Are you still struggling to approach the intermediate level profoundly? It’s quite easy if you want to progress ahead in your pickleball play. Take some professional tips and improve yourself by learning and setting new targets to achieve. It’s not a bad position where you stand; you must give yourself regard, you improved from beginner to intermediate level.
At this stage, you already know the basics of the game, its rules, and other essentials. You just have to put effort into maintaining consistency in the game.
To progress at this level, I am here to tell you some tips and strategies to ameliorate/make yourself better. Yes, I know the game is somehow tricky, but don’t get exhausted; you will achieve the advanced level one day. Dream big and struggle with patience.
In this article, I will guide you about common missteps the players make at an intermediate level, and thoroughly guide you about pickleball tips for intermediate player.
Pickleball Tips and Strategies for Intermediate Players
Pickleball requires quick and deliberate actions as it’s a high-brow game. The player should notice each act of the opponent and make the decision accordingly.
Quick decision-making power, strong observation, ready position, exercise before game and teamwork are the basic inklings to boost your play.
Follow these tips to upgrade your skills at an intermediate level.
1. Warm-up Yourself
Warming up yourself before entering any game, is a valuable step you take. I have seen improvement in the play by investing just 10 to 15 minutes in exercising. It makes your nervous system as well as muscles get ready for play.
There are many tips and strategies given on sites to Warm-up before stepping forward in the pickleball play. As it’s a mind game, with exercise and warm-up you will feel fresh and mentally prepared for the play.
2. Be Dynamic, Active, and Retain Ready Position
When you are an intermediate player, you must know that pickleball players should be active, in the ready position, and remain changing their slots.
By retaining the ready position, I mean keep your paddle up and you should be capable to move in any direction quickly when required.
For this purpose, bend your knees and keep your body weight on the balls of your feet.
As I said, it’s a tricky and mind game, so active participation in the game will help you to improve the game. If you will stand like statue, you cannot achieve the target at all.
3. Focus on the Shots Before Hitting Them
Be attentive and actively observe what shot you should hit and how it will be worth it. Noticing your opponent’s weak points and taking your decision accordingly will help you to drive the best shots indeed.
For instance, if your opponent’s weak point is feeble forehand shots, and he is standing in the middle of the court or nearest to it, you should drive a shot to exploit his wrong positioning.
4. Try to Master and Force Backhand Shots
The backhand shot is a little bit hard than the forehand shot. Most of the players at this level are not experts in the backhand shot and when they are forced to hit it, they get confused.
Try to master it for yourself too, no matter what sort of shot is hit at you, you should hit it back accurately.
These shots are hard to make and learn but help you to gain more points.
5. Make Deep and Consistent Serves and Returns
Hitting or driving deep and consistent serves will keep your competitors away from the net.
If you are a returning team and you are a master in hitting deep returns of serve, it will be troublesome for the serving team to approach the non-volley zone.
As long as the serving team don’t approach the net, you will get the benefit. As a serving team, it’s very crucial to push the return team/group back.
6. Improve the Dink Shots
Improvement in dinking can upgrade your level. As an intermediate player, you should be unpredictable while hitting the dink shots, and you should know how to mix up speeds, depths, angles, and spins to make your opponent confuse.
Crosscourt dinks: Crosscourt dink is purposeful as it gives you margin for any misstep or error, and you probably have more space to dink.
Hitting the Dinks down the lines: It’s also easy to hit the dinks down the line especially when your opponent is making aggressive and strong Crosscourt dinks.
Pickleball Mistakes Made by Intermediate Players
Analyzing the mistakes is the best way to improve your play. When you get to know that why are you losing the game you will learn things more easily and quickly.
1. Hitting the Drop Shot Very Low
The drop shot should not be very much high or low, it should be in between. For improving the shots, try to use backspins and try to maintain balance by slicing the ball.
2. Hitting the Dinks too High
Hitting high dinks doesn’t mean taking the ball too high, it means that when the ball gets to bounce it bounces too high.
You should flick or drive the ball to do not get it to bounce too high. It will be known as dead dinking if it gets high.
Perfection in dinks and making it unpredictable will help you to improve pickleball as an intermediate player.
3. Lack of Spins in the Play
The beginners do not focus on spin, they are just intended to get the ball back over the net. The intermediate players do, and it’s necessary to administer spins, both topspin and backspins.
The backspin is natural and easier to comprehend, try to learn the backspin it will help you to make your ball bounce lower. Topspin or forehand spins are difficult to achieve, practice it more to grasp them.
Final Thoughts on Pickleball Tips for Intermediate Players
Learning the tips and strategies to improve is mandatory at all levels from beginners to pro players. Furthermore, sometimes we are just a few steps away from winning the game, a slight mistake or ignoring a simple step will let you out of the play.
As an intermediate player, improving the dink shots, retaining a ready position and hitting the opponent’s feet are valuable techniques to follow. To avoid common mistakes in the game, dynamic position and active participation will be the best steps to take.
I am Michael Wanner, an experienced and educated expert in the field of pickleball. I hold a degree in Sports Science from Cleveland State University, Ohio, USA. My expertise lies in the technical aspects of pickleball and how to play it effectively. I have spent many years playing and coaching pickleball and have a wealth of knowledge to share with my readers. I am a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their pickleball skills and strategies.
