Triangle Theory in Pickleball
Summary
Marshall Brown explains a lesson he learned against better teams: it’s easy to fall into their slow game and hesitate to speed up because you expect to get countered. The triangle theory gives you a sense of where the ball is likely to come back after you speed it up, so you can start the hands battle and already be waiting for the counter.
On the right side, if he speeds up with his forehand to his opponent’s forehand, the ball usually comes back to the middle of the court rather than at his body. If he speeds up cross-court, it usually comes back cross to his forehand. In the live examples he speeds up a backhand cross-court from the middle, moves straight into his forehand, and is ready when the counter arrives. A backhand speed-up followed by a forehand counter, or the reverse, is a combination he recommends against stronger opponents.
Key takeaways
- Counters after a speed-up tend to come back in a triangle
- Speed-up straight at a forehand usually comes back through the middle
- Cross-court speed-up usually comes back cross to your other side
- Knowing where the ball is going makes you freer to start the hands battle
- Pair a backhand speed-up with a forehand counter, or the reverse
Action items
- In dink games, speed up cross-court and immediately sit on the expected return
- Track where counters go after your speed-ups for one session
- Practice the backhand speed-up into forehand counter pattern with a partner