General Pickleball

Let’s be real for a second. We’ve all been there: you’ve just finished a three-hour marathon session at the local park, you’ve hit the dink of your life, and you’re feeling like a total pro. Then, you try to get out of your car at home and—creak—your knees decide to remind you that you aren’t twenty anymore.

If your knees are screaming louder than a banger who just missed a put-away, it might not just be “getting older.” It might be your shoes.

In pickleball, we’re constantly shuffling, pivoting, and lunging. If your shoes aren’t absorbing that impact, your knees are doing the heavy lifting for them. Is it time to stop blaming the court and start looking at your feet?

Here is the Pickleball Rookie guide to finding the best shoes for knee support in 2026.

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I still remember the first time I played pickleball. I stood at the baseline, terrified of the seven-foot zone in front of the net like it was actual hot lava. I had been told by a well-meaning (but dead wrong) regular that “you can’t go in there unless the ball bounces in there.”

For three weeks, I played like a statue, afraid to toe the line.

It turns out, I was wrong. And that guy at the local courts? He was wrong too.

The “Kitchen”—officially known as the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ)—is the most misunderstood part of this sport. It is also the single biggest reason beginners lose points they shouldn’t.

If you have ever argued with your partner about whether they “momentum fell” into the zone or if you are allowed to step in before the ball bounces, this guide is for you.

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What’s happening, pickleball fam? Ace here with your final column of 2025, and what a way to close out the year. The PPA Tour just wrapped its last event in Daytona Beach, Lifetime gave us an actual pickleball Christmas movie (yes, really), and as we head into the holidays, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on how far our sport has come this year. Let’s dive into the latest.

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For beginners in 2025, the best overall paddle is the Wild Monkeys Prima Ghost ($99) due to its carbon fiber face and 30-day risk-free trial. For players with tennis elbow, the ProKennex Black Ace Pro offers superior vibration dampening. If you are on a strict budget, the GAMMA RZR Blemished offers professional graphite performance for under $60. All recommendations in this guide feature free shipping via JustPaddles.

Starting your pickleball journey shouldn’t mean emptying your wallet or drowning in confusing technical jargon. After testing dozens of paddles and consulting with the experts at JustPaddles.com, we’ve identified the four best beginner-friendly paddles that deliver professional-level performance without the premium price tag.

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At first glance, the WWE and your local pickleball courts have nothing in common. One involves steel chairs and spandex. The other involves plastic balls and people arguing about whether that ball was really out.

But here’s the thing: both are deeply psychological. They’re about positioning, reading your opponent, and yes—”working” them to get the upper hand.

I’ve been obsessed with this crossover lately. So much so that I wrote a short story called “Dropkicks and Dinks” (part of my new collection, Before the Sink Overflows), about a washed-up wrestler who finds redemption on the pickleball court. But while writing it, I realized the skills weren’t just fiction. They apply to real gameplay.

Here are five mental hacks that pro wrestlers use—that will absolutely fix your pickleball game.

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