THE LEARNING TRIAD


The Learning Triad process will help you visually absorb techniques and mentally rehearse movements. 

 

CLICK: 4-Week Curriculum
Watch each video three times. Hold your paddle and stand as you watch to increase muscle memory.

1st TIME:  MEDITATE  Watch video mindfully.

2nd TIME: CUE UP Watch again and write down cue words to help you remember the process.

3rd TIME: VISUALIZE Watch again and see yourself executing the stroke or strategy. 

IMPORTANT: READ FIRST

  • FOCUS ON THESE VIDEOS: They are carefully curated to give you a good foundation. Resist the temptation to scroll through online videos. It will only create confusion. Mentally embed these basics first. 
  • DO THE WORK: I’ve suggested focus points and cue words below, but don’t use them to bypass watching the videos. Take your own notes and create your own cue words.
  • SKIP ADS: There are ads on YouTube videos unless you have a premium subscription. You can hit the “Skip” button when it appears in lower right corner so you don’t have to watch them. Annoying I know, but you got this. 
  • YOU DO YOU!: Pickleball is like calligraphy. You learn and practice the basic strokes, but then you make it your own. Lay the foundation through the Triad Learning process, but bring your unique personality to each stroke. 

The Serve 

Focus Points:

1. Use Your Legs [not just your arms and wrist]
2. Use closed stance [think surfboard]
3. Bend your knees – Transfer your weight – you can do this with a step and a twist
4. Avoid a Big Backswing
5. Stay Relaxed, breathe, bounce the ball a few times, take your time [you have 10 seconds]
6. Time Your Release: Do not hit the ball immediately after the release – this is actually more difficult to time and leads to jerky motions.
7. Don’t toss the ball high because the toss introduces more variables that could lead to a missed serve
8. Drop the ball around your navel or waist. It will take some time to get the timing down, but you can easily practice this on your own. 
9. Hit Through the Ball As you make contact in your serve, you want to engage the rest of your body and hit through the ball. Imagine as if there are 3 balls beyond the one in front of you. 
10. Hit Intentional Pickleball Serves

Serve it deep – aim for the back three feet of the court – it’s better to force your opponent onto their heels than to give them extra forward momentum into the kitchen 
Serve to your opponent’s weaker side, like their backhand
Hit an angled serve that is harder to reach
Use spin 
Combine all of these elements: for example serve it deep to your opponent’s backhand with pace and/or spin
Be unpredictable – you can Hit a lob serve to throw your opponent off or mix up these elements each time

Cue Words: Stand, Aim, Brush low to High, Watch and Wait

11. Don’t take your eyes off the ball. Watch it hit your paddle.
12. Stay back and watch for return.

Cue Words: Stand, Aim deep, Brush low to High, Watch and Wait

The Return of Serve

Focus Points:

1. Back Up 2-4 feet from the baseline.
2. Move to the Ball –  make  Contact, out in front, on your sweet spot, as the ball peaks and begins to descend.
3. Hit Ball Deep.
4. Get to Kitchen.
5. Be Strategic.

  • You can return to the middle – this creates confusion as to who will hit it 
  • Return with spin and or pace – if possible, try to keep it low to create a lower contact point for your opponent and to force the ball to skid
  • You can hit to your opponent’s backhand –
  • If you need more time, to get to the kitchen, you can return the ball with more loft

Or you could combine these elements – For example: return it deep to the back middle with spin and pace 

Cue Words: Hit Sweet Spot, Return Deep, Get to the Kitchen

The Third Shot Drop

Focus Points:

1. Wait for ball to get to apex and descend.
2. Respect the net. Give it margin.
3. Swing path – low to high and  in arc.
4. Paddle face options: OPEN for arc but slow swing path/CLOSE for more top swing and more quickly. 
5. Arc: Create a high arc that lands softly.
6. Transition: Move towards the net after the shot.

Cue Words: Hit when ball descends, create and arc, get to kitchen. 

The Transition 

Focus Points:

1. Read your shots.
2. Establish feet first, swing second.
3. Keep paddle slightly down.
4. Contact the ball out front, eye on ball.
5. Keep Swing Compact.
6. Vary Grip Pressure based on depth.
7. Volley the ball but don’t overextend.
8. Respect the net.

Cue Words: “Calm. Focused. Stable”

The Dink

Focus Points:
1. Grip: Continental [Shaking hands]
2. Grip Strength: Stay Loose [3to 4] Think Toothpaste tube. [if popping up: Release bottom 3 fingers.]
3. The Ready Position: Wide stance, knees bent, paddle chest high angled slightly toward back hand.]
4. Swing from shoulder low to high, not wrist or elbow. [cornhole]

  • Keep your eye on the ball: Many players make the mistake of looking away too soon, leading to errors. Focus on watching the ball from contact to follow-through.
  • Keep the ball out front: Avoid hitting the ball when it’s behind you. Instead, hit it early and keep it in front, whether you’re using a forehand or backhand.
  • Respect the net: Give your dinks enough lift to clear the net, but don’t flirt with it. Ensure the ball has plenty of margin over the net.
  • Hit with purpose: Don’t dink directly to your opponent. Aim for their backhand, their feet, or between them to force an error or a pop-up.

Cue Words: Ready position, eye on ball, Cornhole

The Volley Series.

We cover 3 types of volleys that you will use in almost every game.

  • The Drop Volley
  • The Roll Volley
  • The Punch volley

Click on this link to find the 3 short volley videos with focus points and cue  words.  

VOLLEY VIDEOS HERE

The Drive Shot

Focus Points:

1. Preparation: Rotate shoulders and hips for power.
2. Contact: Hit the ball in front of your body.
3. Follow-through: Complete the swing for accuracy.

Cue Words: “Rotate, contact, extend”