PickleballZen

01/03/2026

2026 Rule Changes you NEED to know!

Essential Pickleball Rules for 2026 (Including 7 NEW Changes)GET THE DUO PRO FOR $155! https://enhancepickleball.com/discount/RULES?redirect=%2Fcollections%2...

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! 🎆 Open for a great article to up your game in 2026.

12/17/2025

I always stress to my beginners the importance of their grip when it comes to mobility. Remember, gripping the paddle too tightly injects tension and limits mobility in the wrist causing the entire arm to stiffen. Space between the fingers allows for relaxation in the hand, softens the paddle’s impact against the ball, and allows for much better ball placement.

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11/20/2025

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10/19/2025

Gearing up for one of the last Master the Basics weeks of 2025. Signup today!

Nov 10th at Regency - Standard Courts from 03:00pm to 04:30pm

10/13/2025

Returner, GET THEE TO THE LINE!!

🔥If You’re Not Running Up After Your Return, You’re Not Just Bad, You’re Selfish

Pickleball is a funny sport.
It’s simple enough for retirees to pick up in flip flops, yet brutal enough that it can expose every ounce of your athletic cowardice in 30 minutes or less.
Nowhere is that cowardice more obvious than when you hit a return of serve and just stand there.

Staying back after your return is one of the most selfish, boneheaded, partner punishing mistakes you can make.

The game is won at the kitchen line.
Every pro, every coach, every competitive player worth their paddle knows this.
You can d**k, lob, drive, and pray to the pickleball gods all you want, but if you’re camping out in “baseline Disneyland,” you’re basically mailing your partner a letter that says:

“Hey buddy, I don’t feel like giving us a chance to win. Good luck covering half the court while I sip Gatorade back here.”

The Net Is Power.
The closer you are to the kitchen, the less time your opponents have to react.

Your Partner Pays the Price.

When you hang back, your poor teammate has to defend the transition zone alone. They’re in no man’s land, eating drives at their shoelaces, while you’re basically watching Netflix at the baseline.
Congratulations, you just created a 2 on 1, and your partner is the “1.”

Laziness Is Not Strategy.

I know some of you will argue, “But I like to stay back and rip groundstrokes.”
That’s not a strategy, that’s a cover-up for insecurity or bad habits.
You’re not Novak Djokovic, and this isn’t tennis. Get your butt to the line.

The Partner’s Perspective

Imagine this: you’re paired up in rec play. You hit a perfect return, you sprint forward like a warrior, and then you glance sideways only to see your partner still glued to the baseline like they’re waiting for the Uber Eats delivery.

That’s not just bad play, that’s selfish. You’re forcing your partner to either:

Over commit and cover extra ground (hello, free winners for your opponents), or

Stay back with you (hello, guaranteed loss of the rally).

How to Fix This So You’re Not “That Guy”

Return Deep and Fast Forward.

The return doesn’t have to be sexy.
It just has to be deep enough to buy you time to run up.
Forget the highlight reel, play the percentages.

Split Step in Transition.

Don’t sprint like a lunatic and overshoot.
Move up quickly, then split step so you’re ready to react to the ball.
Controlled aggression beats panic every time.

Communicate.

If you’re working on this, tell your partner.
“Hey, I’m focusing on getting up fast after my return.
Cover me if I get jammed in transition.”
That’s called accountability and it beats silently dragging them into pickleball hell.

If you’re not running up after your return, you’re not just hurting yourself, you’re screwing your partner.
That’s unforgivable.
Pickleball is a team game.
Act like it.

Nobody respects the guy who makes his partner do all the work.

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08/02/2025

You may not know it, but pickleball is NOT the only thing I teach...

What if I told you that there is a fun accessible drawing technique that can empower you to overcome fears, blocks, & anxiety? What if drawing lines, circles, and other basic shapes could unlock the ability to manifest your goals?

On Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at the Alchemists (3080 Stony Point Rd.) I will be teaching a 2-hr. class designed to connect you with your inner child, to discover a new level of playfulness and joy, and to learn more about who you are. Not only will you leave with your own original piece of art and a renewed understanding of yourself, you will gain the skills to use this powerful drawing method on your own.

All supplies will be provided. No artistic talent required. Number of participants is limited.

Visit https://www.alchemistsrva.com/classes for more details and to register.

06/10/2025

Great tips!

05/11/2025

I do my best to teach this truth: Winners don’t win matches, errors lose them.

The Art of Never Missing: How to Become the Most Annoyingly Consistent Player on the Court

Let’s get one thing straight—consistency wins matches.

It’s not flashy. It’s not sexy. But while your opponents are out there trying to hit ESPN highlight winners, you’re doing something far more dangerous:

You don’t miss.

And nothing frustrates a power player more than someone who just… won’t go away.

Here’s how to become that player—the one everyone hates playing but secretly wants to be.

1. Ditch the Hero Shots
It’s tempting. That juicy high ball floats in and your brain screams, “Crush it!”

But here’s the deal: the players who win the most aren’t the ones who hit the hardest. They’re the ones who miss the least.

Play high-percentage shots. Aim for big targets. Let your opponent take the risky stuff. Then watch the scoreboard tilt your way.

2. Master the Boring Stuff
Yep—boring is beautiful.

The deep return. The soft third shot drop. The clean, simple d**k crosscourt.

These shots don’t win applause, but they win games. And they build the kind of rally that forces the other team to make a move—usually the wrong one.

Unforced errors come from impatience. Feed it.

3. Stop Trying to Win Every Point
Here’s a secret: you don’t need to win the point—you just need to not lose it.

Let the ball come to you. Reset. D**k. Wait. Let the aggressive player implode trying to make something happen.

The longer the rally, the more likely it ends in their mistake—not yours.

4. Build the “No-Miss” Mindset
Consistency isn’t just skill—it’s a mentality.

You’re not trying to be impressive.

You’re trying to be relentless.

You’re not afraid of long rallies—you welcome them.

Every shot has a purpose. Every point is a brick in the wall you’re building. And eventually, your opponent runs out of answers.

5. Make Your Opponents Work for Everything
The goal? Make them hit one more ball. Then one more. Then one more after that.

You don't have to hit winners—you just have to never give them anything easy.

That’s how you slowly grind down faster, stronger players who rely on quick kills. They’ll get tired, frustrated, and reckless. You’ll still be standing.

Final Word: Consistency Is a Superpower
Being consistent doesn’t mean being passive. It means being intentional. Disciplined. Focused.

You’ll hit fewer errors. You’ll force longer rallies. And you’ll flip the pressure onto your opponents, every single time.

So if you want to level up your game, don’t train to hit harder.
Train to never miss.

Because the most dangerous player on the court?
It’s not the flashiest one.
It’s the one you can’t shake. The one who’s still there at 10–10, staring you down, paddle steady.

Be that player.

12/30/2024

Why Backwards Walking makes a great addition to your routine in 2025.

Old Joke: Why was Ginger Rogers more talented than Fred Estaire? Because Ginger had to do everything Fred did, only backwards and in heels. As a resident of New York City for over 30 years, I walked a lot of miles as a commuter. Over uneven sidewalks and landscaped paths through central park, up and...

12/20/2024

Friday Feature
Great article on how to practice anything in a way that is designed to optimize improvement!

Making one small change to the way you practice can make a huge difference in how quickly you gain new skills.