Have you ever struggled with your pickleball serve? I know I have and I think
most players have so today we're gonna get into the four basics to a good
pickleball serve. Stay tuned.
Hey everybody its CJ Johnson
Today we're going to talk about serves which can be the easiest shot in the
game and sometimes the most maddening shot in the game! Last week we did a
video on what makes the serve legal as well as what makes it effective. If you
haven't had a chance to take a look at that make sure you click on the link
that's coming up on the top of the screen. That'll take you over to that
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I think at point in time every pickleball player has probably struggled with their serve.
In fact that's what makes a few players go to the backhand serve. I struggled
with my serve a couple of years ago. It was maddening because I felt like I
couldn't put the ball on the court. Oh my gosh it was just absolutely awful! Now
eventually I got my way out of it and that came through looking at what people
who are good servers do. Good serving in pickleball is actually a lot like my
previous sport, putting in golf. Good putters look very different Michelle Wie
she stood in the tabletop stance and she's six feet tall. Jack Nicklaus he
stood very hunched. Tiger Woods he stood real tall but they all had some things
in common to make a good putting stroke. I found the same thing to be true in
pickleball. You see a lot of good pickleball players serve differently
including some backhand serves but there are some things that they have in common.
Number one they make contact with the ball and paddle
in front of their bodies. It doesn't matter if it's a backhand serve or a
forehand serve the contact is made in front.
Number two there's not a big dropping motion of the ball onto the paddle. It's
not anything that's funny or funky it's just a simple drop from the ball to the paddle.
Number three they follow through in the direction of their target with their
paddle and their arm. That's what makes the ball go where they want it to go.
Number four is your pre-shot routine. Not unlike other sports golf, tennis, a
free-throw in basketball if you have a routine before you make that shot you
increase your chances of consistency. And here's a couple things that should be
included inside of that routine. Number one you want to make sure that you pick
a target. You should be aiming for your opponent's weaknesses but if you're not
sure what it is start with the backhand because that's
usually the weaker shot for most people.
Once you've got your target if you're playing outside make a special notation
of what the elements are doing.
Is the Sun or the wind going to affect your shot and require you to change your
target. If so make the change. The next thing is decide are you going to bounce
the ball once or twice or not at all. It doesn't matter what you, do that's
actually the start of the relaxation process for most people. What does matter
is that you're consistent. If you bounce it once bounce it once all the time. If
you bounce it twice, twice all the time. The third thing take a breath,
breathe. When I breathe in and I breathe out I am at my most relaxed and now I'm
able to make a nice fluid service motion. What are some of the things you like to
do inside of your pre-shot routine? Make sure you leave a comment below. If you
got value from this video give it a like or share it with your pickleball playing
friends because together we can
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