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Pickleball Coach, Prem Carnot, The Pickleball Guru will teach you to play Smart Pickleball.

All Those Special Rules!

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So there you are having fun on the pickleball courts when something, we’ll say something odd, happens, and the point ends. AND play ended on one of those ‘special case’ rules.

And everyone looks to you for the ruling!

Ummmmmmm…

Most of you have reviewed my easy to follow Yes or No Ratings and Goals Guide. And many of you want to know exactly what are the ‘special case’ rules that you need to know to advance from the 3.0 Level to the 3.5 level.   

So from paddle hits to posts to strings to nets to Ernes, here are the explanations to those special cases for the sport that we love!

When Hitting the Line, It’s In; Or Is It?

When the ball bounces on the line, the baseline or the sideline, the ball is in. When serving, the ball is in if it bounces on the sideline, baseline, or centerline.

So you serve the ball short, and it bounces on the Non-Volley Zone Line. The receiver can’t get to it in time.

It seems like a great serve! But it’s actually a fault because the NVZ Line is part of the Kitchen.

I Have to Get Out of the Kitchen Immediately after I Make Contact with the Ball, Right?

Nope. This rule is often misunderstood by new players. In actuality, you can hang out in the Kitchen as much as you want (and maybe fold some laundry, check your emails, fix a sandwich).

You just can’t hit the ball in the air.

For example, you step into the Kitchen to take the ball on the bounce. You don’t leave the Kitchen, and take the ball again on the bounce. Perfectly legal.

But here’s where it gets a bit tricky (or in this case, special!). If you jump out of the Kitchen, take the ball in the air, and land outside of the Kitchen, that is a fault because you started your shot in the Kitchen.

Since We’re Talking about the Kitchen, When Does Momentum End?

You and your partner are racking up points. You’ve got momentum! You don’t want it to end!

Unless momentum carries you into the Kitchen on a volley!

But when exactly does this momentum end?

Let’s say you just hit the ball in the air, and you’re standing there, windmilling your arms, trying not to let yourself go into the Kitchen. Play continues for another five, six, seven shots (it doesn’t really matter how many!) before your partner puts it away for a winner. It’s now a dead ball.

And finally, you let your momentum carry yourself into the Kitchen.

Not good!

Momentum ends when you establish yourself outside the Kitchen. There is no magical time limit or bounce number, nor does it matter if the ball is dead. Momentum ends with you getting reset outside the Kitchen.

Double Taps, Carries, and Knuckles

You know how sometimes during your swing you feel the ball bounce twice on your paddle?

That’s perfectly fine! And you should continue playing the point!

Double taps (and even ‘carries’) are perfectly legal, as long as it happens ‘during a continuous, single direction stroke.’

Just make sure that you know that it’s a continuous stroke – you can’t make the ball pop up in the air and then crush the ball with an overhead smash!

Now that you know that double-taps are okay, you should also know that it’s okay if the ball bounces off your hand that’s holding the paddle – the back of your hand, the fingers or knuckles.

In other words, below the wrist – if the ball bounces off your arm (or any other body part besides your paddle hand!), that’s a fault.

There’s Even Special Rules Depending on the Net You Use!

Many portable net systems have a crossbar that runs along the bottom of the net. In the middle of the net, there is often a post with a foot for support.

If you hit the ball and it strikes the crossbar (or the foot) on your side of the net, and the ball bounces over the net into your opponent’s court, that would be a really cool shot!

But it would still be a fault!

Now, let’s say your shot clears the net, and then hits the crossbar or the center post foot. That would be a really cool shot, too! But in this case it’s a let, and you replay the point (at least it’s not a fault like that first example!).

More Rules about the Nets

Because the net and the wires (or strings) holding up the net are positioned mostly on the court, if the ball hits the top of the net or the top wire or string, and the ball lands inbounds, it’s still in play.

Yes, one of those awwwwwww, man! Shots! (If you are the one on the wrong side of the net!)

Now here’s where it get confusing. First, if the ball hits the post, it’s a fault (that’s because the post is always out of bounds). If the ball goes between the net and the post, it’s a fault.

