If you’re like most pickleball players, you have spent time watching pickleball videos, looking for that one magic tip to change your game. And if you’re like most pickleball players, you usually end up disappointed. We’re here to offer three questions to ask before you watch the next pickleball video.
#1: Can the pickleball video deliver what it promises?
Most pickleball video creators try to put out good content – See below for more information about who is giving you the information. That said, they all operate within a YouTube algorithm that favors pickleball videos players will click on. YouTube has nothing to do with figuring out if a pickleball video is good content – just “people seem to like this.”
What that means is that creators are naturally pulled towards making videos that feed the algorithm – not necessarily that make sense from a pickleball coaching standpoint. No criticism of the creators – that is the world in which they operate.
When you see a video that says “5.0 in 60 days” or “This 1 TIP will fix your game,” ask yourself “will this video really do that?” The answer is likely no.
It is also helpful to ask yourself, “can I learn the big picture of pickleball from YouTube videos?” The answer, again, is no (or at least not without hours and hours of videos and then assembling the puzzle pieces together yourself).
It’s like watching a YouTube video to figure out how to change a burnt-out light bulb in a refrigerator. That video will help you change the bulb but will not teach you the inner workings of that refrigerator.
A YouTube video about the third shot drop may provide a tip about a specific aspect of the shot but it will not give you the whole story of the third shot drop. It won’t explain why we hit the third shot drop, where to hit the third shot drop, when not to hit a third shot drop, how to move once you have hit the third shot drop, etc. To get that level of detail, you would need a course dedicated to the shot and, even then, there are other pieces of the puzzle that you would need to put it all together.
We call this the “framework” of pickleball. If you want to learn more about what framework means, this video will explain it to you.
How to Get the Complete Pickleball Picture so You can Play Your Best Pickleball
Pro Tip: Spend more time with videos that take bite size chunks of the game. These videos are generally going to be able to deliver what they promise. And it is through these little “nuggets” that you will gain more traction.
#2: Is the pickleball video right for you – right now?
Next, you want to ask yourself “is what this video offers right for me … where I am right now in my pickleball journey?”
Not every piece of pickleball advice is right for every player at all times.
You are a unique person – and a unique pickleball player. Maybe you came to pickleball from tennis. Maybe not. Perhaps you have been playing pickleball for 5+ years, spending lots of time learning the game. Perhaps you are newer to the game.
Whatever your circumstances, personal characteristics, and skills, you are you.
The information that will most help you – right now – take the next step along your journey is likewise unique.
A specific example: a 3.0 player who has difficulties with bangers would benefit most from: (a) learning a reliable block volley AND (b) learning how to let out balls go (do not want to the banger’s “huckleberry” when you are playing).
If this sounds like you, click here to learn more about how you can “tame” the bangers you face when you play.
https://betterpickleball.com/beat-the-banger/
But YouTube does not know this about you. Nor does the content creator who randomly appeared in your feed. So when the video says “You Need This to Win” it has no idea that a more powerful serve has nothing to do with what will actually help you get better as a player.
It is up to you to gatekeep the information that you allow into your world. As you do, ask yourself “is this pickleball video what I need right now?”
Pro Tip: Staying on track is one of the most powerful tools you can use to play better pickleball. Every time you get sidetracked, you lose forward momentum and can potentially end up going backward. Not a great feeling.
#3: Who is the pickleball video’s instructor?
Tip No. 3 used to be less of a concern. There were only a few persons creating pickleball videos on YouTube. Now it seems like each week there is a new face on the screen offering you just the thing you need for your game.
Not casting aspersions on any video creator. They may be great. Or they may just be trying to make videos. It is up to you to determine whether the face you are seeing is someone who is knowledgeable and worthy of trusting your pickleball with.
Pro Tip: Can you find any other information about your instructor’s credentials or background that will allow you to determine their ability to correctly teach you pickleball? As an example, if you are watching a video on the Better Pickleball YouTube channel, you can visit the BetterPickleball.com site and see what else the instructors do and read about them. You can then decide if you want to follow the channel and learn from those instructors.
Bonus Tip – avoiding overload
Even if you answer all of the above in the affirmative you will still want to manage your journey to avoid overload. And I have to tell you, overload is a real problem that holds many players back.
There is a quote that we really like and that applies to all our learning journeys, from Bruce Lee, that says “I fear not the fighter who has practiced 10,000 kicks 1 time. I fear the fighter who has practiced 1 kick 10,000 times.”
The idea is that you will accomplish more by focusing on one thing at a time than by trying a shotgun approach. Another way of saying it is that if you are working on too many things at one time you are actually working on nothing.
If you want to read more about how to find the information that is right for you, we wrote this article just for you.
https://betterpickleball.com/the-best-ways-to-learn-how-to-play-better-pickleball-updated/
CJ Johnson
Hey there — I’m a professional three-sport athlete and coach who has spent my entire adult life earning a living from playing and coaching sports. Since I started coaching more than three decades ago, one thing has remained the same: My commitment to see students not as they are but as what they can become and to move heaven and earth to help them realize their untapped potential. You should know that when it comes to helping pickleball players over 50 live their best lives on and off the courts, I'm an expert. Good pickleball is not just technique; it's the mind and body working holistically. That's why I'm also a personal trainer and weight management specialist. When I’m chillin', you'll find me watching Star Trek with my husband John and our two fur babies, Shirley and Ralph. (Yes, Happy Days)