Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and players of all levels are constantly looking for ways to improve. Whether you’re a beginner learning the basics or an experienced player trying to sharpen your skills, getting better at pickleball requires a combination of practice, learning, and competition. Improvement doesn’t happen overnight, but by focusing on the right habits and tools, you can see steady progress in your game. Here are the most important things you need to do to get better at pickleball and how Main Court helps support that journey.

1. Watch and Learn from Others

One of the easiest ways to improve is by watching instructional videos and high-level matches. Learning proper technique, strategy, and positioning can help you avoid developing bad habits. Watching how advanced players handle dinks, resets, serves, and court movement gives you a better understanding of what you should be working toward. Studying the game off the court makes your on-court practice more effective and intentional.

2. Drill More Often

Drilling is one of the most important steps to improving at pickleball. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, drilling is when you practice people. Oftentimes, you’re drilling, or hitting 1 shot over and over again, like a drill! Focused repetition helps build muscle memory and consistency. Practicing dinks, drops, volleys, and serves in controlled drills allows you to work on specific weaknesses without the pressure of a match. While playing games is fun, drills are where real improvement happens. The more purposeful your practice sessions are, the faster you will see results.

3. Play More Matches

Match play is essential for applying what you learn in drills and videos. Playing more matches exposes you to different play styles, strategies, and skill levels. It also helps you develop court awareness, decision-making, becoming a better partner and mental toughness. The more matches you play, the more comfortable you become in competitive situations, which directly translates to better performance.

4. Compete in Tournaments

Tournaments take your improvement to the next level. They challenge you to perform under pressure and highlight areas of your game that need work. Competing in tournaments also helps you understand pacing, endurance, and strategy over multiple matches in a day. Even if you don’t win, tournament experience is invaluable for long-term improvement.

5. Get Consistent Court Time

Consistency matters. Playing once every few weeks makes it hard to improve, while regular court time helps reinforce skills and confidence. Finding open plays, setting up matches, and staying active in the pickleball community makes it easier to maintain momentum and continue progressing. It’s like the rule of 10,000 hours. Simply put, the more court time you have, the more impact you can potentially receive. Why potentially? Well it still comes down to execution. Just because you’re on the court, doesn’t mean you will get better, but adding intentionality behind everything you do, will certainly put the odds in your favor. 

How Main Court Helps You Improve Faster

Main Court supports many of the key steps needed to get better at pickleball. With a growing community of players, matches and events, Main Court makes it easier to find drilling partners, drilling sessions, matches and tournaments. The social aspect of Main Court allows players to connect, learn from others, and stay engaged in the game.

By making it simple to find matches, events, and tournaments, Main Court removes many of the barriers that slow down improvement. Instead of spending time searching for where to play or who to play with, players can focus on getting on the court and improving their game.

In addition, Main Court Social is great for watching videos! You’ll see there are a few creators on the platform that post tip videos, while other creators focus on actual gameplay and showing you specific examples of what to do and not to do on court by analyzing pro matches. 

Get Started on the Right Foot

Improving at pickleball takes dedication, repetition, and the right opportunities. Watching videos, drilling consistently, playing more matches, and competing in tournaments all play a role in long-term progress. Main Court helps bring these pieces together in one place, making it easier to stay active and engaged in the pickleball community.

If you’re serious about getting better at pickleball, download the Main Court app today and get off on the right foot.