Beginner training plan
Your first lessonWe'll start out slow and practice hitting the ball. We'll go over the different grips - Continental, Eastern, and Semi-western. You'll start at the kitchen line learning to hit soft, controlled dinks. Next, you'll move to the baseline to practice consistent serves and deep returns. We wrap up with a fun, low-stakes game so you can get used to court boundaries.
Lesson 2-3We'll go over the basic rules, groundstrokes, and how to keep score. We will tackle the double-bounce rule through easy rally drills so you don't volley too early. You'll work on smoothing out your forehand and backhand groundstrokes while learning how pickleball's unique three-number scoring works. Then, we’ll play a full game to 11 points where I can coach your positioning in real-time.
Lesson 4-10We'll move smoothly from the baseline to the kitchen and control the rally. You'll learn the "split-step" footwork so you can stop on a dime and react quickly to any shot. We will spend a lot of time mastering the critical third-shot drop, which will help you get to the kitchen. By lesson 10, you'll know exactly when to blast a hard drive and when to hit a soft, tactical reset.
Lesson 11+We'll go over smart placement, handle spin, and play competitive matches. Now we switch from basic mechanics to targeting your opponent’s weaknesses, like aiming right at their hip. You'll learn how to read paddle angles so you can easily return tricky topspin and heavy slices. We will also work on aggressive dink battles to force your opponents out of position and win more points.