BUT, and here’s where it quite frankly doesn’t make any sense, “A ball contacting the net, the net cable, or rope between the net posts remains in play.”

So here’s my interpretation: if the ball hits that cable or rope between the post and the net, goes over the net and falls inbounds, the ball is still in play. If the ball hits that cable or rope and proceeds in play through the opening between the post and the net (in other words, does not go over the net), it’s a fault.

But I’m sure that doesn’t happen often!

A Final Note about Nets (and Perhaps the Rarest of Shots)

You can’t touch the net. Period. It’s a fault.

But you can pass over the net.

Here’s an example to illustrate – your opponent hits it (really) high, and it drops a couple of inches on your side of the net. It’s a nice high bounce, so you crush it with your forehand, and the momentum of your swing carries your paddle over the net into the plane of your opponent’s court.

As long as you didn’t touch the net, GREAT SHOT!

Now, perhaps the rarest of all shots – the backspin that carries the ball back into the striker’s court.

There’s a lot that has to go on for this shot to happen, but it happens enough that there’s an actual rule for it!

Picture this: there’s a pretty good breeze coming towards you. You strike the ball; intentionally or not, you put a lot of backspin on the ball. It bounces in the Kitchen, and the combination of wind and backspin carries it back into your court and your opponent didn’t hit it.

And you want to know what’s really cool? IT’S YOUR POINT!

Now, your opponent may be grumbling about this, but there’s also a special rule that he could have used.

You are not allowed to strike the ball when it’s on your opponent’s side of the court EXCEPT when backspin carries the ball back over the net.

So what your opponent could have done was reach over the net to strike the ball so that it bounced into your court.

Provided he never touched the net when he did this! OR, because he’s sooooo close to the net, his foot (or feet!) doesn’t move under the net onto your side of the court – you guessed it – a fault!

Exploiting the Special Case Rules; Part I: Going Around the Post

I know you love making that around the post (affectionately known as the ATP)!

The conditions have to be just right – your opponent makes a crosscourt dink that’s so wide that it forces you well off the court. There’s almost no way that you’ll be able to get that back over the net.

But you don’t have to!

See, the rules don’t say you have to get the ball over the net, you just have to get the ball into your opponent’s court.

And that’s where the ATP comes into play.

While you’re pulled wide out of bounds, you strike the ball at an angle into your opponent’s court. It doesn’t come anywhere near going over the net.

And that’s what’s AWESOME because you went around the net, or more specifically, AROUND THE POST!

Exploiting the Special Case Rules; Part II: The Erne Shot

The Erne Shot is named after the player that invented it – Erne Perry.  You see a lot of the pros pull this one off.

I’m warning you now, it’s a difficult shot to pull off, plus it could easily result in a fault (that’s why I don’t recommend it!).

Now, you know that you can’t hit the ball in the air while in the Kitchen. That means you have to be behind the NVZ Line to volley the ball.

But the out of bounds area at the left and right of the court is also NOT in the Kitchen. So you can take the ball in the air there, too.

If you want to pull off an Erne, when dinking at the sideline, if you’re quick enough, if you can recognize it in time, rush out of bounds to the side, and as your opponent’s ball just clears the net, reach out and smash it.

Like I said, it’s a difficult shot to pull off, and you could easily lose the point if you don’t execute it perfectly.

First, you may not strike the ball correctly – you could put it into the net, or you could touch the net, both faults! And like all the other rules about the NVZ, both feet must be established outside the Kitchen when you make contact with the ball.

Or your opponent may recognize that you’re about to try an Erne. And your partner probably didn’t move over to cover for you now that you’re off the court, which gives your opponent LOTS OF REAL ESTATE for an easy winner.

Lastly, there’s a special case rule about crossing the plane of the net onto your opponent’s side of the court. If you successfully pull off the Erne and your momentum carries to the other side of the net (out of bounds, of course!), you successfully pulled off an Erne!

But if you miss the Erne, meaning you don’t hit the ball, and your momentum carries to the other side of the court, you just lost the point!

Anything Else?

Now you’re the authority when these special cases come up on the court!

If I missed anything, or you just need a bit more clarification, don’t hesitate to comment on this post!

Warmly,

Prem

Yikes! It’s the Yips!

