The Pickleball Plateau: How TPS Students Break Through and Improve

NOTE: This article is designed specifically for TPS and Better Pickleball Camp students.
If you are not a TPS or Camp student, click here for an article written for the general pickleball community.

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We recently published an article about the Pickleball Plateau — what it is, why it happens, and how players can move beyond it. That article was written for all pickleball players, whether they are students of ours or not. That’s part of our mission at Better Pickleball: to strengthen the game for everyone.

While writing that general article, I ran into a natural roadblock for non-students:

What path should they follow to actually improve?

In other words, if someone doesn’t have access to The Pickleball System (TPS) or our camp training framework, how do they create a structured plan for growth?

The honest answer is this:
They would need to do what we did — study the game deeply, build a framework for improvement, and then design a progression path based on that understanding.

The good news for you is simple:

You already have that path.

This article is written specifically for TPS and Camp students and will walk you through how to break through the Pickleball Plateau using the TPS approach.

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What Is the Pickleball Plateau?

The Pickleball Plateau is a common stage in nearly every player’s development where improvement seems to slow down or stop altogether.

You’re playing regularly.
You’re putting in time.
But your level feels… stuck.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• Why plateauing happens

• How to tell if you’re actually on a plateau (or just feeling like you are)

• What you can do right now to start improving again

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Plateauing Is Normal (And Not a Problem)

Before we go any further, let’s clear up two important things:

1. Plateauing is completely normal

In every sport, skill, or activity, growth is not linear. You improve, then level off, then improve again. Plateaus are simply part of the learning process.

There’s nothing wrong with you.

2. Plateauing is NOT a “you” issue

Hitting a plateau does not mean you’ve reached your limit as a pickleball player. It doesn’t mean you lack talent or athletic ability.

It simply means your body and brain have adapted to your current level — and now need a new stimulus to keep growing.

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Are You Actually on a Pickleball Plateau?

There’s an important distinction here:

Feeling like you’re plateauing and actually plateauing are not always the same thing.

Sometimes your perception is off — and you’re improving more than you realize.

Here are a few ways to check.

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1. Compare Video Over Time

If you have video of yourself playing from different points in time, use it.

This can be incredibly eye-opening.

I had a student who felt frustrated and believed she wasn’t improving. Luckily, we had current video and video from about 90 days earlier. When we watched them side by side, it looked like two completely different players.

Her progress was obvious — she just hadn’t felt it.

If you can, record yourself periodically. It’s one of the best reality checks there is.

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2. Consider the Level of Competition You’re Playing

As you improve, you often start playing with better players.

When that happens, something interesting occurs:

Even though you’re playing better than before, your results may not look as good.

Why?

Because stronger opponents can exploit things that weaker opponents couldn’t.

My friend Scott is a perfect example.

Scott is a strong player and one of the best at his regular Open Play group. When he plays in our group, though, there are parts of his game we can attack that his usual group can’t.

That doesn’t mean Scott is getting worse.
It means he’s playing in a higher-level environment that’s pushing him to grow.

That’s actually a good thing.

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3. Are You Putting in Focused Work?

Improvement doesn’t just happen because you play games.

Growth requires intentional practice.

If you’re not drilling at all — using the techniques from camp or inside your TPS materials — then what you may be experiencing isn’t a plateau.

It may simply be unrealistic expectations.

You don’t improve by accident.
You improve by putting in the work.

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If after this self-check you still feel confident you’re on a true Pickleball Plateau, let’s talk about how to break through it.

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Get in the Reps (Focused Reps)

If you want to improve, your body and your mind need repetition.

Not random hitting.

Focused repetition.

Here’s how to do it the TPS way:

Pick ONE shot to lock in

Choose a single shot that makes the most sense for your current play environment.

Then work on that shot — over and over.

Not a few reps mixed with other shots.

Real reps.

This is how you groove a shot so it shows up naturally in games.

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Kobe Bryant — one of the greatest basketball players ever — continued practicing his mid-range jumper even after winning championships and MVP awards.

Could he already make the shot?

Of course.

But repetition kept it sharp and reliable.

If repetition mattered for Kobe, imagine how powerful it is for us.

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High-Impact Shots to Start With

For most TPS and Camp students, the biggest returns come from:

• Serve or Return of Serve
If you struggle here, stop everything else and fix it.
(Remember — this is a 2-for-1 shot in TPS.)

• Block Volley (especially if you play against bangers)

• 3rd Shot Dink or Punch Volley (for softer play environments)

Once one shot is solid, move to the next.

And remember:

The shots in TPS are all you need.
Everything else is usually just noise.

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The 90-Day Shot Lock

Try this:

• Pick one shot

• Spend about 80% of your practice and drilling time on it for 90 days

• Focus first on doing it correctly

• Then focus on repetition

I can almost guarantee that after 90 days, that shot will feel dramatically different in games.

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Practice Focused Play (Strategic Growth)

Improvement doesn’t just come from better mechanics.

It also comes from better strategy.

Strategic advancement happens in two steps:

1. Learn the strategy

2. Practice the strategy intentionally

Your TPS and Camp materials already give you a clear path.

And yes — you’ve heard me say it many times:

Start with the Return Side

Work through each step on the return side until you’re strong and consistent there.

That’s the foundation of high-level pickleball.

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Once you identify the step that needs the most work:

• Lock in on it during play

• Be intentional

• Notice when you do it wrong

• Correct it the next chance you get

Each step in the Strategic Pillar builds on the one before it.

And each one gives you the biggest improvement return at that moment.

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Passing the Pickleball Plateau

Plateauing is natural.
Every player goes through it.

The key is simple:

✔ Study the game (you already have the TPS framework)
✔ Put in focused work
✔ Give yourself time

Pickleball improvement never truly ends.

There will always be another level.
Another skill.
Another lesson.

And that’s part of what makes this game so great.

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It’s a pleasure being on this journey with you.

Tony