What Is Pickleball? I Took a Lesson to Find Out!

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Pickleball is a fast-paced paddle sport where most points are won at the net (the ‘Kitchen’). For beginners, success comes from keeping the ball low, loosening your grip for better spin, and wearing proper court shoes to handle the quick lateral movements. While similar to tennis, it requires less running but faster reaction times.

I took my first one-on-one pickleball lesson this week to answer America’s favorite recent question, “What is pickleball?” I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the fastest-growing sport in America. It is clear that I have a ton to learn, but the 60-minute session left me confident that my tennis skills will translate well on the pickleball court. However, there were a few surprises for this brand new player. If you’re considering picking up a pickleball paddle, here are a few things that my instructor shared with me, as well as a few things that caught me off guard.

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Summer Pickleball Tips 2026: How to Beat the Heat, Stay Hydrated, and Protect Your Game in Hot Weather

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To play your best pickleball in summer heat, start hydrating the day before, drink 16 to 20 oz of water about two hours before you play, then sip 6 to 12 oz every 15 to 20 minutes on court. Add electrolytes once you pass an hour or sweat heavily. Play early morning or after 6 p.m., wear light-colored moisture-wicking clothing, and stop at the first sign of dizziness, cramps, or a pounding head. Those are warning signs, not “push through it” signs.

Last winter I wrote a whole guide on surviving the cold court. Now the pendulum has swung the other way, and the bigger danger most rookies face isn’t a cracked ball. It’s a cramped hamstring at 2 p.m. in July with no shade in sight. Summer is when our local courts get packed, and it’s also when I see the most people quit early, gas out mid-match, or worse. So let’s fix that.

This guide answers the questions I get asked most once the temperature climbs. Simple, thorough, and ridiculously helpful, just like always.

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Speedup Tide 14L vs. Selkirk Boomstik: The Foam Core Power Struggle

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Speedup Tide 14L

The Selkirk Labs Boomstik is the gold standard for “limitless” power and a massive sweet spot, but it comes with a premium $333 price tag. The Speedup Tide 14L ($170) is the underdog that offers a unique, more connected feel with a thinner 14mm profile that surprisingly mimics the dwell time of a thicker paddle. Choose the Boomstik for raw, forgiving offense; choose the Tide 14L if you want a fast, high-spin weapon that doesn’t feel like a hollow “pop” machine.

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11six24 Hurache-X Power 2 vs. Volair Shift EL

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11six24 Hurache-X Power 2 vs. Volair Shift EL

If you’ve been following my journey, you know I’ve been a die-hard Engage Pursuit Pro MX (13mm) user for a long time. I lived for that “pingy” pop and the raw power it delivered on drives. But as my game moved into 4.0+ territory, my Engage MX started to feel like a liability. In fast-paced kitchen exchanges, the stiff 13mm core was just too “hot”—I was popping up dinks that should have been dead.

I needed a “cheat code”: a paddle with explosive drive power, elite spin longevity, and a handle longer than 5.5 inches for my two-handed backhand. Most importantly, I needed to fix my soft game without losing my identity as a power player.

After weeks of court testing, two Gen 4 monsters emerged as the top contenders: the 11six24 Hurache-X Power 2 and the Volair Shift EL.

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Pickleball Slam 4 Results: Agassi & Blake Beat Waters & Bouchard 3-1 for $1M Prize

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Tennis Legends Just Schooled the World’s Best Pickleballer—Here’s Exactly How They Did It

Final Score: Agassi/Blake def. Waters/Bouchard 3-1

Andre Agassi just went 4-for-4 at Pickleball Slam.

Last night at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, the 8-time Grand Slam champion and his partner James Blake took down the world’s #1 pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters and former tennis star Genie Bouchard in what was supposed to be the ultimate test: Can tennis legends beat actual professional pickleballers at their own sport?

The answer, apparently, is yes—if you execute a ruthless game plan and exploit the weakest link.

I’m Ace, and I watched this entire match unfold on ESPN. Here’s what actually happened, why Agassi and Blake won, and what it means for the “tennis vs. pickleball” debate that’s been brewing for years.

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Six Zero Coral vs. CRBN³ TruFoam Waves Review: Best 100% Foam Core Paddle?

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Six Zero Coral vs. CRBN³ TruFoam Waves: The Battle for Foam Supremacy

The 2026 gear race has officially moved past “honeycomb with a little bit of foam” and into the era of the 100% foam core. If you’re tired of that hollow “clack” and paddles that lose their pop after two months of hard hitting, you’re looking at the right two contenders.

Today, I’m putting the Six Zero Coral up against the CRBN³ TruFoam Waves. These are two very different animals. One feels like it was designed by a precision engineer to be the ultimate control scalpel, while the other is a high-tech “Gen-4” powerhouse that feels like a tennis racket and a pickleball paddle had a baby.

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Honolulu Gen 4 Foam Launch Guide: Everything We Know About J6CR, J2CR & J3CR (2026)

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J6CR paddle

The Honolulu Pickleball Gen 4 Foam lineup ($195) introduces “Gen 4.5” multi-density foam technology designed to maximize energy return while eliminating the vibration common in honeycomb paddles. The J2CR is the ultimate balanced hybrid for most 4.0 players, the J6CR is a baseline power specialist with an 111-116 swing weight, and the J3CR is built for maximum hand speed at the kitchen line.

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