The idea of strategic fluidity (wanting to be adapt to everything) and pickleball is a fine concept that sounds great in theory.

But how does that work in practice when it comes to pickleball rules and what rules to apply or not to apply?

Having an idea of the rules or guidelines can help you determine the best shot in any given situation, as opposed to a purely fluid approach that requires you to factor in all of the variables in a rally before you decide how to hit every single shot that you hit.

There are two ideas or suggestions I can recommend to give you a better understanding of the way a pickleball rally is constructed and how to deal with who takes what shot.

i) Look for sources who are serious about pickleball and are professionals. Check to see where a rule or suggestion comes from. Is it well thought out or from a source who is serious about pickleball?

ii) Be consistent with what you already know. There are times you're going to hear something that runs contrary to something else that you've heard and you have to figure out what to do.
 
Most advanced players have certain patterns and tendencies that they bring to the table.

And when you're playing, make sure that you're viewing all parts of the game or the big picture and not letting parts that you've already gotten better suffer because you're so hyper-focused on this one potentially smaller piece of the puzzle.

September Workshop- Discover the "Play Smarter, Not Harder" Strategies That Helped Over 2,000 Pickleball Players Elevate Their Games; https://betterpickleball.com/fall-2024/

Respect the X free guide: https://betterpickleball.com/respect-the-x/

Respect the X playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItFZ5JWm_hw&list=PLRe6hjjhF-o4tSBHKPscxPhJgBeQnc5oI

Forehand in the Middle. You’ve Heard it. But it is WRONG. Abandon this “rule” and play better; https://betterpickleball.com/forehand-in-the-middle-youve-heard-it-but-it-is-wrong-abandon-this-rule-and-play-better/

The Pickleball System class: http://thepickleballsystem.com/