Unlocking Pro-Level Pickleball Secrets 👀 | James Ignatowich Show

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of consistent practice in pickleball, especially for players ranked 5 and above. They highlight the need to practice taking dinks out of the air to shrink the kitchen line and gain an advantage over opponents. The speaker also discusses the mental aspect of the game, stressing the significance of staying focused and engaged during practice to improve match performance. Techniques and footwork are also touched upon, with a focus on the efficiency and intensity that top professionals bring to their training and gameplay.

Takeaways

• 🏓 Consistent practice is crucial for improving in pickleball, as it translates to consistency in matches.
• 🤸‍♂️ Top professionals treat every drill and practice session as if it were a match, maintaining high levels of focus and intensity.
• 🧠 The mental aspect of pickleball is more about being present and focused than about strategic complexity.
• 👟 Clean and simple techniques with intense footwork are hallmarks of top players.
• 🏐 The ability to take dinks out of the air and control the kitchen line is a valuable skill that can give an advantage in men's doubles.
• 🚀 Attacking out of the air is often more effective than attacking off the bounce, offering less time for the opponent to react.
• 📈 Practicing with a high level of engagement improves the likelihood of success in matches.
• 🌊 A smaller margin for error is achieved with smaller, more controlled swings and less wrist action.
• 📊 The transition game and dinking strategy change significantly when moving from a 5.0 level to playing as a professional.
• 🔄 Improving at taking dinks out of the air can help shrink the kitchen line and increase pressure on opponents.

Q & A

What is the main skill discussed in the transcript for improving in pickleball?

The main skill discussed is taking dinks out of the air, which helps in controlling the kitchen line and reducing the opponent's time.

Why is it important for players to practice with consistency?

Consistency in practice leads to consistency in matches, allowing players to perform better and maintain focus during gameplay.

How does the speaker suggest one should approach practice?

The speaker suggests approaching practice with the same intensity and focus as a match, treating every drill and play point with seriousness.

What is the significance of footwork for top pickleball pros?

Footwork is significant for top pros as it allows for cleaner strokes and better control over the game, contributing to their overall performance.

How does the speaker describe the mental aspect of pickleball?

The speaker describes the mental aspect as being about staying present and focused, rather than thinking deeply or strategizing like in a game of chess.

What is the speaker's opinion on the difference between top pros and lower-ranked players in terms of technique?

The speaker believes that top pros have cleaner and more efficient techniques, with smaller swings and more intensity in their footwork, leading to fewer errors.

What change does the speaker notice when transitioning from a 5.0 player to a pro?

The speaker notices a decrease in the space available for dinking and the need to adjust the technique to make dinks bounce closer to the kitchen line against pros.

Why is it advantageous to attack the ball out of the air in pickleball?

Attacking the ball out of the air is advantageous because it allows players to take more time away from their opponents and potentially set up a downward trajectory, increasing the chance of success.

What advice does the speaker have for 5.0 players struggling with taking dinks out of the air?

The speaker advises 5.0 players to practice taking dinks out of the air and shrinking the kitchen line to improve their game and make it harder for their opponents.

How does the speaker's approach to practice help in matches?

The speaker's approach to practice, which involves full engagement and treating drills like matches, helps condition the mind and body to perform consistently in actual gameplay.

What is the speaker's strategy for speeding up in pickleball?

The speaker prefers to speed up the ball out of the air, as it offers advantages such as being closer to the opponent and having a higher point of contact, increasing the likelihood of success.

Outlines

00:00

🏓 Improving Dink Skills and Court Presence

The speaker emphasizes the importance of improving one's dinking skills in pickleball, particularly taking dinks out of the air to control the game. They share personal experiences and strategies, highlighting the value of consistent practice that mirrors match intensity. The speaker also discusses the mental aspect of the game, suggesting that top pros maintain focus and engagement during practice, which translates to better performance in matches.

05:01

🧠 Mental Focus and the Art of Practicing

The speaker delves deeper into the mental side of pickleball, challenging the notion that top players are simply smarter. Instead, they argue that it's about being present and focused for extended periods. The speaker shares anecdotes about maintaining concentration during practice, even when it's not fun, and the importance of this discipline in translating to match performance. They also touch on the physical aspects of the game, such as footwork and stroke technique, and how these contribute to the pros' success.

