Hey there, pickleball enthusiasts! I’m Alex aka Mrs Pickle. I am working mom. I recently pivoted from tennis and badminton to embrace the excitement of pickleball. I am no pro-level athlete by any stretch of the imagination. My experience in racket sports though has given me a solid foundation to build upon in this new game.
One aspect of pickleball that I’ve been particularly focused on mastering is the serve. I find as a beginner, it is important to learn how to hold the pickleball paddle when serving. Like tennis and badminton, it is all about the grip. It plays a crucial role in delivering effective serves. The continental grip is the most versatile needed for pickleball serving.
Let’s dive into pickleball serves and how you can leverage your racquet experience.
The Basics:
- Before delving into fancy techniques, it’s essential to get the fundamentals down pat. In pickleball you serve underarm. At the start, I found a bit odd considering tennis & badminton it is always an overarm serve.
- Focus on getting enough power and control into your underarm serve. Aim to keep your ball low and within bounds.
Grip and Stance:
- Hold your paddle in a continental grip position. When serving, keep your grip firm but relaxed. Continental grip allows for optimal control and maneuverability. This is akin to what you use in tennis.
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart with knees slightly bent. Make sure to have your body weight evenly distributed. This stance gives you stability and enough power for that quick burst movement. The knees slightly bent is to ensure you are not putting too much strain on your knees.
Embrace the Variations:
- Pickleball offers a range of serving techniques, each with its own advantages.
- I like to mix up my serves to keep my opponents guessing. Power serve and spin serve adds an element of unpredictability giving me an edge on the court.
Practice, Practice, Practice:
- Finding time to practice is a real struggle for me as a working mom. But I find it all adds up when I pencil in a few minutes into my calendar to practice serving drills. It is also serve as a circuit breaker and re-energies me for my other work.
Having fun along the way:
- At the end of the day, pickleball is all about having fun and enjoying the game. While it’s great to strive for improvement, don’t get too caught up in perfectionism. Enjoy the journey and celebrate the progress.
- Have fun out there on the court!
No matter if you are a fellow working parent or newbies I hope these tips help you improve your pickleball game.
With the right grip, technique, and mindset, you’ll be serving up aces in no time. See you on the court!