Many pickleball players put in hours of practice but still fail to see meaningful improvement on the court.

According to professional pickleball player and coach Kyle Koszuta, the issue isn’t effort — it’s trying to better too many skills at the same time. Rather than constantly adding new shots to their game, players should focus on mastering a few key fundamentals that lead to greater consistency, confidence, and smarter decision-making.

In a recent video, Koszuta highlights three essential skills that can help players improve more quickly, win more points, and compete with greater confidence against tougher opponents.

Stop attacking from a disadvantaged position

One of the biggest mistakes players make is attacking when they are out of position. Koszuta explains that every rally has three phases: neutral, advantage, and disadvantage.

A neutral position occurs when all four players are balanced and positioned near the kitchen line. A disadvantaged position happens when a player is stretched wide, off balance, or pushed away from the kitchen line.

Many players lose points because they attempt aggressive shots while in a weak position. Instead of forcing a winner, Koszuta recommends focusing on “neutralizing” the rally. This means using safer shots to regain control and recover court positioning.

He highlights three effective neutralizing shots:

• Driving the ball to create time and reset positioning

• Using a defensive lob to slow down the point

• Hitting a soft reset shot into the kitchen

The key takeaway is simple: if you are off balance or under pressure, your goal should be recovery, not attack. Smarter shot selection helps players stay in rallies longer and avoid unnecessary errors.

Learn your pickleball safe zones

Another important concept is understanding “safe zones” on the court. Under pressure, many players overthink and make rushed decisions. Koszuta suggests simplifying the game by identifying high-percentage targets before the point even begins.

One of the safest strategies in pickleball is targeting opponents’ backhands. Since most players generate less power and consistency on the backhand side, these shots are often harder to attack aggressively. 

Koszuta also discusses forcing opponents into “unnatural hitting positions.” Instead of feeding comfortable forehand shots, players should aim toward awkward contact points near the body or difficult backhand angles.

By targeting uncomfortable positions, players can:

• Reduce the opponent’s power

• Force weaker returns

• Create opportunities to move forward to the kitchen line

• Improve overall consistency during rallies

This strategy helps players make smarter decisions without overcomplicating the game.

Improve your mental game with the “Feel, Fix, Forward” system

Pickleball is not only physical, it is also mental. Koszuta introduces a mindset strategy called the “Feel, Fix, Forward” system to help players recover quickly after mistakes.

After losing a point, players usually have only a few seconds before the next rally begins. If that time is spent frustrated or angry, it often leads to poor decision-making on the next point.

The first step is “Feel.” Players should briefly acknowledge their frustration instead of ignoring it.

The second step is “Fix.” Rather than obsessing over the missed shot itself, players should ask whether they made the correct decision during the rally. Koszuta emphasizes that players cannot fix mechanics instantly, but they can improve decision-making immediately.

The final step is “Forward.” Once the lesson is identified, players should let go of the mistake, refocus, and prepare for the next point with a clear mindset.

The real secret to improving at pickleball

The biggest lesson from Koszuta’s video is that improvement does not come from learning dozens of advanced shots. Instead, better pickleball players focus on mastering a few essential skills:

• Avoid attacking from bad positions

• Use safe zones and smart shot placement

• Develop emotional control and mental discipline

By simplifying the game and making better decisions under pressure, players can become more confident, consistent, and competitive. In many cases, smarter pickleball leads to faster improvement than simply practicing harder.

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