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“Prem! I lost my serve! It just disappeared. I’m struggling to just get it in, let alone where I would I like to put the ball. Is it mental or physical?”

My answer to this question is, “Yes. It’s both!”

Losing your serve is awful. And yes, I’ve lost mine! Besides the fact you miss out on an unknown potential of points and advantages, it remains one of the top things that typically frustrates our partners the most. And, of course, the rest of your game suffers with the stress and worry of knowing it might happen again.

All you really have to do is get the pickleball ball in the serving area.  I mean you have 150 square feet and you’re sure you can get it in. You’ve done it plenty of times. When you just can’t get your serve in you’ve acquired a state called the yips. The yips affect your mechanics and motor skills, and slowly seep into your confidence, creating a great amount of stress.  Often with no apparent reason. The term originated in golf, but is now widespread by the sports media inclusive of any sport.

When it happens in pickleball, it’s twice as lethal, as we only get one serve.  So if you’ve got a case of the yips, here’s what I suggest.

Recently at the US Open, a top player approached me and asked me to help as she was suffering from the yips and could not get her serves in.

This seems to happen quite frequently in odd situations. Unfortunately, this often happens on the brink of tournament!

How to get rid of them?

One of my suggestions is to try and relax. Like I mentioned in my last newsletter, take as many deep breaths as you can before preparing to serve. The more relaxed you are the easier it is serve accurately.

Like telling you NOT to think about a purple polka-dotted elephant, this is easier said than done! Sometimes it’s just not that simple to find your ’happy place.’ Your mind is tense, which makes your body tense, which tightens our muscles, which then leads unforced errors.

So if the mental aspect of resolving the yips doesn’t work, here’s the physical solution. Put an extra finger behind your paddle.  “That sounds crazy.” But it works. And, it worked for her, even though she said, “This is soooo weird and awkward.”

I suggested she do it anyhow, as she could always revert back to her normal grip if it didn’t work.  Nothing to lose! Lo and behold it worked! Yes, sometimes I even surprise myself! She did it! I saw her paddle acting all wobbly due to her tense mood, so I called in the-old-finger-on-the-back-of-the-paddle trick. This limits the ability to wobble because it loosens the grip.  

Getting the serve in once again relaxed the tension and increased her confidence. It worked miracles on her serve and once she de-stressed, I suggested she go back to her normal serve…which started falling in place.  

Remember to try this as soon as you get frustrated – it also may be a good to idea to practice this serve just in case you come down with a case of the yips.  

Warmly,

Prem

 

Something Is Terribly Wrong!

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something is terribly wrong

Over the past few months I’ve been asked in person and via emails this question:

“My game goes off the rails one day and I can’t seem to get it back. What’s happening? Please advise.”

With the US Open coming up this month, it’s a perfect topic to discuss. Or did you think “those” players never have those days?

Pickleball Addiction?? Me?

If you’re reading this there’s a good chance you’re addicted to pickleball! Do you pack your paddle for every vacation? Doesn’t everyone?

At the beginning you focused on mastering the strokes. Over time you perfected your shots. And maybe you have one shot your partner can always count on.

Then that terrible day arrives – you know what I’m talking about. You hit that wonderful dropshot and it goes right into the net! Your first serve misses, and so does your second. Nothing works! The more you try the worse it gets!! When you leave the courts, you’re sure that it can’t possibly get any worse. Your plan is to come back tomorrow to battle for your game.

Tournament Jitters?

You prepared for the Grand Canyon State tournament. The first match goes as expected. Unfortunately, in the second match every ball you hit goes awry. The opponents see your shoulders hunched to your neck and your walk is now duck-like. Your body mechanics say, “STRESS!” Your partner clicks your paddle and says, “We’ve got it.” But you don’t. What can you do?

Has this happened to you? It certainly has to me and most of my pickleball friends. What can you do?

Inspired Answer is…

(Drum roll please!)

RELAX

I see you rolling your eyes at me. Okay, easier said than done, of course. But just how does one relax?

