Pickleball is a sport that was created in the 1960s and has since become a popular game with a combination of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. It is played as an indoor and outdoor sport by all ages and skill levels.
Most beginners often wonder how long to get good at pickleball, which is also the main idea of this article. Keep reading for the answer and how you become a professional player too!
How Long To Get Good At Pickleball
If you have experience at similar sports, you can learn pickleball faster
The time it takes to master pickleball can vary based on many factors, such as your experience, intensity of practice, and goals. Learning more about this sport is quite quick for those with experience playing similar sports, such as badminton, tennis, or table tennis.
Not only the law but also the techniques and reflexes that help them learn and master faster.
The intensity of practice is also a determining factor because it helps players take up a habit. Regular exercise will create a memory for your muscles, forming an unconditioned reflex and increasing the ability to react quickly in matches.
If you want to become a professional athlete, hiring a coach is essential. You will be given exercises to train your reflexes, physical strength, competition techniques, and a suitable diet. If it is your favorite sport, you can learn from previous players or with friends to have essential knowledge and develop it according to your style.
Usually, it can take you months or even years to become proficient and good enough for a sport. However, the choice of opponents also determines your ability to progress. The stronger the opponent, the easier it is to improve your skills.
What Factors Affect The Time To Get Better At Pickleball?
Several factors can influence the time you get good at pickleball. If you can not get the pointers, do not worry; your time, hard work, and perseverance are the key.
- Experience with racquet sports: make it easier for players to learn rules and essential skills, such as reflexes and hand-eye coordination.
- Physical level: to maintain agility and endurance during long matches. You can do cardiovascular exercises to improve your fitness.
- Practice frequency: how often you exercise is proportional to your muscle’s memory ability and helps improve your reflexes. Spending a few hours playing pickleball can help you become more proficient.
- Effective strategies: Intersperse practice of individual skills, like serves or drop shots, with matches that will enhance your abilities rather than focusing on just one. Watching games or competing with better players to learn their handling and upper skills would be best.
- Join training programs: such courses can help you improve and structure what you have learned and know about the sport. Simultaneously, it can allow you to meet many people who share the same passion and have friendly matches.
- Age: Young people have not only a physical advantage but also a good memory ability. But if you feel too old for a sport, remember that hard work and perseverance are worth more than anything.
Age can hinder your memory and fitness, but it can not stop your will and perseverance
How Often To Practice To Improve Your Pickleball Skills?
Experts recommend that athletes exercise at least twice or three times per week, for 1.5 to 2.5 hours each time. Consistent practice is the key to enhancing your pitching skills.
The training program should include alternating stroke drills, footwork exercises, serve practice, strength training, and real matches to improve overall performance. The more you play, the faster you will see your progress.
How To Become A Pro At Pickleball?
Step by step, from beginner to intermediate and advanced stages takes many hours of practice to develop physical skills and knowledge for this sport.
Learn The Basics
The first step to become a professional pickleball player is learning the basics. You need to master the basics first to avoid minor mistakes and unnecessary injuries. Next, you can learn from more experienced players and develop your skills and style.
At least, you must know the game ends when one of the two teams gets 11 points and is 2 points apart from the opponent. The player scores when the opponent fails to catch the ball or hits the ball out of bounds or into the net. You can watch instructional videos or go to the courts to learn the basics of the sport.
Practice Your Strokes And Footwork
Groundstroke is the shot after the ball hits the ground and bounces
To improve your skills, practicing your strokes and footwork is important. There are 3 main strokes that you need to master in this sport:
- Groundstroke: performed after the ball hits the ground and bounces
- Volley: before the ball hits the ground
- Dink: real near the net or in the Non-Volley Zone, often used to “save the ball.”
In addition, you need to know more than 13 basic shots and the right way to move your feet to create a strong, decisive force masterfully.
Learn How To Serve And Return Serves
Serving is the first step to starting the game, and many athletes use it to score the first point. Once you know how to serve, you can challenge yourself by adjusting the ball to the touchline.
The ball above the touchline does not count as out, and it is also very difficult for the opponent to block and easy for you to score.
Because of that, you also need to learn how to respond to the ball after serving your opponent because they have the ambition to gain points. It may take quite a while, but once you master it, your professional path will not be shortened.
Learn How To Play Strategically
Playing strategy is essential to becoming an expert handball player. Professional players can control the ball to their liking and predict how the opponent will respond and where it will fall.
If you are competing in a professional league, researching your opponents from previous records, videos, and matches is essential, which helps you get an overview to plan a smart strategy.
In addition, fitness also greatly affects the outcome of the match, which has a say in the time of the game. You need to keep concentration, stay alert to handle the ball neatly and accurately, avoid making mistakes, and overpower the opponent easily.
Regular and hard practice is the key to honing your skills quickly
FAQ?
Can I Learn To Play Pickleball With Prior Sports Experience?
Yes, anyone can learn to play pickleball regardless of their prior experience in sports. Learning the basics may take more time and effort, but anyone can become a skilled player with consistent practice and dedication. One of the great things about pickleball is that it is easy to learn and can be played at any skill level.
You can still play pickleball well if you have good reflexes and physical strength
Do I Have To Be In A Good Physical Shape To Start Playing Pickleball?
Fitness is necessary for this sport but not a must. Players of all fitness levels can enjoy the game and improve their skills.
Practicing skills in parallel with physical strength will help you improve endurance, quick reflexes, and agility in hand-to-hand coordination. Moreover, pickleball can be a great way to boost your fitness level and stay active.
What Are Tips To Improve My Pickleball Skills?
Practice is the key to transforming into a professional player rather than anything. If you’re starting, you should practice more often and then drop back to 2-3 days a week when you’ve played well. It helps the muscles remember the movement and gives them time to rest and recover.
It would be best to have a specific plan for each training session alternating between strengthening and improving skills. Competing and learning from those who are better is a way to upgrade yourself.
Watching professional matches and learning skills from athletes can enrich your improvisation
Also, after each game, you should ask your coach and friends and self-reflect on the reasons you lost points, as well as the awkward moves you only showed at that moment.
After that, you should improve them, which gradually becomes impeccable and better complement your strengths in the next matches.
Conclusion
How long to get good at pickleball depends on prior experience, physical fitness level, practice, strategies, and several factors. Nonetheless, the crucial thing is perseverance and consistency by beginning with the basics, practicing strokes, footwork, serving, and having a specific strategy.
Doing your best in every match, as well as learning from failures and better players are the tips you need to improve quickly!
>>See more: Can You Toss The Ball Up When Serving In Pickleball? How?