Pickleball > Crossfit

The finer points of a reset. Pickleball’s in theater again.

August 30, 2023

Good morning. Adam here. Don’t let anyone tell you that pickleball isn’t a good workout.

Below are screenshots of recent activity logs from my smartwatch. On the left, crossfit-style training circuits. On the right, pickleball:

…Ok, a little context to be fair:

Pickleball was played outside in hot temps, whereas the cross training was completed indoors with A/C
I don’t think the cross training report is as accurate as the pickleball one, because I definitely left those exercises properly tired and sweaty
Calories burned is not a the only way to measure a good workout
I played pickleball a bit longer than the cross training

Still, the results speak for themselves. I definitely achieved a sufficient workout playing pickleball. Maybe our sport has surpassed crossfit in terms of how many people brag about it.

Not much has changed in the Tour Wars since Monday, just a few more signings. But rumor has it the powers that be are meeting behind closed doors today.

The big question is which organization will land the remaining key holdouts: JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, Dylan Frazier, Jessie Irvine and Pat Smith. Stay up to date here.

In This Issue:

🧠 The finer points of a reset
🎭 Pickleball’s in theater again
💰 Play more for a cause

Let’s go.

Don’t Give Them Anything

In business, you’re either growing or you’re dying, according to Big Tom Callahan. In pickleball, you should either be on the attack, or hitting a ball that is unattackable.

An unattackable ball is one that bounces but stays below net height so it can’t be easily sped up. There are three shots you are hitting if you're looking to stay unattackable.

The Dink
Third Shot Drop
Reset

The finer points of each are explained in detail in this video.

We all know the dink should be unattackable. The third shot drop has a little wiggle room. If you can land it in the kitchen you're ahead of the game.

The reset is a little more difficult to master, but it's to best way to recover from a mistake and get back to neutral.

A reset recommendation from the video is to favor your backhand.

The backhand has a full range of motion. You can cover both sides of your body with the backhand.
And since you're not looking to attack, the lack of power is not a concern.

Either attack or keep the ball safe below the net line. There is no in-between.

It’s Like Airbnb…but for Pickleball Courts

As if you need another reason to add a homecourt to your backyard, now you can share your court with local players when you aren’t using it.

Swimply allows court owners the chance to rent out homecourts and players the opportunity to reserve a private court for their game.

Pickle Takes the Stage

Leave it to one of the foremost regions for theater in the USA to put pickle on stage.

The Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater on the outer edge of Cape Cod, Massachusetts is running The Pickleball Wars through September 9th.

The play, written by local Kevin Rice, satires both the pickleball noise issue AND the people who complain about it — a refreshingly balanced take.

It follows Fred and Sue, recent retirees, and their noisy pickleball-obsessed neighbors who will stop at nothing to annoy Fred and militarize local players.

According to the Provincetown Independent, it’s also a satire of espionage and Boomer lifestyles – written by a boomer, fittingly.

This is the second time pickleball has hit the theatre. Jeff Daniels’ play "Pickleball" took the stage last year (viewer discretion advised on the trailer for that one).

Windy City Preview

With the Tour Wars tension at an all-time high, the APP Tour will likely see an influx of seasoned pros invading the brackets.

At this rate, we are not far from seeing a world where Riley Newman, Tyson McGuffin, and Anna Bright take over the APP Tour.

As for this weekend, the incumbents feel like a safe pick. Look for Andrei Daescu and Yates Johnson to have another big weekend.

Singles standout Jaume Martinez Vich enters the APP field and is also a favorite to find the podium.

The Parris Todd / Simone Jardim connection has been lights out in 2023. They will look to make it nine titles on the year in Chicago.

The red carpet treatment for APP pros continued last night. This time it was Yates Johnson representing the tour on Wrigley Field before the Cubs game.

The stream for this event begins Saturday at 1 pm ET on ESPN+.

Performance Paddle 🤝 Practical Purchase

It's nice to have an extra paddle for friends, but does it always have to be pricey? NO!

That's why today we're highlighting the PCKL Launch Series, a durable paddle available in green or white with a lifetime warranty you can grab for under 60 bucks when you use code DINK15 at checkout.

And for those of you on Facebook, make sure to join the PCKL Pickleball Community, a group of 1,000+ players who receive exclusive giveaways, discounts and all the latest on upcoming products!

A Great Excuse for More Games

Can you play 100 games of pickleball in September? Sure you can. You probably play at least half that already in any given month…why not help raise money to fight cancer while you’re doing it?

That’s the pitch from CancerFree KIDS, an organization funding cancer treatments and research.

Their “100 Miles During September” campaign has challenged bicyclists, walkers, and runners for the last three years. Now, they’re getting picklers involved.

Registration is $25 and includes a t-shirt and all the tools you need to complete the Challenge. Then, all you need to do is play pickleball and spread the word to help raise money throughout Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Join the team or donate here.