As many of you know, I am re-writing my first book, Pickleball for Beginners, and I came across an interesting article about the pickleball serve. The serve is a very important shot in pickleball. It’s crucial that you learn good form and good technique right from the start. You have to have an effective serve in order to get a good start in any rally. A strong serve will put you on the offensive, whereas a weak serve will put you on the defensive. I don’t have to tell you which side you want to be on. Here are some pointers to keep in mind when serving:
- You do not want to rush your serving motion. You want to be steady and have a fluid, easy motion. The serve is the only shot in pickleball that you have complete control over because no one is hitting to you. With the serve, you are initiating the rally.
- Before you serve, you should look up and pick a spot on the far side of the court where you want your serve to land. Mentally hold onto that spot. Just before you serve, lower your head so you can focus on the impact spot where the paddle will meet the ball, the same as in golf, tennis, or any other racquet sport. You may have heard it a thousand times (especially if you’re a golfer), but it bears repeating: keep your head down. Try to see the paddle actually hit the ball before you raise your head.
- Another tip is to keep your front shoulder (left shoulder if you’re right-handed, right shoulder if you’re left-handed) pointed to where you want the ball to go. In other words, your lead shoulder should be aiming toward your target spot on the court.
- Similar to a golf swing or baseball swing, your weight should shift from back to front naturally. This is how you’ll get power into your serve.
- Your swing doesn’t stop when the paddle meets the ball; rather, it ends after you’ve hit through the ball. There has to be what’s known as a “follow-through”, which is near shoulder-high.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
All the posts in this blog are meant to add meaning and value to my books, which include dozens of videos with extensive commentary and explanations. But, as you can imagine, pickleball play is changing on a daily basis.: new doubles strategy, new ways to teach the many strokes, new equipment including paddles and shoes, new third shot options, and so much more.
This blog post about serving comes straight out of my first book and will help you with your serves. You will find multiple videos in my two books, Pickleball for Beginners Parts I and II, about how to perfect your serves. My books are packed with valuable YouTube video links that will help you improve your game.