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7 Shots That Are Legal—But Controversial
Preventing Falls, Dupr Deep Dive, Major PB Health Study Findings, New MLP Champs, PB Diplomacy, Elbows and More!
FIT PICKLER
August 28, 2025
Health, Fitness, News & Fun for Picklers of All Ages
What's Cooking in the Kitchen This Week:
“GOT IT CONTEST” WINNER ANNOUNCED
7 Shots That Are Legal—But Controversial
Fitness Expert Glenn Dawson: Morning Moves To Start Your Day
The 2 Movements Behind 81% of Pickleball Falls & The Simple Fix
A Deep-Dive Conversation With DUPR CEO & Data Scientist On The Latest Pickleball Algorithm Changes
The Hidden Toll Of Pickleball: What A Landmark Study Reveals About Injury Risk
Columbus Sliders Celebrate Major League Pickleball Championship
LA Mad Drops Pickleball Franchise Sold for Record $13 Million
Pickleball Diplomacy From MOCO To China
🤣 Humor: I Couldn’t Find Anyone To Play With
Coach Mary: Pickleball Elbow
🏆AUGUST WINNER OF THE “GOT IT” CONTEST
This month’s Prize:
“Pickleball Over and Over and Over Again”
T-ShirtWinner: “Christie B.” Congratulations!
(Check Your Email for Details)
🥷 SKILLS
7 Shots That Are Legal
But Controversial
No More Chainsaws, But You Can Still…
They’re within the rules—but they still spark debate.
Pickleball is a game of skill, strategy, and—sometimes—controversy. Certain shots are completely legal according to the rulebook, yet they tend to provoke groans, arguments, or quiet frustration. They’re not against the rules, but they bend expectations of what’s considered “standard” play. Some of these shots rely on deception. Others exploit rule nuances.
Most are perfectly fair—but they stand out because they create confusion, surprise, or irritation, especially among less experienced players. Here are seven shots that are 100% legal but often stir up controversy—and what you can do to defend against them.
The Chainsaw Serve (and What Replaced It)
The original chainsaw serve—where players used their paddle or hand to create extreme spin on the toss—was banned in 2022. But players have found legal alternatives that still generate spin on the ball before contact. Today, it’s legal to impart spin using your non-paddle hand as long as the ball is released cleanly.
Why it’s controversial:
• The spin makes the ball jump or curve unpredictably
🏋️ STAYING FIT with Glenn & Brianna
Morning Moves To Start Your Day
👀 HEALTH NEWS
💪 Health & Fitness Section
Weekly Advice To Keep You Fit & Injury Free
Fitness & Vitality At Any Age
The 2 Movements Behind 81% Of
Pickleball Falls - And The Simple Fix
Don’t Fall For That Again!
Something weird happened last Thursday. Three different players – all solid recreational folks – hit the deck. Not because they're clumsy. Not because they're old. Because they all made the exact same mistake.
And chances are you’re probably making it, too.
Most of us worry about those tricky side shuffles. It makes sense. That awkward reach for a ball just out of range feels risky.
But here's the crazy part: A study of recreational players found that 81% of pickleball falls don't happen sideways. They happen when we lunge forward or move backward.
Yep. The moves that feel "safe" are the ones dropping us on our butts.
For those of us with more experience (and wisdom), the numbers get even more concerning. Studies show 61% of recreational players over 55 have taken a tumble.
But here's the thing that'll make you feel better: this is totally fixable. And it doesn't require joining a gym or doing burpees at 6 AM.
One Fall Can Steal Your Game (and Your Confidence)
It only takes one fall to change everything.
🗞️ NEWS
A Deep Dive Conversation W/ DUPR
CEO & Data Scientist On The
Latest Pickleball Algorithm Changes
Go Deep!
DUPR just shook up its algorithm again—and the ripple effects are being felt across parks, leagues, and tournaments worldwide. From how ratings move to what “reliability” really means, CEO Tito Machado and Chief Data Scientist Sarah Carpenter sat down for a rare deep-dive conversation that pulls back the curtain on the system everyone loves to debate.
Read the full Q&A to see what’s changing, what’s staying, and why DUPR believes this update is the fairest way yet to measure the game.
⚕️ HEALTH NEWS
Who Gets Hurt And Why?
In recent years, pickleball has transformed from a niche pastime into a national phenomenon. Touted for its accessibility, social appeal, and physical benefits, the sport has rapidly grown across all age groups and skill levels.
But as more Americans take up paddles, a new concern is emerging—injury. A recent nationwide study has cast fresh light on the physical cost of this otherwise joyful game. Conducted by a team of researchers across multiple institutions, this is the most comprehensive study to date examining injury patterns and risk factors among adult pickleball players in the United States.
