Pickleball Therapy Tony Roig

I was reminded of an important concept speaking to one of our team members who is a volleyball player converted to pickleball.
 
The conversation went something like this (group setting):
 
Me:      “Hard to lob Emily as she can get up in the air.”
Emily:  “Yeah and I even like to jump when I do not have to.”
Me:      “I’ve seen it. Ball can be at Emily’s head height and she is full in the air smashing that ball.”
Emily:  “It makes me happy to jump like that.”
Me:      “Good point. Happiness is paramount (or words to this effect).”
 
As coaches, CJ and I are spend a lot of time devising and sharing actionable guidance about the framework, objectives, strategies, and shots that a player can use to play a really good pickleball game.
 
BUT …
 
At the end of the day, we are playing a game. Or at least that is what it is supposed to be.
 
As you go through your growth process, it is important not to lose sight of this. A few examples:
 
1.     You want to learn that “killer” serve because every time you serve like that it puts a big smile on your face. Awesome. Then you should pursue that shot. Not because it is strategically significant, but because it makes you happy.
2.     You like hitting the ball hard. That is what makes you happiest in the world. Then, by all means, keep doing it. You may not be able to advance as far as a player as you would if you added a soft game component. But as long as you understand that and are still happier hitting hard, then continue doing what makes you happy. That is paramount.
3.     If you like jumping to hit the shots (it makes you smile), then continue doing it.
 
There is nothing wrong with playing pickleball in a way that makes you happy. And there is nothing inconsistent with understanding that X is better for you but choosing to do Y because you want to. It is no different than enjoying a doughnut or other sweet treat even though we know that is not what a dietitian would probably advise.
 
If you like this sort of conversation, join me inside Pickleball Therapy. It is a podcast. And it is available everywhere, even on YouTube.
 
I’ll see you there.
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Your Relationship with Pickleball
 
Much of the information available about pickleball has to do with the details: How do I hit a certain shot? What is the latest paddle thing going on? What is the rule about [__________]?
 
There are many fewer resources that tackle our relationship with pickleball. The term “relationship” is one we use very intentionally. If you are reading these words, then you are more than just a once in a while player of the sport called pickleball. Rather, you are someone who enjoys a multi-faceted relationship with pickleball.
 
Social, exercise, personal growth, fun, challenge, activity, grounding, addiction – all words used by pickleball players to describe why they play pickleball. Our relationship usually encompasses a combination of several of these terms. Thinking of it as a “relationship” more accurately captures the importance and extent of our interaction with pickleball.
 
Why is this important? Because it signals to us that there is more to it than just finding the key to that perfect third shot drop. There is a bigger picture to our interaction with pickleball. Understanding this will allow us to enjoy the fullest experience and get the most out of our sport.
 
This is the sort of thing we dive into each week on Pickleball Therapy. We aim to be an oasis in an otherwise sparse landscape where you can come in and get some shade and a sip of water. You can find the podcast on all podcast platforms (Apple, Spotify, etc.) and also on YouTube. Just type in Pickleball Therapy and see what it is all about.
 
Come in out of the sun and take a respite. We’ll be there.
Send us an email: therapy@betterpickleball.com
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Is losing 3-11 not fun for you? It might be - depending on how you look at it PLUS Too old or unskilled to play pickleball?
 
You just got done playing 6 games, never scoring more than 3 points in a game.
 
I try to share come encouragement by saying to you “It’s not the end of the world.” You agree but then add “But it’s less fun.”
 
Is it less fun? Let’s talk about it.
 
Oftentimes when we are thinking through arguably negative situations, like not scoring more than 3 points in a game for 6 games in a row, the negativity stems not from the situation itself. Rather, the negativity stems from our framing of the situation. The situation itself is neutral. It is we who imbue it with the negative.
 
Generally speaking, losing 3-11 is not as much fun as losing 5-11, is not as much fun as losing 9-11, is not as much fun as losing 13-15. And we haven’t yet even gotten to the winning side.
 
If we stopped here, then perhaps “But it’s less fun” would be correct.
 
There is, however, more road to explore. What about losing 1-11? Or the pickle 0-11?
 
Even worse, what about comparing 3-11 to not playing at all? Or being injured? Or [fill in the countless things that are nowhere near as fun as playing a pickleball game]?
 
With this framing, then the correct statement after a day of 3-11 games is “It was certainly more fun than the alternatives.”
 
This is the power of framing. You get to decide the relevant context that you place your day’s events in. Use your framing power to maintain a better perspective and enjoy a stronger relationship with pickleball (and everything else too).
 
If you enjoy this approach to the mental game, check out the Pickleball Therapy Podcast on all platforms (YouTube too).
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Stay well
 
Tony

In this triple episode we address three different areas; things in the PPA that merits some conversation, hardwiring concept and, in the RIFF, we talk about putting your finger on the paddle.
1. On the PPA experience, I was watching two matches and I observed how flaws in the mental game spill over into your physical performance, shot making, execution, your thinking and ultimately decision making. There are good examples from those matches that I share with you in this episode. 
It's very important not to lose sight of the mental side of the game to feel better and play better.
2. The second area we discuss is that we're subject to an exchange of inputs and outputs through our processing systems; our minds and our bodies. That's hardwiring and we can't change that, but there are few steps I'll share with you that you can take to help your conscious mind overcome subconscious feeling while you're playing, especially when it comes to survival circuit. 
3. In the RIFF, I'm going to talk about putting your finger on the paddle, this is in response to a question that was asked recently by one of our system members.  Special episode reviewing Dayne Gingrich and Jill Martin's book, The Pickleball Mindset: https://betterpickleball.com/1516-the-pickleball-mindset-our-review/
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And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do.

I had a chance to read this new book on the market, The Pickleball Mindset, that's written by my fellow senior professional, pickleball player, Dayne Gingrich, and his co-author, Jill Martin.
One really powerful concept that Dayne and Jill address is to stop "chasing the win" and find your purpose.
If you listen to this podcast you know we are big fans of defining our relationship with this sport and why we play pickleball. Thus my biggest takeaway was the idea of pre-accepting that anything can happen in a pickleball game, just like in life.
The book has some nice nuggets that I'm going to share with you and also give you my thoughts about the book. At the end of the podcast I give you my verdict on whether I think it's worthwhile to dive into, if you haven't done so already.
And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do.
Pickleball Mindset: The Blueprint for Peak Performance by Dayne Gingrich and Jill Martin: https://betterpickleball.com/resources/
Join us at our Pickleball Camps here: https://betterpickleball.com/pickleball-camps/
The Pickleball System: https://betterpickleball.com/system/ 
Pickable Summit: https://www.pickleballsummit.com/

The journey to be a more well-rounded player can be filled with distractions that pull you in different directions, that are not as productive as others, the Erne being a good example.
When you watch the Erne in action in pro matches, you'll find that it's of very limited strategic value. What's an Erne? In this episode I explain to you what that is, why it's not an effective shot, and unless you're super excited about it, I would suggest putting it on pause and really think about it, again.
Because winning in pickleball comes from the basic, non-sexy stuff, as well as doing it better and better than you have before.
In the RIFF, we thank you, as a listener to the podcast, for trusting us with your pickleball journey and your relationship with the sport.
The Soft Game is DEAD ... or is it? - Let's stop guessing and find out on the In2Pickle Channel: https://betterpickleball.com/the-soft-game-is-dead-or-is-it/
Check out our courses: https://betterpickleball.com/academy/
Join our Live Game Studies: https://betterpickleball.com/live-game-study/
And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do.