“It’s not a question of tennis…the question is being relaxed enough to play well…”
—Rafael Nadal, #1 tennis player in the world, SkySports.com

“But of course the instant I try to make myself relax, true relaxation vanishes, and in its place is a strange phenomenon called ‘trying to relax.’ Relaxation happens only when allowed, not as a result of ‘trying’ or ‘making.’”
–W. Timothy Gallwey, The Inner Game of Tennis 


Yes, we all know we want to relax. We often think it involves going to our ‘happy place’…it remains hard to find that place under pressure.

In the first situation, you’re trying to push through the problem . What I want you to do is…take time off from pickleball! There must be something else you love to do! Re-watch some favorite movies. Pick up a good book. Find something interesting to engage your mind. It might take a day, or two days, or a week.

“Focus is not achieved by staring hard at something. It is not trying to force focus, nor does it mean thinking hard about something. Natural focus occurs when the mind is interested. When this occurs, the mind is drawn irresistibly toward the object (or subject) of interest. It is effortless and relaxed, not tense and overly controlled.”
—W. Timothy Gallwey, The Inner Game of Tennis

In the second situation, tournament jitters, I want you to take the time you’re given:

  • 10 seconds between points
  • 2 minutes after every game
  • 2 one minute time-outs per match, per team

These are short but powerful breaks. Create a personal routine—a body mechanics pattern of relaxation. This routine creates consistent muscle memory, so you ‘look’ the same no matter how you ‘feel,’ which has the added advantage of ensuring that your opponents are unable to read your body language.  

My three-year-old son Sid, gets highly upset at times. I take him in my arms and ask him to breath three times. Then I ask him to express his needs, which he can then do easily. Don’t worry – I’m not going to ask you to express your needs!

Nasal Breathing = Relaxation

My personal practice consists of an hour of meditation, followed by an hour of yoga. I focus on breathing into and out through my nose, eradicating every thought that tries to invade. But what does nasal breathing do for you?

Exhaling through the nose allows you more time for the absorption of oxygen due to the nose being smaller than people’s mouths and it takes longer. Both of these factors help reduce stress and hypertension. What a design!

Breathing through the mouth is faster, but don’t forget that breathing through the nose also warms and filters the air.  Calming the mind tames your game and allows focus and relaxation.

I can see you are interested…but then you’d practically do anything to improve your game! So just do it!

“A very wise person once told me, ‘When it comes to overcoming obstacles, there are three kinds of people. The first kind sees most obstacles as insurmountable and walks away. The second kind see an obstacle and says, I can overcome it, and starts to dig under, climb over, or blast through it. The third type of person, before deciding to overcome the obstacle, tries to find a viewpoint where what is on the other side of the obstacle can be seen. Then, only if the reward is worth the effort, does he attempt to overcome the obstacle.’”
—W. Timothy Gallwey, The Inner Game of Tennis

Sometimes we (yes, me too) get so entrenched in what we do and how we want to do it, that we miss out on the fun of what we are doing. BREATHE AND RELAX. Enjoy all the wonderful NOW moments and have fun.

–Prem

Pickleball Spin: The Basics

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I pickleballed my way from Florida to California last month in “The Pickleball Guru Van” (as my daughter has called it since she was two).  Along the way there were several questions about how to deal with spin.  Since my dance moves are limited, I’ll stick with pickleball spin. 🙂

When someone is firing a spin, how do you know which one’s coming?
It’s actually surprisingly straightforward.  Your opponent’s paddle tells you what to expect.
If the paddle moves from up high down to the side, it’s a SIDE SPIN.  
If the paddle comes from under the ball and rolls up, it’s a TOP SPIN. 
The most commonly used spins in pickleball are the SIDE SPIN  and the TOP SPIN.

PICKLEBALL SPIN: SIDE SPIN

Your opponent hits a side spin on a serve or return of serve.  Which way will the ball go after the bounce?
It’s all about handedness.  A right handed player slices and the ball goes to your left after the bounce.  A left handed player slices and the ball goes to your right.  The side spin balls tend to skip when they bounce.  
The spin slice is mostly used from the back of the court rather than the NVZ.  Top level players use it in a cross court dink duel in hopes of forcing the opponent to strike the ball at a lower point.

