- Pickleball Daily
- Posts
- 5 beginner mistakes to avoid
5 beginner mistakes to avoid
Paul from Pickleball Daily
February 02, 2026
In partnership with
Can this idea actually make money?
The fastest way to find out is simple — launch a newsletter and website in minutes, then turn what you know into something people can buy.
With beehiiv’s Digital Product Suite, your expertise becomes real products: a short guide, a playbook, a set of templates, or limited access to your time. No friction, and no code required. Just create, price it, and share it with your audience.
And unlike other platforms that quietly take 5–10% of every sale, beehiiv takes 0%. What you earn is yours to keep.
For a limited time, get 30% off your first 3 months on beehiiv with code PRODUCT30.
Tip of the day
The Pickleball Clinic breaks down five common errors that hold beginners back, offering simple adjustments to help you improve your consistency, power, and court positioning.
Weight balance is the first priority; you should always lean forward on the balls of your feet to prevent popping the ball up when facing hard shots.
Sitting back on your heels naturally opens your paddle face, making it nearly impossible to handle "bangers" or keep your returns low.
After serving, beginners often get stuck inside the court, which leaves them vulnerable to deep returns that bounce uncomfortably at their feet.
Stepping back behind the baseline immediately after a serve creates the extra space and time needed to hit a balanced and controlled third shot.
Using excessive wrist movement is a major cause of unforced errors; instead, focus on keeping your wrist stable and swinging from your shoulder.
A stable wrist ensures that your paddle face remains consistent throughout the contact zone, which is crucial for accurate drops and dinks.
Many beginners struggle in the "transition zone"—the middle of the court—often getting caught in no-man's-land within seven feet of the baseline.
To avoid difficult shots at your feet, aim to move quickly through the transition zone to reach the kitchen or stay further back behind the baseline.
A high-quality ready position involves keeping your paddle up and your elbow tucked in toward your center rather than flared out.
Tucking your elbow allows you to defend your body more effectively and react with a compact punch to both forehand and backhand attacks.
Key Points:
Keep your weight on the balls of your feet to ensure you can angle your paddle face down on aggressive shots.
Push back behind the baseline after serving to give yourself the best possible angle for a low third shot.
Maintain a set wrist through your entire swing on dinks and drops to maximize your control and touch.
Move with intention through the transition zone to avoid getting jammed by deep balls at your feet.
Center your elbow in front of your body in your ready position to eliminate the "chicken wing" and stay balanced at the net.
Deal of the day
Meme of the day
Trying his best 🤣
That’s it for today! As always, thank you for reading. 🙏
If you’d like to support Pickleball Daily and want to read ad-free, please consider a premium membership.
Happy pickling,
Paul