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30 Simple Tips to Improve Your Pickleball Skills
Jul 23, 2025
Whether you're new to pickleball or a seasoned player, it’s often the small tweaks that lead to big results. In this video, we break down 30 practical, easy-to-use tips that will improve your game immediately—no complicated drills or advanced mechanics required. ✅ Learn how to: • Serve deeper for better control • Master your third shot with balance and precision • Move efficiently to the kitchen line • Reset like a pro using soft grip pressure • Communicate better with your doubles partner • Recognize when to attack (and when not to) • Play smarter, not harder 📌 Start simple: Pick 3–5 tips from the list and focus on them in your next match. Build from there. 👇 Let us know in the comments which tips made the biggest difference in your game! Join the Pickleball Union Pro community: https://www.skool.com/pickleball-union-pro/about 🔗 MORE PICKLE GOODNESS • Newsletter: Weekly pro tips & gear deals → https://pickleballunion.com/newsletter/ • Pickleball Union Pro: Deep-dive video clinics & coach Q&As → https://www.skool.com/pickleball-union-pro/about
View Video Transcript
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What's up everybody? I am Marco and this
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What's up everybody? I am Marco and this
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What's up everybody? I am Marco and this is Joey.
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is Joey.
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is Joey. >> What's up guys? Here are 30 super simple
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>> What's up guys? Here are 30 super simple
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>> What's up guys? Here are 30 super simple tips to improve your game. Tip one,
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tips to improve your game. Tip one,
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tips to improve your game. Tip one, serve the ball deep in the court.
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>> Tip number two, when you and your
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>> Tip number two, when you and your
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>> Tip number two, when you and your partner are serving, you want to stay
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partner are serving, you want to stay
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partner are serving, you want to stay back and wait for a deep return of
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back and wait for a deep return of
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back and wait for a deep return of serve.
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Tip three, when you're returning, stand
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Tip three, when you're returning, stand
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Tip three, when you're returning, stand far back behind the baseline so when you
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far back behind the baseline so when you
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far back behind the baseline so when you hit your return, your momentum can come
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hit your return, your momentum can come
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hit your return, your momentum can come forward.
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forward.
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forward. [Music]
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[Music]
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[Music] Tip number four, minimize your back
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Tip number four, minimize your back
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Tip number four, minimize your back swing and exaggerate your follow
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swing and exaggerate your follow
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swing and exaggerate your follow through.
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>> Tip number five, return and run. Get to
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>> Tip number five, return and run. Get to
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>> Tip number five, return and run. Get to the kitchen as quick as you can after
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the kitchen as quick as you can after
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the kitchen as quick as you can after return.
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Tip number six, return as deep as
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Tip number six, return as deep as
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Tip number six, return as deep as possible.
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Tip number seven, make sure you split
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Tip number seven, make sure you split
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Tip number seven, make sure you split step when you arrive to the kitchen
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step when you arrive to the kitchen
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step when you arrive to the kitchen line.
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line.
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line. [Music]
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[Music]
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[Music] >> Tip number eight, be wide and athletic
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>> Tip number eight, be wide and athletic
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>> Tip number eight, be wide and athletic when you're at the nonvley zone line.
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when you're at the nonvley zone line.
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when you're at the nonvley zone line. Tip number nine, at the third shot, the
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Tip number nine, at the third shot, the
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Tip number nine, at the third shot, the left side of the court is going to take
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left side of the court is going to take
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left side of the court is going to take 60%, the right side of the court is
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60%, the right side of the court is
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60%, the right side of the court is going to take 40%. I do not want to have
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going to take 40%. I do not want to have
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going to take 40%. I do not want to have to deal with a backhand where my partner
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to deal with a backhand where my partner
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to deal with a backhand where my partner can step in with a forehand. Tip number
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can step in with a forehand. Tip number
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can step in with a forehand. Tip number 10, communicate with your partner. A
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10, communicate with your partner. A
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10, communicate with your partner. A simple yours or mine goes a long way.