10:01

🚀 The Evolution from 5.0 to Pro: Space and Technique

The speaker reflects on their journey from a 5.0 player to a professional, noting the changes in gameplay and strategy. They discuss the reduced space for dinking at the pro level and the need to adapt techniques accordingly. The speaker highlights the importance of controlling the kitchen line and the impact of pros' ability to take dinks out of the air. They also share personal insights on improving one's game, emphasizing the significance of practice and the transition from offense to defense.

15:01

🎾 Out of the Air vs. Off the Bounce: Attack Strategies

In the final paragraph, the speaker compares the effectiveness of out-of-the-air attacks versus off-the-bounce attacks. They share personal statistics and experiences, suggesting that out-of-the-air attacks are generally more successful. The speaker encourages players to focus on improving their ability to take dinks out of the air to shrink their opponent's reaction time and control the game. They conclude with a call to action for players to practice these skills and improve their overall pickleball performance.

Keywords

💡Dinking

Dinking refers to the soft, controlled shots played in pickleball, typically used to keep the ball in play and manage the court. In the context of the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of mastering dinking to control the kitchen line and take time away from opponents. The speaker also discusses the value of taking dinks out of the air as a strategic move to enhance gameplay.

💡Kitchen Line

The kitchen line in pickleball is an imaginary line that extends from the corners of the non-volley zone (the area within 7 feet from the net where volleys are not allowed) towards the back of the court. It serves as a strategic point where players aim to land their dinks to control the game. The speaker in the video talks about the importance of shrinking the kitchen line by taking dinks out of the air, which forces opponents to adjust their game plan.

💡Volley

A volley in pickleball is a shot that is returned before it bounces on the ground. It is a powerful offensive technique that can catch opponents off guard and limit their response time. The speaker discusses the concept of taking dinks out of the air as a form of volley, which is a skill that separates top professionals from lower-ranked players.

💡Footwork

Footwork in pickleball refers to the player's movement and positioning on the court, which is crucial for effective play. Good footwork allows players to reach the ball in optimal positions and maintain balance during shots. The speaker in the video notes that top professionals have cleaner and more intense footwork, which contributes to their superior game performance.

💡Consistency

Consistency in pickleball practice refers to the ability to maintain a steady level of performance, focusing and executing shots effectively during drills and matches. The speaker believes that consistent practice leads to consistent performance in matches, as players condition themselves to treat every play with seriousness and focus.

💡Mental Side

The mental side of pickleball encompasses the psychological aspects of the game, including focus, discipline, and the ability to stay present during play. The speaker argues that the top players are not necessarily smarter but are better at maintaining focus and engagement, which is crucial for competitive play.

💡Strokes

Strokes in pickleball are the specific movements used to hit the ball. Clean and simple strokes are those that are executed with precision and minimal unnecessary movement, which can reduce the chance of errors. The speaker notes that top professionals tend to have cleaner strokes, which contributes to their effectiveness and accuracy.

💡Intensity

Intensity in the context of pickleball refers to the level of effort and focus a player puts into their game. The speaker observes that top professionals exhibit more intensity, particularly in their footwork and the execution of their strokes, which allows them to maintain a high level of performance.

💡Training

Training in pickleball involves the practice and drills that players undertake to improve their skills and performance. The speaker emphasizes that how professionals train is markedly different from how less successful players practice, with a focus on treating every drill as if it were a match.

💡Engagement

Engagement in pickleball refers to a player's level of involvement and concentration during play or practice. The speaker stresses the importance of being fully engaged in every aspect of the game, as this directly translates to better performance in matches.

💡Strategy

Strategy in pickleball involves the thoughtful planning and execution of moves to outsmart and outplay opponents. While the speaker acknowledges that strategy is important, they emphasize that the mental aspect of the game is less about complex thinking and more about maintaining focus and discipline.

Highlights

The importance of practicing taking dinks out of the air to improve skills in controlling the kitchen line and reducing the opponent's time.

The value of consistent practice in developing a consistent performance in matches.

Professional players treat every drill and practice session as if it were a match, maintaining high levels of focus and intensity.

The mental aspect of pickleball is not about being a genius but about being present and focused during play.

The transition from a 5.0 player to a professional involves adapting to the reduced space for dinking and the increased ability to take dinks out of the air.

Top professionals have cleaner and more efficient footwork, leading to better stroke technique.

The difference in training intensity between top professionals and lower-ranked players is noticeable in the footwork and stroke technique.