PICKLEBALL SPIN: TOP SPIN

You see your opponent take the paddle from low to high. Get ready for the top spin.
This ball tends to pop up after the bounce.
The top spin is generally used between mid-court and NVZ, but is most effective only when or if the ball is within 4-8 inches from the top of the net.  Any higher and it gives the opponent a chance for a slam.

Don’t use a top spin in a serve because the point of impact of your serve needs to be lower than your navel, which is difficult to do hitting a top spin.

 SIDE SPIN  and TOP SPIN  So how do you hit these spin shots?   

Any spin shot that comes your way gets hit in the same manner.  Slow down. Bend your knees.  Watch the ball pop high or skip to a side.  After it reaches the peak and starts falling–that’s when you strike.  On the way down because the spin has spun itself out!

Once you’ve become comfortable with receiving and giving spins, move to the next level.  Strike the ball right after the bounce–on a half volley or short hop.  This early hit stops the spin action—something I learned from playing Cricket.

If you want to review this information and read more, check out my original post: How to Play Against Someone Who Spins the Ball

Then, go and try it out.  Let me know how you do.  And remember.  No matter what, life is short and it’s only pickleball, so have fun with it.

 

What it Means to Dance with Your Partner on the Pickleball Court

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When I ask participants about their favorite part of my 3-day Bootcamp Breakthrough Experience is, the answer is invariably: “Dancing with Your Partner!”

In this post, I wanted to explain what exactly I mean when I say “Dancing with Your Partner” (‘cuz I can promise you we are NOT doing the jitterbug and you it’s something you can do with or without music…)

Some of what I teach and coach players on in the Dance with Your Partner section of Bootcamp is included in my book and in past articles but I have not yet put it all together into one comprehensive list.

While we don’t exactly have music that we are dancing to on the court, we DO have something that we are moving in synch with, and that’s the rhythm of the ball being hit. Every time the the ball is hit, it’s like one beat of music, and you and your partner move accordingly.

1: Use the One-Third/Two-Thirds Approach to Covering the Court

Here’s an in-depth article on what the one-third/two-thirds approach is and why I do NOT recommend the “forehand takes the middle” policy to my students.

The short version is: Don’t try to cover 100% of the court 100% of the time.

It’s impossible.

Instead, focus on covering 67% of the court 100% of the time because that’s that’s totally doable.

2: Know When to Cover the Line or Cover the Middle

If you are only covering part of the court at any given time, the logical question is: which part of the court should you be covering when?

Click here to read the in-depth article on this, but the short version is:

When the person across from YOU is hitting the ball, you should cover your line.

When the person across from YOUR PARTNER is hitting the ball, you should cover the middle (while your partner covers the line).

3: Shadow Your Partner

In some cases, your partner may get pulled off the side of the court to go for a wide ball.  This is the time when you do your best to “shadow them” or slide over a little more than usual to cover the space that they would normally have been covering.

When they slide out of position to get the ball, the best thing for them to do is to hit it to the opponent in front of them, since you are both skewed to cover that side.

If  your partner can’t do anything but hit it to the opponent catty-corner to them, and you have time to recover your position, then you’ll be prepared to cover YOUR line again and have your partner cover the middle.

4: Use Your Happy Feet!

In order to STAY in position as the ball moves, you and your partner must be constantly re-adjusting your position EVERY time the ball is hit.

The best way to do this is not to take large steps, which are liable to leave you off balance…

Instead, use a quick, shuffling motion side to side (a.k.a. your happy feet) to constantly make micro-adjustments to your positioning based on where the ball is on the court.

The Difference Between Knowing and Consistently Executing

Now, let’s be honest: READING about these tactics is about the easiest thing to do.  IMPLEMENTING them once in a while in real play is a good start, but CONSISTENTLY EXECUTING them EVERY time you play makes the difference between a beginner/intermediate and an advanced player.

I’ve said it many times before, but I’ll say it again here:

You’ll learn a lot at bootcamp, but the real value isn’t just in the know-how.

The real value of attending one of my bootcamps is in getting specific, individualized feedback so that you consistently execute the tactics and strategies you may already know, but are NOT yet using effectively or consistently.

To register or find out more about upcoming bootcamps just click here or go to www.pballbootcamp.com.