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simple yours or mine goes a long way.
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simple yours or mine goes a long way. >> Tip number 11. At the third shot, make
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>> Tip number 11. At the third shot, make
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>> Tip number 11. At the third shot, make sure that the ball is out in front of
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sure that the ball is out in front of
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sure that the ball is out in front of you and you have forward momentum to
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you and you have forward momentum to
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you and you have forward momentum to make the shot as simple as possible.
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Tip number 12. On your third shot drop,
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Tip number 12. On your third shot drop,
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Tip number 12. On your third shot drop, look to just have a short compact swing.
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>> Tip number 13. On your third shot drop,
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>> Tip number 13. On your third shot drop,
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>> Tip number 13. On your third shot drop, look to just have soft grip pressure,
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look to just have soft grip pressure,
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look to just have soft grip pressure, like a three out of 10. Tip number 14.
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like a three out of 10. Tip number 14.
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like a three out of 10. Tip number 14. On your third shot drop, look to have
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On your third shot drop, look to have
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On your third shot drop, look to have good footwork. Set up for the ball
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good footwork. Set up for the ball
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good footwork. Set up for the ball early, get a wide base, move forward.
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early, get a wide base, move forward.
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early, get a wide base, move forward. Number 15, when you're going for a
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Number 15, when you're going for a
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Number 15, when you're going for a drive, the most important thing is to
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drive, the most important thing is to
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drive, the most important thing is to hit the ball low across the net height.
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Number 16, make sure that we have a low
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Number 16, make sure that we have a low
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Number 16, make sure that we have a low to high swing plate. This is vital for
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to high swing plate. This is vital for
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to high swing plate. This is vital for generating top spin.
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generating top spin.
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generating top spin. [Music]
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[Music]
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[Music] Number 17, make sure you have the same
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Number 17, make sure you have the same
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Number 17, make sure you have the same soft grip pressure as you were using for
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soft grip pressure as you were using for
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soft grip pressure as you were using for drop shots. Three out of 10 at max.
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As the servings team at our third shot,
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As the servings team at our third shot,
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As the servings team at our third shot, we are not moving forward until we can
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we are not moving forward until we can
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we are not moving forward until we can safely conquer this zone of death. If
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safely conquer this zone of death. If
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safely conquer this zone of death. If you hit a good shot, you're at least
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you hit a good shot, you're at least
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you hit a good shot, you're at least expected to take two steps forward. If
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expected to take two steps forward. If
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expected to take two steps forward. If not, you're staying back. Tip number 19,
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not, you're staying back. Tip number 19,
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not, you're staying back. Tip number 19, take the ball out of the air when you
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take the ball out of the air when you
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take the ball out of the air when you can on your fourth shot.
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Tip number 20. If your opponent hits a
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Tip number 20. If your opponent hits a
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Tip number 20. If your opponent hits a really good drive, look to block it back
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really good drive, look to block it back
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really good drive, look to block it back over.
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>> Tip number 21. If it's shoulder high,
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>> Tip number 21. If it's shoulder high,
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>> Tip number 21. If it's shoulder high, let it fly. If they hit a drive above
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let it fly. If they hit a drive above
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let it fly. If they hit a drive above shoulder height, let it go. Number 22.
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shoulder height, let it go. Number 22.
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shoulder height, let it go. Number 22. If you receive a high third shot drop,
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If you receive a high third shot drop,
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If you receive a high third shot drop, that ball must be attacked.
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that ball must be attacked.
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that ball must be attacked. Number 23. When we receive a third shot
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Number 23. When we receive a third shot
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Number 23. When we receive a third shot that drops our paddle below the net
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that drops our paddle below the net
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that drops our paddle below the net height, we are going to concede with a
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height, we are going to concede with a
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height, we are going to concede with a smooth rolling volley. We are not going
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smooth rolling volley. We are not going
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smooth rolling volley. We are not going to overhit this ball. Number 24. When we
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to overhit this ball. Number 24. When we
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to overhit this ball. Number 24. When we receive a third shot drop that bounces
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receive a third shot drop that bounces
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receive a third shot drop that bounces and we are unable to take it out of the
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and we are unable to take it out of the
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and we are unable to take it out of the air, we are going to pivot open and hit
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air, we are going to pivot open and hit
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air, we are going to pivot open and hit a ground stroke force smooth and deep.