The recommendation for 5.0 players struggling with taking dinks out of the air is to practice and drill this skill.

The advantage of attacking out of the air over attacking off the bounce, and the strategic importance of this in men's doubles.

The anecdotal evidence from the speaker's own experience transitioning from a 5.0 player to a professional.

The significance of being able to make dinks bounce consistently on the kitchen line against male teams.

The impact of professional players' ability to take dinks out of the air on controlling the kitchen line and the dynamics of the game.

The importance of discipline and staying engaged in practice to achieve consistency in matches.

The role of footwork intensity in the training of top professional players.

The simplicity of pickleball and the misconception about the mental aspect being akin to playing chess.

The speaker's personal strategy of focusing on out-of-the-air attacks as the first choice in gameplay.

Transcripts

if you're a 5 that this might pertain to

where you feel like you're having a

tough time taking dinks out of the air

get out there and drill it because

taking dinks out of the air and just

dinking them back I'm not saying that

you have to be taking dinks out of the

air and speeding up every single one of

them but taking dinks out of the air and

just shrinking the kitchen line taking

their time away making them do something

else is a hugely valuable skill so for

me I'm always leaning in I'm always

leaning in I'm always trying to take

dinks out of the air if I can because it

also makes it way easier for me to speed

up out of the air when I do see that

it's a little bit high

[Music]

