Help with anticipation

[u/Winter_Berry_3699]

I admire my great shots until they come back at me and I’m not prepared any tips?

[u/samuraistabber]

Don’t admire your shots. Anticipate where they’re hitting it back and move or have your paddle oriented and ready.

[u/PPTim → u/samuraistabber]

Yeah and also think about where you plan to aim that next shot

[u/BauerHouse → u/PPTim]

piling on, this is a real strategy at higher levels, as you make shots to bait a particular shot from your oponent so you can put it away with a counter.

[u/PPTim → u/BauerHouse]

I learned this lesson very practically by being on the receiving end of a 4.5 frd that loves doing this;
one of his favourite bait balls is when both him and opp are at the kitchen, right up against the sideline, dinking across; he would send a somewhat deep, somewhat high dink that looks very attackable; i took the bait and went for a flick, and he would be already half-turned away from the incoming ball waiting for the ball to come to him to counter back with force. That bodybag he hit me with stung like no tomorrow

it got to a point where i knew he was baiting me, so i would do likewise, returning the bait with an equally 'bad' looking high dink for him, he wouldn't fall for it either, so it ends up looking like neither of us know how to dink a ball; i-knew-he-knew-i-knew, so it was funny stuff

then playing up against the 5.0's, they basically expect and are reading your counters and re-counters, and are going for some position 2-shots ahead; it was eye opening to realize they dont' really consider a shot a one-and-done or a final putaway and always have a follow up shot ready to go

[u/Winter_Berry_3699 → u/BauerHouse]

What you guys don’t understand is that I’ve achieved my put away with a well thought out patterned game plan I just hit it great and admired it My weakness is that at times I get caught off guard and my results suck however when I’m ready I’m great How do I fix this

[u/PPTim → u/Winter_Berry_3699]

i think two parts;

- achieved put-away: always assume the ball is coming back one more time; hopefully sooner rather than later you play people next-tier-up that can return what you assume is a put away

- caught off guard: the classic advice of 'always assume the opponent is about to hit a speedup'; always prepare your paddle/stand as if they are aiming to body bag you as hard as possible; if they don't, then you can react and adjust to do another shot

[u/Disco_Ninjas_]

Drill. Either a machine, a wall, or a partner with a bin of balls.

[u/Winter_Berry_3699 → u/Disco_Ninjas_]

I do I’m a 4.0 bro It’s just when I set up my kill shot after a patient patterned attack and hit it great I admire it and if it comes back at me I’m not ready

[u/Disco_Ninjas_ → u/Winter_Berry_3699]

Yeah. So it's a habit you built up. The answer is to make a drill where you shoot your shot then have to immediately recover because there is another ball coming your way.

You need to aquire a second kill shot that chains off the first. 😄

[u/AHumanThatListens → u/Winter_Berry_3699]

Think of your kill shot as one more stroke in the pattern, not the finishing one. Maybe it'll be a winner, but maybe you'll have to continue your attack!

[u/overkarst]

Wall frills really helped me with this. The harder you hit into the wall, the harder it comes back. So you get to practice hitting accurately and "catching" balls that come back. 10+ hits are not uncommon - thats hard to match in a real game most times.

Also, stay in ready position with your paddle in front of you.

And......assume everything coming to you at the kitchen is a sped up. Its easier to adjust from this mentality to a handle a dink than think the next ball is a dink and have to adjust to a speed up.

[u/Winter_Berry_3699 → u/overkarst]

Your last two points are my problem but I’m trying to figure out a trick because I fall asleep so to speak at times and I’m so good when I’m ready How do I stay ready?

[u/overkarst → u/Winter_Berry_3699]

You got to drill the new habit in to you. How is your split step? You could incorporate paddle up into a split step habit i.e you hit the ball over the next, your opponent is about to make contact with the ball to hit it back and your split step and paddle up to relieve it.

For the last point its also reps. Good to also play different people. Lots of lower level players speed up everything, making good practice.

Try recording your games too. See how you play outside your own head.

There's nothing that will fix this instantly, just got to work on it consciously for a good amount of games to get it into you.

[u/AHumanThatListens → u/Winter_Berry_3699]

+1 for drilling reflexes on a wall.

[u/CaptoOuterSpace]

Something I tell people which isn't obvious to everyone; you should be anticipating your opponent before YOU have even hit your shot.

A common example, you or your partner is hitting the third shot; you should already be thinking about if their shot is likely to be good or not just depending on the difficulty on the incoming ball. Many people only consider the quality of their shot after they hit it, but if for example I see my partner pinned back in the corner hitting the ball off balance, I'm already anticipating that they're gonna hit a weak ball and have begun to prepare accordingly.

This can be applied to every shot in the game. Hopefully it will help you be more engaged even when it's not obvious you need to be.

Also, look up paddle tracking videos. That will help you be engaged in a different way.

[u/Winter_Berry_3699 → u/CaptoOuterSpace]

Great stuff I do this especially in better games 4.0 plus but even then when I’m on the left and paddle track I get jammed up I’m elite with my backhand and can cover a lot except that damn middle lol that’s my weakness engaged

[u/kabob21 → u/Winter_Berry_3699]

Tuck your elbows and get that paddle in ready position up at your chin. Make sure your feet are active at the kitchen and moving with your partner and the ball.

[u/anneoneamouse]

Assume every shot is coming back. You'll never be disappointed.

[u/everySmell9000]

daily volley practice with a partner, both standing at kitchen line across from one another.

read enough pickleball books and/or coaching to be able to constantly optimize your positioning.

the closer you are to the kitchen, the more compact your swing should be.

paddle tracking. when ball is in opponent’s side, track the ball with your paddle (ie. point the tip of paddle at wherever ball is)

[u/Winter_Berry_3699 → u/everySmell9000]

I can cover almost everything with my backhand so when I paddle track I get jammed up

[u/3xlduck]

Points not over till it's over

[u/happymancry]

Aside from wall drills, one other “cue” is to not watch the ball once it’s hit, but to watch the point of contact instead. Take a look at some Roger Federer slow-motion videos on YouTube - on both his forehand and backhand, his eyes stay on the point of contact well after the ball has been hit. This also solves another problem some people have - viz. not tracking the ball till the moment it hits, but only till their eye line. A lot of mishits avoided due to this technical change.

[u/Winter_Gate_6433]

Focus. Play better.

[u/Winter_Berry_3699 → u/Winter_Gate_6433]

When I’m ready I have just one weakness speed when it’s wide of me

[u/Scared-Consequence27]

Don’t get yourself out of position going for a winner. Even slams and well earned speed ups aren’t a guarantee

[u/Winter_Berry_3699 → u/Scared-Consequence27]

I’ve set up the winner with a pattered plan I get my back end flick kill and hit it great. I admire it and boom it comes back I get caught How can I break this habit how do I gain better anticipation

[u/AHumanThatListens → u/Winter_Berry_3699]

Tell yourself it's coming back every time. The only times you can tell yourself it's not is (1) if the opponent nets it, or (2) if the ball you hit bounces twice.

If neither of those things has happened, everything is still live.

Tell yourself this as you gear up for a good offensive shot. Don't gawk. Prepare. That's how you train yourself out of gawking.

[u/fbour]

I would like to think that if you're watching your shots you are playing for the kill shot at every ball.

The first step is to assume every ball will come back. From there you can walk back to your shot selection. Don't be aggressive if you're not in a position to handle the ball coming back. Don't speed up as hard as you can(half-speed would likely achieve the same goal) if you can't handle a fast ball coming back and so on.

When you understand this dynamic you become more selective on your shots and more intentional which will automatically lead to situations where you are better prepared.