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Number 25, transition zone paddle height
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Number 25, transition zone paddle height
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Number 25, transition zone paddle height correlation. When we are in the deeper
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correlation. When we are in the deeper
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correlation. When we are in the deeper portions of the court, the paddle does
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portions of the court, the paddle does
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portions of the court, the paddle does not need to be this high. If the ball is
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not need to be this high. If the ball is
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not need to be this high. If the ball is this high, it is 100% out of bounds.
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this high, it is 100% out of bounds.
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this high, it is 100% out of bounds. Your paddle needs to be low and protect
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Your paddle needs to be low and protect
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Your paddle needs to be low and protect the only spot where your opponents can
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the only spot where your opponents can
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the only spot where your opponents can hit you, which is at your shins. The
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hit you, which is at your shins. The
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hit you, which is at your shins. The closer you move in, the higher your
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closer you move in, the higher your
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closer you move in, the higher your paddle will raise. 26. When you're in
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paddle will raise. 26. When you're in
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paddle will raise. 26. When you're in the transition zone and you're trying to
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the transition zone and you're trying to
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the transition zone and you're trying to get to the net, look to have a very soft
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get to the net, look to have a very soft
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get to the net, look to have a very soft grip pressure on any ball you're
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grip pressure on any ball you're
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grip pressure on any ball you're resetting. Tip number 27. When you're
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resetting. Tip number 27. When you're
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resetting. Tip number 27. When you're moving in the transition zone, try to be
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moving in the transition zone, try to be
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moving in the transition zone, try to be really light on your feet so you can
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really light on your feet so you can
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really light on your feet so you can kind of take those extra steps to adjust
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kind of take those extra steps to adjust
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kind of take those extra steps to adjust when you're hitting a reset ball.
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Tip 28. When you're in the transition
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Tip 28. When you're in the transition
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Tip 28. When you're in the transition zone and trying to get to the kitchen on
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zone and trying to get to the kitchen on
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zone and trying to get to the kitchen on a drop or a reset, try to identify how
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a drop or a reset, try to identify how
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a drop or a reset, try to identify how well you hit your drop or reset right
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well you hit your drop or reset right
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well you hit your drop or reset right away. That lets you know whether you can
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away. That lets you know whether you can
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away. That lets you know whether you can come in if it's a good one or stay back
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come in if it's a good one or stay back
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come in if it's a good one or stay back if it isn't very good.
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if it isn't very good.
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if it isn't very good. Number 29, be patient. going through the
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Number 29, be patient. going through the
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Number 29, be patient. going through the transition zone. There is no clock on
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transition zone. There is no clock on
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transition zone. There is no clock on this thing. We want to make this a two
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this thing. We want to make this a two
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this thing. We want to make this a two to three shot sequence from baseline to
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to three shot sequence from baseline to
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to three shot sequence from baseline to kitchen line.
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Lastly, tip number 30. When in doubt,
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Lastly, tip number 30. When in doubt,
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Lastly, tip number 30. When in doubt, make balls. Hit it in the court. Most
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make balls. Hit it in the court. Most
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make balls. Hit it in the court. Most points in pickle ball are won on
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points in pickle ball are won on
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points in pickle ball are won on unforced errors. When in doubt, keep the
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unforced errors. When in doubt, keep the
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unforced errors. When in doubt, keep the ball in play. And that is 30 tips on how
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ball in play. And that is 30 tips on how
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ball in play. And that is 30 tips on how to improve your game. Watch this video
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to improve your game. Watch this video
5:04
to improve your game. Watch this video as many times as you need to. There are
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as many times as you need to. There are
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as many times as you need to. There are gems in here.