Getting Over the Hump: Has Your Pickleball Plateaued?

by Eric Cohen, Co-Founder, Open Play Post

Lately, I’ve been stuck. Not stuck as in injured or frustrated. Just… stuck. Still having fun. Still playing 3–4 times a week. But I can feel it—I’ve plateaued. My shots aren’t getting any sharper, I’m not winning any more than usual, and I’m definitely not improving at the pace I was a year ago. Sound familiar?

If you’ve been playing for a while, there’s a good chance you’re in the same boat. In the beginning, every week brought noticeable gains. You learned to dink. You figured out how to reset. You stopped hitting the ball to the banger’s forehand. Progress was steady, even thrilling.

But then it flatlined.

Plateaus are normal in any sport—especially one like pickleball, where so much of success relies on feel, experience, and court IQ. But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to stay stuck at your current level forever. It just means what got you here isn’t going to get you there.

Here are five simple ways to start climbing again:

1. Film Yourself

It sounds cringe-y, but a five-minute video of your rec play will show you more than five hours of self-talk. You’ll spot lazy footwork, missed opportunities, and patterns (good and bad) you never noticed. You don’t need fancy editing—just a tripod or a friend with a steady hand.

2. Play With (and Against) Better Players

It’s easy to default to the same familiar faces, especially when they’re fun and reliable. But if you’re always the strongest player on your side of the net, you’re not being stretched. Seek out stronger games where you might lose—because that’s when you’ll learn.

3. Stop Avoiding Your Weaknesses

We all do it. Maybe it’s your backhand. Maybe it’s third-shot drops. Maybe you panic at the kitchen line and speed it up when you shouldn’t. The key? Identify one weakness and lean into it—on purpose. Hit those third-shot drops. Force yourself to stay in dink rallies. You’ll mess up. That’s the point.

4. Practice. Like, Actually Practice.

Recreational play is great, but it rarely fixes anything. Once a week, carve out 30 minutes for drilling. Grab a partner and rotate forehand volleys, practice resets, or serve-return games. You don’t need to be a pro. You just need to be intentional.

5. Shift the Mindset

Plateaus feel frustrating because we think we should always be improving. But sometimes, coasting is part of the process. Growth isn’t always visible. You’re still learning—every time you lose a close game, flub a lob, or realize too late you should’ve dropped instead of driven.

The plateau isn’t a sign you’re done getting better. It’s a sign you’ve made it through the beginner haze and into the real work. That’s where it gets interesting. And satisfying. And yes, eventually, better again.

So if you're in that stuck place right now—welcome. You're not alone. I'm there too. But we’re not staying here.

See you on the upswing.