Play enough pickleball and you’ll start to develop habits. Some, like varying your serves or knowing which way to pivot to defend a lob, are good. Others, not so much.
Pro Connor Garnett is here to call out four common pitfalls seen in intermediate to advanced players and, better yet, how to correct them. Sit back and take notes, the king of Twoey Nation is talking.
✅ Hitting off-balance shots. Yes, this is a fast sport. But moving through every shot hurts your ability to generate power and get back in position for the next one.
How to fix it: Plant your feet under your shoulders before making contact with the ball. A stable base will help you hit more consistent shots. Bonus: You’ll be able to recover your court positioning more easily, too.
✅ Swinging too hard. You don’t need to swing out of your shoes to generate power. In fact, an easy compact swing is often all it takes. Let your legs do most of the work.
How to fix it: Snap your hips open toward your intended target, get your paddle out from your body and let your arm naturally accelerate through the ball. Nice and easy.
✅ Power over placement. Any time you’re swinging above your shoulders, the tendency is to hit the ball as hard as possible somewhere in the neutral zone. But the better your opponent, the less effective this becomes.
How to fix it: Instead, take some pace off and prioritize depth of return or hitting the ball back at a sharp angle. When your opponent is pinned at the baseline, these are much harder to defend.
✅ Getting overpowered on drives. It’s human nature to back away from danger, like a banger repeatedly ripping drives at your chest. We’ve all been there, but you’re doing it wrong.
How to fix it: Lean into hard drives at the kitchen line, rather than backing away. (“Nose over toes,” says Connor.) Lock your wrist and keep swings compact. It’s a plastic ball, after all — don’t fear it, punish it.