so

okay so we are back with another episode

of the James Ignat podcast um and one of

the questions that I have been asked a

lot see we're just we're just diving

right into it these days we're not even

you know it's been probably six seconds

and my first statement is one of the

questions I've been asked there's no

more down well actually I guess now

there is downtime because of the last 20

seconds of me talking about how there's

no downtime so um yeah we're working on

it here guys we're trying to get uh get

professional here but um anyways one of

the questions that I've been asked more

often than anything at these clinics is

how do the top Pros train how do we

drill and this is specifically as it

relates to onc court practicing so not

the offc court stuff we're going to get

into that into the next podcast Probably

sounds like a pretty good idea right now

we're just going to talk about how the

pros train and ultimately what are they

doing differently from players who are

not doing as well maybe what separates

the top 10 players and how they practice

versus guys that are you know 30 40 and

just trying to figure it out and maybe

not having the same results and I've

been exposed to a wide array of

practicing I've had the opportunity to

see how pretty much everybody practices

I think that's one of the coolest things

for me just you know playing with all

these different players going to the

tournaments getting to play wreck with

people who are just you know whether

it's been John's or it's just been

awesome that's actually one of my

favorite things about playing

tournaments is the wreck play beforehand

I think actually at MLP it's the best

you know you've got these cool matchups

right like you've got you know Ben and

Eric and Riley and Christian and just

kind of different teams that you

wouldn't necessarily see and then you

play wreck against them and I've had a

ton of fun doing that so for me I think

one of the things I've noticed um when

it's just drilling or even if it's wreck

play the guys that are really really

really good it doesn't really seem like

they take any points off you know

they're not really taking rallies off or

point points off and and what I mean by

taking it off is not giving their best

effort in one point and then giving

Better Effort in another point or rally

and that's something that I've tried to

do my best to implement when I practice

because it's easy to kind of play four

or five good points and then take one or

two points off and then four or five

good ones and then start to think about

something else and I think it's pretty

natural for the human mind to want to

think about other things and and kind of

drift in and out of focus and I know

that I do that all the time and it's

it's funny because how you train and how

you practice is evidently going to be

how you play matches uh I would imagine

that it's almost impossible to practice

one way every single time and then go

out there and play a match and be

different and somehow play your best

it's not really how it works you know

really you have to practice the way that

you train or the way that you would then

play a match so for me I think what the

top Pros do and I would maybe hopefully

include myself in that category as a top

Pro is for me every time I drill I am

taking it very seriously and I'm

treating it like I would a match like

every single time I play points or even

if I'm just dinking back and forth

there's been other Pros who have been

practicing with me and whether it's at

the tournament or or even just at home

in bokeh and they're saying like dang

you put a lot of effort into dinking and

a lot of effort into just you know

casual cross cour dinking dropping

whatever it is I'm like well yeah I mean

it's kind of my job right it's it's the

the reason that you're watching me today

it's been a pretty big part of my life

so I do take it really seriously and I

think that that is something that

separates the best players from players

who are maybe still very talented but

not having the same type of results it's

that consistency in practice because

consistency in practice will lend itself

to consistency in matches you can't have

consistency in practice and or sorry

inconsistency in practice and then try

to play matches and just be some rock of

discipline and consistency um if you can

that's amazing but I I really haven't

seen that too much so for me when I

drill regardless of who it's with or

where I am I am always fully engaged so

I'm not really thinking much at all and

I think I'm lucky to be at the point

where I don't have to think much because

I've practiced so much and I already

know the right shots for me and I know

my game and I'm comfortable with it so I

am fully engaged whether it's you know

dropping or dinking and I think that's a

big part of it and and it's you know

it's not always going to be fun I think

one of the easiest ways to stay engaged

in something is if you are having a lot

of fun doing it and we all know that but

what's tricky is being engaged in

something that isn't necessarily fun

like you're dinking back and forth with

somebody for the sixth time this week

right six days in a row and there's

nothing new or necessarily exciting

about it but you have to be fully

engaged and it's it's tough and I think

that is one of the reason reasons why

there aren't too many top Pros like it's

it is a select few people that are able

to always be that focused and always

take it that seriously but the mental

side of it is often overlooked but very

important and when people think of the

mental side of pickle ball I actually

saw this on on a Facebook group like

this This Thread about the mental side

of pickleball and how the top players

are mentally better and they're smarter

players and and they're just you know

they're playing chess um maybe I I don't

really think that the mental side of

pickle ball is actually as much of a you

know those those top players are smarter

and able to think more deeply about

pickle ball I mean maybe a little but I

don't really think that's what it is I

think what's going on when people say

that the top players are sort of better

mentally is actually just they're able

to be more present for longer periods of

time so they're able to focus more

deeply and be more in engaged for more

long periods of time there's not an up

and down you know very focused sometimes

not focused other times I think that's

the mental side of pickle ball and it it

is extremely important but it's not it's

not some chess match I mean pickle ball

ultimately is a pretty simple game you

don't have to be a genius to be an

amazing pickle ball player it is a game

where it requires some strategy for sure

and there is some Nuance but it's not

rocket science and the mental side of

pickle ball which is very important I

think the importance there is the

discipline and the just staying engaged

staying in the moment and actually a lot

of it is the absence of thought the ABS

being able to not think about other

things or think too much or get you know

lulled into the trash talking and

thinking this and that really it's just

staying focused and if actually if the

trash talking helps you focus then it

helps you focus but what I'm saying here

is that it's just about staying engaged

and being in the present when you play

and that starts with drilling because if

you are Drilling and you're practicing

and training and you're thinking about

going to Starbucks which I was today a

little bit I was I missed a reset cuz I

was I was literally I was thinking about

what I wanted to get from Starbucks

later and it just that can't happen so I

