The Kinetic Chain

A kinetic chain is the notion that these joints and segments have an effect on one another during movement. When one is in motion, it creates a chain of events that affects the movement of neighboring joints and segments. (Kinetic Chain Exercises: Open and Closed - Healthline)

The kinetic chain is a system of links from which energy is generated. Each link transfers power to the next from the ground up. It includes leg drive, trunk rotation, upper arm elevation, forearm extension and hand flexion. Without body rotation and range of motion, we don’t have the power and control needed to perform. (Sarah Ansboury: Pickleball's Evolution)

DJ Weekly Tip: Engage your core. (March 2018)

Many people equate quality pickleball play with good hands or possibly good hands in combination with quick feet.
However, while it is helpful to have good touch with your hands and quick feet, it is more important to have good core stability. (Read More)

It all starts from the legs! Bending the knees and the core/shoulder/upper body rotation gives the power in every shot. The torque from the unit turn adds all the power. - Damon Little, 3.5, Junior Sequim Picklers

• The Kinetic Chain YouTube Playlist
• Irena Tereschenko uses the kinetic chain to hit a winner from the baseline during the 2019 Hawaii Open Championships Women's Singles Open Match. Irena Tereschenko vs. Lindsey Newman. Watch The Point

A great visual example of using the kinetic chain in the forehand stroke. Notice how the feet and arms work together as the body weight is transfered from back to front foot. When the kinetic chain is engaged, the stroke is one fluid seamless motion.
Assignment: Make a video of yourself hitting forehand/backhand storkes and break down your use of the kinetic chain.

Doubles Pickleball Strategy 104: How to Achieve Pinpoint Placement Accuracy With Joe Baker

Folks this might be one of the most important lessons in pickleball you will ever receive.

In this video, I'm going to explain to you how to hit the ball so that it will go where you want it to go.


These techniques will help you keep the ball and play and place the ball where it causes your opponent's trouble.

What I have here is a paddle with a pointer that is perpendicular to the paddle face.

The pointer points to the approximate direction the ball will travel after making contact with a paddle.

Notice how even small movements and small paddle face angle changes create big changes in where the pointer is pointing.

Remember the pointer points to the direction the ball will travel after making contact with the paddle. (A ball at the end of a pointer: Article) (Quick Tips On Hitting The Ball To Far: Video)

01:24 So, these rather small changes in the paddle face angle can create huge changes in the direction that the ball will travel

Notice that if my swing path is rapidly curving to achieve a good shot I have to hit the ball at precisely at the exact moment that the pointer is pointing where I want the ball to go The combination of a moving ball and a rapidly curving swing creates a very difficult situation for achieving success.

Essentially for success, you must have perfect timing so that you hit the ball at the exact instant that the pointer is pointing where you want the ball to go.

With such a swing style getting success shot after shot is impossible.

A problem most poor players have is poor paddle face angle control caused by a rapidly curving swing path.

About the worst swing style is that of using a flyswatter.

Such wrist action in a pickleball swing ensures failure.

Game/Stroke Analysis - Mike Owens

Chris Edler's Analysis

   Mike Owens asked Jack Olmsted to look at the above video and comment on what Mike could do to improve his game.  Jack suggested that I take a look at it and make comments too.  What follows is a very detailed analysis that I did as I watched Mike in the above video, which I originally did as comments on the video's YouTube page, so my comments below are addressed to Mike.  Although my comments are specific to Mike's play in this game, I see all of the things I commented on below in the game play of pretty much everyone I watch play Pickleball...


   When you watch your video again, it's a big help to use some YouTube playback shortcuts:

1. The space bar toggles between play and pause.
2. The left arrow key jumps back 5 seconds in the video each time it's pressed (and the right arrow key jumps forward 5 seconds).
3. The period/right-angle-bracket key (./>) advances a paused video 1 frame each time it's pressed.
4. The comma/left-angle-bracket key (,/<) backs up a paused video 1 frame each time it's pressed.

