over your opponent. You should not feel badly about doing so. It is what competition is all about.

But HOW do you gain an advantage over your opponent?

The Importance of Proper Technique

Hard work and proper technique will beat bad technique every time...

Daniel Joseph (DJ) Howard is an IPTPA instructor in Michigan. He is also a member of the Pickleball Forum where he offers a weekly tip. DJ has kindly agreed to allow me to include his Forum tips on this blog. Last week's tip - "It works for me" - was about the importance of biomechanics. This week's tip takes it to the next level in a discussion of proper technique.

DJ's weekly tip: (FYI, this one is long and I contemplated breaking it into 3 parts, but figured y'all could handle it.)

Tip: Yes, good (proper) technique (still) matters. A lot.

This week's tip is a piggyback of last week's tip on biomechanics being important.