The findings, published in Sports Medicine – Open, are eye-opening. Nearly 7 in 10 players surveyed reported at least one injury in the past year. Among those, a significant portion experienced injuries severe enough to stop them from playing altogether, while others continued through persistent pain.
🏓 PRO NEWS
Columbus Sliders Celebrate
Major League Pickleball Championship
Your 2025 MLP Premier League Champs. From L-R Andrei Daescu, Parris Todd, CJ Klinger, and Lea Jansen.( MLP)
Even if you don’t follow the pros, you got to love a true Cinderella story! Against all odds, the Columbus Sliders turned a season of being underestimated into a storybook ending—toppling giants and sealing the 2025 Major League Pickleball title in New York.
With DreamBreaker drama, franchise sales setting records, and even court conditions sparking debate, this finale was about more than a championship—it was about the future of the sport.
See how the Sliders pulled off their Cinderella run and what it means for MLP’s next chapter, click here…
🏓 PRO NEWS
LA Mad Drops Pickleball Franchise
Sold For Record $113 Million
Let’s Make A Deal
Major League Pickleball just hit another milestone: the Los Angeles Mad Drops franchise sold a majority stake at a $13 million valuation, only weeks after the Palm Beach Royals paid $16 million in expansion fees.
Both deals shattered previous records and signal how fast team values in pickleball are climbing, especially with big names like Drew Brees, Jayson Tatum, and Josh Allen still in the Mad Drops’ ownership mix. These eye-popping numbers are setting the benchmark for the future of franchise valuations in pickleball.
👏 COMMUNITY NEWS
Pickleball Diplomacy
From MOCO To China
Still Going Strong!
Months after 30 Montgomery County student-athletes traveled to China for a groundbreaking “pickleball diplomacy” trip, the friendships they built across cultures are still thriving. From karaoke nights in Shanghai to heartfelt reunions online, the exchange proved that pickleball can bridge far more than just a net.
See how this once-in-a-lifetime journey is continuing to shape young lives on both sides of the globe, click here…
🤣 HUMOR
I Couldn’t Find Anyone To Play With
🧭 COMMUNITY NEWS
RALLY RUNDOWN:
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS
HUNTINGTON, WV: Pickleball For A Purpose
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C: 40,000 Sq. Ft. Pickleball Facility Coming To Myrtle Beach
JERSEY CITY, NJ: Indoor Pickleball Facility Planned For N.J. City Includes Remote Working Space
PHOENIX, AZ: Brewery & Pickleball Club Padeland To Open In Former Chandler Movie Theater Space
NEW YORK, NY: Central Park Pickleball League Set Up For Veterans
HOUSTON, TX: Indoor Pickleball Facility Opens Inside Downtown Houston Market
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL: County Grapples With Noise Concerns Amid Pickleball Trend
LOUISVILLE, KY: Omni plans $12 million Pickleball, Entertainment Facility in Downtown Louisville
DO YOU HAVE LOCAL NEWS TO SHARE? REACH OUT TO US AT
[email protected] and send us a link to your story!
HOLDING COURT with
COACH MARY
💪 PICKLEBALL ELBOW
PICKLEBALL ELBOW
In 2019-2021, before we shut down for the COVID pandemic, I was still actively participating in 4.5 level tournaments. I had a partial rotator cuff tear but was trying to rehab without surgery. I was wearing two elbow braces, two wrist braces, two knee braces, and a shoulder strap. They helped, and gave support, and I was able to compete successfully and medal often. I did not take enough time off to rehabilitate these chronic conditions.
After back surgery in 2022, I finally took enough time off to recover from these overuse injuries. I am focusing on this topic because I had a student today that is suffering from Pickleball elbow.
This is very common, because:
· People get addicted to the game, and they play too often.
· People play too many hours in one day.
· People depend on Pickleball for their social life, and they go out more than once per day to play.
· People have poor mechanics, and they do not incorporate their hips, shoulders, core and follow-through. They overuse their shoulder, wrist and elbow joints.
· People do not do other activities that would help them condition their bodies to avoid injuries – they only play Pickleball! Be sure to watch the videos!
Here is what they cover:
Causes of Pickleball elbow
Exercises, stretches and massage techniques to treat Pickleball elbow.
Weights, tools to help control and rehabilitate Pickleball elbow.
Ways to prevent getting Pickleball elbow with your body positioning, your use of your hips, shoulders, core.
The first one covers 4 exercises to strengthen your forearm muscles to prevent overuse injuries, from Rehab Science. Great!
Selkirk TV: Pickleball Elbow
Sara Ansboury: Keep you elbows on the table! This is a great video that shows how to avoid getting Pickleball elbow by using proper body mechanics.