I you know had to do a little mental

reset right away and this is actually a

true story it sounds like I'm trying to

be funny um I suppose it's kind of funny

but you that's the type of stuff if you

have to be focused in practice to then

be focused in matches because practice

and matches are the same in the sense

that it's pickle ball you're you're out

there on a pickle ball CT and you need

to be conditioning yourself to treat

pickle ball every time like it is a

engaged focused process and that's how

you get better you don't get better just

kind of messing around uh that doesn't

mean you can't have fun you can have fun

but you have to be engaged and that's

how you get better

so I would say that was one of the

things I noticed probably the biggest

difference in how the pros train and I

think U one thing that you'll notice

with the top players I think there is

more intensity uh with the feet and I

think there's actually cleaner Strokes

with the top players I think that the

top of the top are very clean and simple

with their technique and I do think

they're a little more intense with the

feet um obviously I'm going to be the

one that's saying that cuz I'm the most

intense guy with the feet and if you

look at a guy like Ben JN

he actually does have good footwork and

people say it doesn't really look like

he moves his feet well he's really

efficient with his footwork and I wish I

could be that efficient it just doesn't

really work for me but he is moving his

feet well and I think that if you look

at guys like Riley or Christian or Tyson

there's a lot of intensity in the feet

and one of the things you might notice

as you go down and level even to just

like a high 5 they have a little bit

more funk in the technique I think that

the top Pro are very clean with their

technique usually it's smaller swings so

very small swings there's not that much

that can go wrong I think that the more

Funk that there is the more wrist action

and and generally just the larger swing

that there is I think that that lends

itself to some errors I think that

there's just less margin for error if

there's more things that are going on

when you hit the shot so um that's

another thing that I think separates the

top Pro top pros from others and another

thing I mean I I this is just coming to

my mind here but people don't really

realize I'm pretty new to this Pro

pickle ball you know I've really only

been a high level Pro for about a year

and a half and I just had a notification

on my phone that two years ago today I

had just lost in the finals of my men's

4 five doubles uh which is pretty

interesting when I look back and it's

like actually yeah it wasn't too long

ago where I was still grinding the 45

and the 50 and and trying to figure out

how to get good not that 45s and 5os

aren't good but how to get really good I

suppose and I remember it very vividly

like one of the things that changes so

much when you go from 5 to Pro is how

much space you have to dink into and how

much space you have to make dinks bounce

because for me when I was playing 5 I've

always loved the two-handed crosscourt

aggressive Dink and I can do it with

Pros I mean you've seen me I'm hitting

my two-handed backhand roll but I've had

to shorten it up a lot in the court

making it bounce maybe 6 in before the

kitchen line now and when I was playing

5 O's I felt like I had just invented

this two-handed crosscourt backhand dink

that I could make bounce you know 6 in

past the kitchen and I could really just

control the kitchen line because guys at

the 50 level aren't taking as many dinks

out of the air they're not super

comfortable with leaning to one side

leaning to the other side and really

just shrinking that kitchen and taking a

ton of balls out of the air making it

really tough for other people to control

the kitchen line and the pros do that

really well I think that along with the

transition game is the thing that

changes the most between 5os and Pros

because when I you know sometimes I'll

play with 5os and we'll do clinics and

we'll kind of do fun little games and I

feel like I've got an ocean to dink into

and it's not cuz 5os are like shorter

and they have less of a wingspan I think

what it is is they're just less

comfortable taking out of the air and

with the pros especially the top ones I

feel like if I don't make that dink

bounce in men's doubles 6 in before the

kitchen line they're going to take it

out of the air and potentially attack it

or at the very least just dink it out of

the air and take my time away so

ultimately I feel like the 5 O's are

just not taking as many dinks out of the

air they're not shrinking the kitchen

like the pros are and that's something

that really matters because if you are

able to you know I would say this if I'm

able to make dinks bounce on the kitchen

line consisteny consistently against a

male you know a men's team that's

probably not good I really feel like I

can control the kitchen line a lot more

in those situations but if I can't and

I'm playing against a team like Dylan

and JW where anything that they can

remotely take out of the air and attack

they will that shrinks the kitchen it

makes it almost impossible for me to set

up a lot of the patterns that I like to

set up and it just changes the entire

game game so that would be one thing

that I would recommend right away that I

keep seeing over and over if you're a 5

get better or you know I mean not all

5os right but if if you're a 5 that this

might pertain to where you feel like

you're having a tough time taking dinks

out of the air get out there and drill

it because taking dinks out of the air

and just dinking them back I'm not

saying that you have to be taking dinks

out of the air and speeding up every

single one of them but taking dinks out

of the air and just shrinking the

kitchen line taking their time away

making them do something else is a

hugely valuable skill so for me I'm

always leaning in I'm always leaning in

I'm always trying to take dinks out of

the air if I can because it also makes

it way easier for me to speed up out of

the air when I do see that it's a little

bit high so high 5os lean in take dinks

out of the air shrink the kitchen line

because ultimately in men's doubles out

of theair attacks are better than off

the bounce attacks anyway I found at

least I've had a lot more success and I

love speeding up off the bounce but I

think statistically and I've gone back

and I've done some of the stats of my

matches the you know speed ups that are

from out of the air I'm pretty sure

there's a higher chance of those

succeeding than off the bounce attacks

that doesn't mean there's no place for

off the bounce attacks but speeding up

out of the air is always going to be my

first choice and I think it should be

most people's first choice I mean you're

closer to the other person so you can

take more of their time away might be

easier to get a downward trajectory on

the ball because you can make contact at

a higher point with one with a ball

that's out of the air than one that's

off the bounce there's a ton of reasons

for that we might have to get to that in

the next episode but we're just going to

leave it at this if you're looking to

get better and better and better

especially if you're already pretty good

at dinking get better at taking dinks

out of the air because you might not

notice it but you're taking your other

person's time away you're making it

harder for your other for your opponent

and

that's the main thing so we're just

going to leave it at that I'm going to

get some food thank you very

[Music]

[Applause]

much