Augie Ge, Tacky Paddle, Consistent Dinks!

NEWS
PRO PRESS
The PEOPLE’S CHOICE for the MVP of the Veolia Desert Ridge OPEN was Augie Ge!

Augie Ge (guh) came out of nowhere! With a table tennis background, home of Desert Ridge, he partnered with Hurricane Tyra Black in Mixed Doubles! Tyra was supposed to play with Dylan Frazier, but he dropped out! Yet Augie messaged her as strangers, and she said yes!!! Augie Ge plays with the Vatic Prism V7! A very control-oriented paddle for $99! Some even wonder, HOW did he keep up with all these hot paddles and fast hands?!

Their 2nd match they played against Jack Munro and Lea Janson, beating them after 3 games making it a close call but an ever-better W!

Their 3rd game was even stronger!! Riley Newman & Jackie Kawamoto! Riley has been top 3 in mixed doubles for years now, so for an up and comer to mop the floor with 11-6, 11-6 is unheard of!

Augie and Tyra take it all the way to the Semi-Finals against the world best duo of Anna Leigh Waters & Ben Johns! Ben & Anna won 11-9, 11-7 - yet this was an incredible run for the stranger duo of Augie & Tyra!

PADDLES
WHAT’S NEW

Paddle Stats Spreadsheet - HERE for discounts, and stats!

For Proton paddles, give PBJourney a try for %10 off!

Proton - Series One - Type A - Elongated 15mm

Proton is an otherworldly company in the pickleball realm as of late.

The creators are/were engineers of aircraft and use high quality materials in the making of their unique paddles. The surface of the Series One paddles is a smooth, but almost TACKY material. You may have felt the rubber surface on the old Diadem Icons, but this is tacky, yet smooth as butter. Some of the highest spin on the market, the funkiest designs, and 11mm-15mm make this one of the most eye-catching paddle companies in the game! Andrei Deascu and Megan Dizon use these paddles!

Our RPM test came out to - 2255

This is up there with Top 5 highest spinning LEGAL paddles yet! This is also THE HIGHEST spinning paddle we have tested so far!

Our Swing Weight test came out to - 135 

The swing weight may turn you away. 135 is just short of the highest swing weight paddle, which some prefer, but most don’t. Granted, a lot of Pro Players enjoy higher swing weight paddles, this is definitely not friendly to weaker wrists, elbows, and shoulders! KEEP IN MIND - They do have multiple shapes and as well as an 11mm.

Our Twist Weight test came out to - 6.8

6.8 for a paddle is very good! Now, for example, some paddles have a much lighter swing weight while also having a similar twist weight! Proton does claim to have the best sweet spots in the market, so numbers don’t always involve the “feel” of a paddles sweet spot.

“SPECIFICATIONS:

- Our testing showed that our paddles have the largest sweet spot on the market

- NanoTac coated paddle face for maximum allowable spin

- Made from Aerospace Grade Carbon Fiber

- Incredible sound and feel

- 100% It Will Be Your Favorite Paddle Guarantee

- Lifetime Warranty

- Assembled and Designed in AZ

Proton Polypropylene Honeycomb Core delivering incredible performance 

Weight Average: 11mm 8.2oz or 15mm 8.4oz

Paddle Surface: Aerospace Grade Carbon Fiber 

Overall Length: Elongated 16.5” or Square 15.75”

Paddle Thickness: 11mm & 15mm

Paddle Face Length: Elongated 11.25” or Square 10.75”

Paddle Width: Elongated 7.5” or Square 8.25”

Handle Length: 5.25” 

Grip Circumference: 4.25" 

Grip: Premium Player Preferred Synthetic

USA PICKLEBALL APPROVED”

TIP OF THE WEEK
 5 TIPS to Win DINK BATTLES (FAST RESULTS)

Tip #1 - BE CONSISTENT

The first 3-5 dinks you want an open paddle face, making sure you have a good margin for error over the net. You should rather pop a ball up compared to hitting the net and ending the point instantly.

Tip #2 - USING YOUR BODY - NOT JUST YOUR ARM

When you just use your arm, you tend to reach instead of utilizing good footwork. You want a wide stance, knees bent, increasing stability in your dinks and consistency. This should almost create a swaying motion for you!

TIP #3 - MAKE SURE TO COVER THE MIDDLE

This comes back to tip #2, when you use your body and momentum to dink, your movement will bring you back a bit more towards the middle. Being pulled out wide, and staying there will keep the middle wide open for your opponent. You want to cover the fastest place your opponent can hit the ball.

TIP #4 - TAKE THE BALL OUT OF THE AIR (as much as you can)

Of course, if your opponent pops the ball up you may want to attack. Yet, the point of volleying is to take time away from your opponents! This will get them out of position quicker, causing them to rush their shots, and providing you some pop ups! You don’t always want to put the ball away with pop ups, but other times you want to push the ball aggressively at an angle so your opponent panics, and THEN gives you a perfect overhead or put away! 

TIP #5 - STANCE AND BODY POSITION 

Initially, what you want to do is make sure your EYES ARE LOW. How do you do that? Have a WIDER STANCE, BENDING THE KNEES. The lower your eyes are, the better depth perception you’ll have, the better you can see the ball at angles. A lot of people will just turn around when they pop the ball up to their opponents. To make sure you get the ball back: being low, stepping back, and providing yourself better footwork will help to get those accidental pop ups back to a neutral status. 

Watch the video here! 

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DISCOUNTS
WAYS TO SAVE

CRBN 10% Off: PBJourney10 

Is there a tiny voice in the back of your head saying “PROTECT YOUR EYES” every time you play pickleball?

Well, CRBN is here to save you money, and your eyesight! These glasses have SO many options, styles, and ways to wear them! Is your budget an obstacle? The SHOP APP will allow you to do payments! These have a 1 YEAR WARRANTY! With our code, the price will come out to about $85, in comparison to other brands of $100-$300! Save your eyesight, and your wallet from hospital bills!

JustPaddles + Pickleball Journey Discount

Do you want a drilling partner who doesn’t talk smack? Here’s the SpinShot with $50 off!!!

RECOVERY
STRETCHES/EXERCISES

“Core Strengthening Exercises for Pickleball

Pickleball is a fun and exciting sport that requires agility, speed, and core strength. In the context of pickleball stretching exercises and fitness and training, it’s essential to incorporate core strengthening exercises for pickleball into your routine. 

Plank Variations

A strong core is crucial for maintaining balance and power during pickleball matches. Plank variations, such as

•  the traditional plank

• side plank

• reverse plank

are excellent choices for working on your core stability. As you progress, consider incorporating plank leg lifts or plank rotations to further challenge your core muscles.

Russian Twists

This rotational exercise targets the obliques, which are crucial for generating power in pickleball strokes. 

To perform Russian twists, 

1. sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat

2. Lean back slightly, engage your core, and twist your torso from side to side, tapping the ground beside your hip each time. 

3. You can increase the difficulty by holding a medicine ball or dumbbell in your hands.”

Thanks to Pickleball Wiki for all this information and these routines! Read more here!