   After watching the first point it's clear that you are very agile and are fast getting to the ball, so I watched the whole video to see if I could see something worth commenting on.

   What stands out is that your weight transfer during your forehands is inconsistent.  Although you transferred your weight from your back foot to your front foot (which is the best way to do it) on every one of your 16 serves (which are forehands), only about 50% of the rest of your forehands had that weight transfer (great examples of good weight transfer are at 0:27 and 0:46) and during about 50% of them you instead transferred your weight from your front foot to your back foot (at 1:02, 1:05, 1:20, 2:35, 3:08, 3:45, 3:56, 6:43, 7:44, 7:46, and 8:36).  This second best way is OK if it's the only way you can get the ball back, but it's a much weaker shot, so you should avoid it if you can.  It's a weaker shot because stepping from the front foot to the back foot means you are moving away from the net, and the speed with which you do so is subtracted from the speed you hit the ball, resulting in a slower ball, giving your opponent more time to get to the ball and hit it.  If your desire is to hit the ball slower, it's much better to just slow your swing down -- not back up while you're moving (it's easier to hit the ball while standing still rather than while you're moving).  In reviewing the video, it appears that you're having to back up because your opponent is hitting the ball deep to you and you're not standing far enough back (e.g., behind the baseline) to return his shot without backing up.  You're very fast on your feet, so I don't think you have to stand inside the baseline in order for you to run in if your opponent dinks the ball -- you should only stand inside the baseline if your particular opponent never hits the ball deep, or if it's a good gamble that a ball you hit to your opponent is likely to come back short.

Here's your proper weight transfer at 0:46, starting with a split-step:

Next, you started moving towards where the ball was going to be at ball contact:

Then, you set your back (away from the net) foot, which you'll step off of to hit the ball:

Next, you have stepped off your back foot, and just before ball contact you are about to land on your front foot, which is the foot you should balance on while making ball contact:

Finally, you can see that you're still balancing on your front as you follow-through:

This was a very-well-executed weight transfer (from your back foot to your front foot)...

Analyzing A Game Through Facebook Chat

TECH NOTE: Due to Facebook Messager formatting links do not work in this copied/pasted chat session. So, a link list has been created at the beginning of the session before the Facebook Messager formatting.

Chat Session Link List 

• Facebook Forum Thread - Michael/Jack became FB friends and began chatting
• 44 Analyzed Videos - YouTube Playlist
• GoPro4 Silver Edition
• Michael's Singles Game (see above video)
• YouTube Editing Keys List
• Example Of Time Code List - I analyzed a doubles game from yesterday
• Lightdow Action Camera
• Example of Lightdow recording game mounted at the top of fence
• Simone Jardim Playlist - Example: Move feet, get into position ASAP to hit ball
• Link List Of Top Pickleball Players Playlists
• Port Townsend Pickleball Rec Game - Analyzing game from yesterday

Hi Michael, Are you interested in Pickleball Video analysis?

Yes, I am curious to what you provide with the video analysis and pricing points, because I am assuming it isn't free.

Jack

At the moment, it is free to the first 20 players

Well, that is nice to know. What type of advise would one expect? To kind of shed some, I've been told I am around a 4.0, and I primarily play doubles, but I have started playing singles, but really lack players to play against for singles.

Jack

Here are 44 videos that I have analyzed: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOD89c4nt4hQIpOeUY0sjVCarZMFU3sCv

Upload a video of you playing a game on YouTube. If you would like to be involved in the live stream session, then we would set and time/day and go through they game. Depending on the game, it would take about 30-45 minutes.

Is there a preferred angle for the recorded video?

Jack

Camera Posistion: It depends on how wide the lens is on your camera or cell phone. If you don't have a wide angle lens, then probably off to one side and back for enough to get all four corners of the court.

We use a gopro4 silver edition at the moment.