What if it works out?

Coach Kyleen joins Coach Tony this week to share a video from TikTok Mima. Her message is simple. We spend plenty of time imagining how things could go wrong. Give the other possibility a little attention.

Tony and Kyleen tie it to pickleball. Many players decide it won't work before they even try. They tell themselves a story before they leave the house. Kyleen shares the question she now asks instead: what's the best that could happen? Tony explains why "don't miss" can backfire, and the two talk about a gold medal match where one player missed every serve and her team still won.

In the riff, Tony talks about 50+ coaching. Same game, same rules. But lived experience matters. Tony shares how he stays competitive against younger players with smarter play and better court positioning.

In this episode:
- TikTok Mima: What if it works out?
- The stories we tell ourselves before we play
- What's the best that could happen?
- Why "don't miss" works against you
- Every serve missed, gold medal won
- Pickleball is messy
- Why 50+ coaching matters
- Smarter play and court positioning

Join us on October 15, 2026, for the live Stacking Lab. Sign up here - https://www.tonyroigpickleball.com/offers/ofCAzfB3/checkout

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How deep does your pickleball knowledge go?

This week, Coach Tony Roig looks at the difference between Google knowledge and real knowledge. Google knowledge is surface-level. Real knowledge means understanding the why, so you can see how the pieces of the game fit together. Tony uses the forehand in the middle vs. Respect the X debate to show what that difference looks like on the court.

In the riff, Tony takes on information overload. Too many voices, so you can't hear any of them. He explains how to be more discerning about what you let in, and why trusting one source for now helps you build the knowledge to decide for yourself later.

In this episode:
- What Google knowledge is, and why it often comes up short
- Forehand in the middle vs. Respect the X
- Why it's always about the why
- The cost of letting everything in
- A Twilight Zone lesson in being discerning
- Long term: move toward real knowledge
- Short term: find a source you trust
- This week's challenge: cut one input

Read "The Myth of Forehand in the Middle": https://www.tonyroigpickleball.com/blog/pickleball-myth-forehand-in-the-middle

Free mini-courses, blogs, and other training opportunities: Click here to view the episode transcript.

In this special mailbag episode, Tony answers questions from the TRP community. How tightly should you hold your paddle? If the third shot drop isn't your priority yet, what is? How do you use partner play strategy when your partner changes every game?

As always, Tony gets into the why. Why a lighter grip gives you more power and protects your arm. Why a drop and a dink are the same shot. Why getting beat on the outside dink probably isn't where your points are going.

In this episode:
- Grip pressure and the 10-5-3 scale
- What to work on before the third shot drop
- Drop vs. dink: one shot or two?
- Partner play when your partner changes every game
- Forehand in the middle vs. Respect the X
- Where to stand when you serve
- Split step or keep moving through the transition zone?
- Getting beat on the outside dink
- Back braces and staying healthy
- Finding practice partners, local and virtual

Have a question for the next mailbag? Post it in the free TRP community: https://www.tonyroigpickleball.com/offers/s2u4oi6n/checkout

Read "The Myth of Forehand in the Middle": https://www.tonyroigpickleball.com/blog/pickleball-myth-forehand-in-the-middle

Tony's comments on back braces reflect his personal experience only. He is not a medical professional.