What Are the Yips in Pickleball and How Players Overcome Them

The Yips in Pickleball: What They Are and How Top Players Overcome Them
In every sport, there are moments when the mind seems to betray the body. A golfer suddenly cannot sink a putt. A baseball pitcher loses command of the strike zone. In pickleball, players sometimes freeze during a serve or fail to complete a simple drop shot. This phenomenon is known as “the yips,” and while often whispered about more than openly discussed, it can impact even the most experienced players on the court.

Understanding what the yips are—and more importantly, how to overcome them—can make the difference between prolonged frustration and a confident comeback.

What Are the Yips?
The yips refer to a sudden, involuntary loss of fine motor control during routine movements. While first documented in golf, the condition has been recognized across many sports, including tennis, baseball, and increasingly, pickleball.

In pickleball, the yips may appear as:

Multiple serve faults in a row

Freezing during a dink or misjudging a volley

Missing easy third-shot drops

Losing focus or rhythm during rallies

Although the physical effects are apparent, the root cause is most often psychological. Some sports neurologists distinguish between Type I yips, associated with task-specific dystonia (a rare neurological disorder), and Type II yips, which are tied to performance anxiety. In pickleball, the yips typically fall into the latter category.

Common Signs and Symptoms
Pickleball players experiencing the yips often notice a breakdown in performance that begins subtly but quickly escalates. For example, one missed dink leads to hesitation on the next point, creating a loop of self-doubt and forced execution.

Common signs include:

Serve anxiety: hesitation, faults, and erratic tosses

Mistimed volleys or rushed net play

Inconsistent shot selection under pressure

Emotional frustration or visible loss of confidence

This feedback loop of mental pressure leading to physical tension often causes players to feel as though their skills have evaporated overnight.

What Causes the Yips?
Performance Pressure
Tournament play, crowds, or even the presence of a coach or higher-level opponent can create internal stress. When this pressure builds, players often overanalyze basic movements, disrupting automatic motor patterns.

Fear of Mistakes
Players who become overly focused on avoiding errors tend to tense up or second-guess themselves. The fear of repeating a mistake can often cause it to happen again.

Muscle Tension
Anxiety often manifests physically. Tight shoulders, clenched grips, and stiff footwork reduce control and lead to uncharacteristic errors.

Change in Routine
Switching paddles, playing on unfamiliar courts, or pairing with a new doubles partner can all throw off a player’s rhythm, making them more susceptible to hesitation.

Fatigue and Overtraining
Mental fatigue and overuse can impair decision-making and reaction time. Players may feel sharp in warmups but struggle to execute in real-game situations due to cognitive exhaustion.

How Top Players Address the Yips
Rebuilding Routine
Elite players develop rituals to create consistency. For example, bouncing the ball a set number of times before serving or repeating a breathing pattern before each point can re-establish muscle memory and focus. Tyson McGuffin, for instance, is known for his strict between-point rhythm, which keeps his mental and physical processes aligned.

Visualization Techniques
Mentally rehearsing successful serves, drops, or volleys helps reinforce proper form. Studies show that visualization activates many of the same brain regions as actual performance, making it an effective tool for breaking through mental barriers.

Positive Self-Talk
Internal dialogue has a measurable impact on performance. Changing phrases like “don’t miss” to “smooth follow-through” reduces fear and shifts attention to execution. Many professional players work with coaches or psychologists to practice reframing negative thoughts.

Slowing Down
Slowing the pace between points can help a player reset. Taking a few extra seconds to walk to the baseline or focusing on breathing helps clear residual tension from the last point and prepares the mind for the next.

Grip Pressure Adjustment
Increased tension often causes players to grip the paddle too tightly, reducing control and fluidity. Players are coached to maintain a light, relaxed hold—firm enough for control, but loose enough for finesse. One common saying is to "hold the paddle like a small bird—not too tight, not too loose."

Simulated Pressure Practice
Players who practice under match-like conditions are better prepared to perform under stress. This can include point-based drills with scoring, shot quotas, or mock tournament scenarios. The goal is to normalize pressure, so real matches feel familiar rather than intimidating.

Data and Professional Insight
According to a 2022 survey by the Pickleball Performance Psychology Group:

34 percent of amateur players experience yip-like symptoms at least once per month

The serve is the most commonly affected area

85 percent report worsened symptoms during formal play compared to casual games

Professional players have also addressed the issue openly. Catherine Parenteau, for example, once discussed a period when she struggled to execute consistent third-shot drops. Her recovery process involved returning to technical fundamentals and focusing on confidence-building exercises rather than overcorrecting the shot itself.

Long-Term Solutions
While short-term coping strategies are valuable, players aiming to eliminate the yips permanently benefit from long-term mental and physical training.

Strategy Benefit
Working with a sports psychologist Addresses anxiety, stress, and performance blocks
Meditation and breath control Regulates nervous system and improves mental clarity
Journaling patterns and triggers Helps identify recurring pressure points
Shot tracking and progress logs Reinforces improvement and discourages self-doubt
Cross-training with other racket sports Refreshes motor skills and reduces sport-specific anxiety

The Path to Recovery
Recovering from the yips is rarely instantaneous. It requires patience, structure, and the willingness to work on both the mental and mechanical sides of performance. The key is to understand that the yips are not a sign of failure or decline—they are a signal that the mind-body connection needs recalibration.

Many players emerge from the experience stronger, having learned valuable lessons about focus, emotion, and resilience. By adopting tools like routine, mental rehearsal, and positive reinforcement, players can build a foundation that not only resolves the issue but also improves their overall mental toughness on the court.

Conclusion
The yips in pickleball are a real and frustrating experience for players at all skill levels. They are largely psychological in nature, but their impact is deeply physical and emotional. Fortunately, the tools to overcome them are well-documented and highly effective when applied consistently.

Top players are not immune to mental setbacks, but what sets them apart is their commitment to understanding and resolving them. With the right techniques, any player can move past the yips and return to playing with clarity, control, and confidence.