If you’ve caught the pickleball bug, you are not alone. This game has gained steady momentum in the last ten years — and there is no sign that its popularity is diminishing. It has experienced a 223.5% growth in the previous three years alone!
The fastest-growing demographic of players is 18-34 year olds. Their youth, in combination with more experienced players, means the sport is seeing more high-level and competitive players. Now everyone feels the heat and wants to focus on strengthening their skills to grow with the game.
The Paseo Club is a social club in the Santa Clarita Valley that provides fitness, swimming, tennis, and pickleball facilities. We have a comprehensive pickleball department and a great starter program for new players.
In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of pickleball drills versus playing on the courts with friends and peers. Learn the details of each option, its advantages, and how best to improve your game.
Drills vs Play
Participating in pickleball drills and playing matches with friends both are beneficial to your game. But they serve different purposes and have distinct advantages. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide which is best for your game.
Pickleball drills
Pickleball drills are usually one-hour classes designed for your level of play. It helps you to develop muscle memory and allows you to get feedback from a knowledgeable instructor.
What does a typical drill look like?
Pickleball drill classes help players improve their skills through focused practice. A typical drill starts with a warm-up and then moves on to specific exercises like practicing dinks, volleys, and serves. Players work on hitting forehands and backhands, improving footwork, and playing out game situations. Coaches guide the players and give tips to help them get better. The session usually ends with a quick game and a recap of what skills were learned.
What are the advantages of attending pickleball drills?
Drills are designed to focus on specific aspects of the game, such as dinking, volleys, serves, and footwork.
- Build your skills through repetition of drills to help ingrain techniques and improve muscle memory.
- A structured practice ensures that all aspects of your game are covered.
- Build a solid foundation for various shots and strategies.
- A controlled environment allows for a controlled environment where you can focus solely on improving particular skills without the unpredictability of a match.
- Any mistakes can be corrected immediately, and you can receive focused feedback.
Game play with friends
Pickleball is famous for its social culture. Whether it is playing with others or the hangouts after the games, the pickleball community is always welcoming. It is easy to meet players and make friends for your next game.
What does playing pickleball with friends look like?
The most common way to play pickleball with friends is to either reserve a court or show up at drop-in times. A pickleball match is the best of two out of three games.
What are the advantages of playing pickleball with friends?
- Get real game experience by playing matches. It helps you apply skills learned during drills in a competitive environment.
- Enhances your decision-making, adaptability, and strategic thinking under pressure.
- Experience the motivation and thrill that comes from playing with a challenging opponent.
- Break up the monotony of a drill with game play with others.
- Enjoy the social aspect and friendly competition that keeps you engaged in the sport and part of a community.
- Learn to manage the unpredictability of match play. Playing pickleball with friends forces you to react to different playing styles, speeds, and strategies. This helps improve your ability to read the game and anticipate your opponent’s moves.
What is the best approach to improve your game?
There is no tried and true formula for improving your skills, technique, and strategy in pickleball. There are many factors to consider, such as your experience, goals, and overall fitness level.
The best approach is to have balanced training, combining multiple resources. Here is a three-step assessment you can refer to custom-build your plan.
1. Assess your experience
Beginners may benefit more from drills to build a strong foundation. Intermediate and advanced players can balance both methods, using drills to fine-tune their skills and matches to improve game strategy and adaptability.
2. Assess your goals
If your goal is to improve a particular aspect of your game, prioritize drills. But if you want to enjoy the game more and enhance your overall playing experience, prioritize playing with friends.
3. Assess your fitness level
Drills can help you burn more calories and develop endurance through live ball play, sprints, and fast-paced skills practice. If you want to focus on becoming more fit and improving your heart health, then add drills to your weekly routine.
Both drills and playing with friends have their unique benefits. A combination of the two, tailored to your personal goals and skill level, will likely yield the best results for your pickleball game.
Joining the pickleball community at the Paseo Club
Your Paseo Club membership gives you access to the entire club — fitness classes, the private gym, Pilates and yoga classes, the junior Olympic pool, tennis, and pickleball.
Pickleball Director Tyler Shaffer has everything you need to grow your pickleball game. There is reserved and drop-in games, drills for all levels, including starters, private lessons, leagues, and tournaments.
After a rigorous game or a demanding drill, you can relax and recharge at the club in a number of ways. Recover in the sauna and steam room, dip in the pool, or simply kick up your feet and grab a meal or drink at the cafe.
If you really need to go all out, see what the spa at the Paseo Club has in store. Massages, facials, and other treatments await you to help you melt your stress away.
You can become a member of the Paseo Club any day of the week by simply signing up online. The process takes minutes and instantly opens the doors to your new Paseo lifestyle. Join us today and enjoy all the fitness, social, and lifestyle options of the Paseo Club.
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