15 Quick Pickleball Tips to See Immediate Improvement: Expert Strategies for Every Skill Level

If you're looking to level up without completely overhauling your game, these tried-and-true tips are a solid starting point.

You know that feeling when you're stuck at the same skill level, hitting the same mistakes over and over?

APP pro Tanner Tomassi might have exactly what you need to break through that plateau.

In his latest YouTube video, Tanner distills years of trial and error into rapid-fire advice designed to help players at every level, whether you're a 3.0 grinding through rec play or a 4.5 looking to turn pro.

The Core Philosophy: Small Changes, Big Results

What makes Tanner's approach refreshing is that he's not asking you to overhaul your entire game.

Instead, he focuses on micro-adjustments that compound into noticeable improvements. The overarching theme here is simple:

It's a philosophy that separates recreational players from advanced ones, and honestly, it's something most players overlook when they're obsessing over their serve speed or baseline drive technique.

1. The See-Saw Effect: Your Ready Position Is Everything

Let's start with something fundamental that most players get wrong. When your opponent is attacking a ball, Tanner explains that the higher their paddle is, the lower you should get.

The mistake? Standing upright in the middle of the court and then scrambling to react when the ball comes at you.

Instead, you should already be low, anticipating the attack. If the ball is high, it's probably going out anyway. This single adjustment changes how you defend at the kitchen line.

2. Fast Hands Start Before the Hand Exchange

Fast hands at the kitchen line aren't about reflexes. They're about paddle prep.

Tanner positions his paddle tip at an 11 o'clock angle, which naturally cheats toward the backhand. Why? Because roughly 90% of balls come to your backhand side when you're at the net.

A neutral or forehand-heavy paddle position only covers about 10% of the court effectively. It's a small tweak, but it's the difference between reacting and being ready.

3. The Third Shot Drive Should Never Exceed 70% Power

When you're hitting a third shot drive from the baseline, Tanner recommends keeping it at 70% of your maximum power. The goal isn't to blast it past your opponent; it's to make the ball dip over the net, forcing them to volley up and giving you an easy next shot.

Full-speed drives often get put away because your opponent can volley down on them. A controlled, dipping drive shifts the advantage back to you.

4. Serve and Recover: Position Matters More Than You Think

After you serve, position yourself behind the baseline. This might sound counterintuitive when you're eager to get to the net, but it allows you to hit your third shot drop with forward momentum. The alternative? Getting caught off your back foot, which kills your ability to control the point.

When your opponent hits a sharp, aggressive dink at you, the solution involves footwork.

Tanner uses an inside foot cross-step to set his paddle sideways and simply bunts the ball back to the center of the court. It's not flashy, but it's effective and keeps you in the point.

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6. Keep Your Paddle in Your Peripheral Vision

This is almost zen-like in its simplicity. When you're hitting soft shots, your paddle should never leave your peripheral vision. This is how you maintain control and avoid popups. Whether you're dinking or hitting a third shot drop, keeping the paddle in sight prevents those frustrating errors that cost you points.

7. Attack Players Without a Two-Handed Backhand

If your opponent doesn't have a two-handed backhand, attack their backhand side.

It's much harder to cover with one hand, and you'll create opportunities. This is tactical awareness at its finest, and it's something you can identify early in a match.

8. Keep Opponents Back: No Free Rides to the Kitchen

If your opponents are back and you're at the kitchen line, keep them there. Don't hit drop shots that let them advance for free. Tanner's mantra:

It's about maintaining your advantage once you've earned it.

9. Paddle Ready Position at the Kitchen: Belly Button Height

Your paddle ready position at the kitchen line should be at about belly button height. This allows you to react to balls landing in the court without having to bring your paddle up for high balls (which are probably going out anyway). It's a positioning principle that saves energy and improves consistency.

10. The Rule for Speed-Ups Off the Bounce

Here's the critical rule: wherever the ball bounces on your side, get your lead leg directly behind that ball.

You can't reach for speed-ups; you have to be positioned. When your foot is behind the ball, you can get your paddle head down and manipulate it with spin. When you're stretched out, you have no control.

After hitting your third shot drop and running to the kitchen line, you should be completely still and set before your opponent makes contact with the ball. This tiny pause gives you a massive advantage in reaction time. It's a minute change with huge results.

12. Push Your Resets, Don't Slice Them

When you're in the middle of the court hitting resets, push them instead of slicing. Slicing adds underspin, which can be inconsistent. Pushing gives you more control and consistency, especially when you're transitioning to the sport.

13. Lob Volley-Heavy Opponents

If your opponent consistently takes your dinks out of the air, that's your signal to lob. Their weight is already forward, so they can't recover quickly enough to get back and retrieve a lob. It's a simple read that creates an easy point.

14. Defending Overheads: Back Up and Get Low

When you pop the ball up, immediately take as much ground back as possible before your opponent makes contact. Right when they're about to hit, stop, get low, and prepare. This defensive positioning prevents the overhead from being a guaranteed winner.

15. Paddle Tracking Prevents Getting Chicken-Winged

If you keep getting chicken-winged, your paddle tracking is off. Wherever the ball goes, your paddle tip should point directly at it. When your paddle is sideways and the opponent attacks, you get caught up. Proper tracking lets you react with no problem.

The Bigger Picture: It's About Awareness, Not Athleticism

What ties all 15 of these tips together is a focus on court awareness and positioning over raw athleticism or flashy technique.

Tanner's message is clear: you don't need to be the fastest or strongest player to improve. You need to be smarter about where you stand, how you prepare, and how you read your opponent.

If you're looking to level up without completely overhauling your game, these 15 tips are a solid starting point. They're the kind of adjustments that don't require hours at the court; they just require awareness and intentional practice.