The Keys to Going From a 3.5 to 4.0 Pickleball Player

Here Matt goes over the important things anyone needs to know, practice, and master to go from a 3.5 player to a 4.0 player.
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[@MrConte29]

Each .5 up is a lot harder than the previous. I been stuck at 4.0-4.5 for about 3 years now.

[@peterc.jordan2420]

Please also mention to take a lob in the air rather than letting it bounce and having to back up which gives your opponents time to get ready as well as putting you in a defensive position.

[@zachdugan7320]

Ita good advice but kinda seems a bit remedial for 3.5's no?

[@EdNichols-qj4xk]

I like the idea of high returns but you have to be careful. That high fast return example looks like it would have gone out if the opponent had let it.

[@Goofymonkey11]

The game has evolved to drives being used much more than third shot drops. Drive and then 5th drop. This is assuming you have a decent consistent drive of course.

[@DannyBPlays]

4.0 is way more than this. I'm not even a 4.0 and I know this. I do these fine but get beat a lot by 4.0s

[@user-rs4ci3fn2d]

Means you’re still lacking play time

[@m.k.6633]

I can dink and drop but my hard game sucks I need faster hands

[@jeremiahmiller4640]

Amazing video

[@picklepreneurs]

Super useful

[@AlphaTennisinPittsburgh]

Pickleball is America's fastest-growing sport and we like it #Pickleball

[@firstservetennis5536]

this is great

[@gerardschmenk6264]

The only problem I see that would keep anyone from being a 4.0+ player is their partner. You could start a dinking game knowing you are a 4.0+ player but if your partner is a 3.0-3.5 player at best it takes away from your 4.0 game. But that happens a lot more often when it’s open play.

[@lauriechaseunscripted]

I was wondering what grip you use when dinking. It does not appear to be the continental grip especially on forehand dinking. I like this video.

[@thepickleballclinic]

I hit my dinks in continental, including on my forehand. I sometimes bend my wrist a little which helps me to get under the ball and hit from behind my body if I have to, which may be why it doesn't look like continental. The same way JW Johnson hits his forehand dinks, for example.

[@MegaHowtoMan]

What about the lob? I pull it out at least 2x a game.

[@Vibraniumsaber]

Few things never really got y people play kitchen and dink the ball. Its boring and not that fun. Its more fun and safer to play back base line to smash the ball with whatever spin. You got so much more time to react to the ball and I have killed so many players playing kitchen to teach them not a good spot to be

[@CharlesBrodheadIII]

Advanced players can easily stop most drives. The further away the attacker is from the kitchen the more reaction time the defense has to take control of the ball.

[@spelunkerd]

Almost all good players loft their second shot so deep that they have time to set up a wall at the kitchen line, which means they have time and position to slam a third shot drive back at you. So the banger technique works against 3.5 and against the occasional shallow second shot, but often fails against better players. Better to practice that long drop so you can survive the transition to playing against better competition.

[@Goofymonkey11]

Hunter try playing skilled players. Then tell me you don’t need a soft dink game.

[@Vibraniumsaber]

@@Goofymonkey11 huh I have, playing back better in all ways, power shots better angles crazy spin shots more time to react to the ball they play up while I'm back I just lob over there heads then drop shot then lob over there heads then few powershots very spinny then left right left left left right. I teach everyone playing up not good it's just so random playing up based on luck to win if both sides r up.