The Philosophy and Biomechanics of Purposeful Pickleball Play
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2025
Pages: 208
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2025
Pages: 200
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The Philosophy and Biomechanics of Purposeful Pickleball Play will help anyone who already enjoys or wants to begin playing the game and sport of Pickleball. This book will also help professional Pickleball instructors and coaches who utilize a scientifically based approach to teaching Pickleball. Students, players and athletes will complete a series of Learning, Practice, and Reflection Activities, using a process called “Task Analysis,” so they may discover for themselves how to play and enjoy the game. In addition, each chapter of the book addresses a scientific principle that underlies how to successfully move on the Pickleball court and execute required shots. Even more, the book is designed for you to take with you to the Pickleball courts and complete the activities with instructions that are easy to follow.
This book is organized into three sections, with the first section addressing the player’s interest and ability to play Pickleball. The second section shows the biomechanical principles that underlie the physical movements necessary to play Pickleball and the time period in which the player performs those movements. The third section provides recommendations for how to approach and play Pickleball based on the player’s achieved knowledge, skills and abilities.
After you have read this book, you will be able to better appreciate the following:
1. Why you play Pickleball and how that may affect your performance and play on the Pickleball court.
2. How you uniquely perform different movements and shots in the game and sport of Pickleball.
3. What some of your abilities and capabilities are to perform and play the game and sport of Pickleball.
4. What some of your performance limitations to play Pickleball are and possible reasons behind those limitations.
5. The role of instruction and practice to help you improve your knowledge, skills and abilities of the game and sport of Pickleball.
6. How to better assess and evaluate your Pickleball play to help you to gauge your progress and to determine whether you are meeting your performance goals and intention for playing.
7. That Pickleball can be fun, safe and fulfilling.
Preface
About the Author
Introduction
Section I. Intention
Chapter 1. Purpose and Emotion
Chapter 2. Technique and Style
Chapter 3. Activation and Action
Chapter 4. Timing and Execution
Section II. Time
Chapter 5. Movement
Chapter 6. Elements: Moving
Chapter 7. Elements: Hitting
Chapter 8. Error Detection
Chapter 9. Pace: Moving
Chapter 10. Shape: Hitting
Chapter 11. Posture and Execution
Chapter 12. Starting and Stopping
Chapter 13. Contact and Collision
Chapter 14. Efficiency and Economy
Chapter 15. Balance and Stability
Chapter 16. Lift and Drag
Section III. Prediction
Chapter 17. Opportunity
Chapter 18. Preparation
Chapter 19. Strategy
Chapter 20. Emerging Themes for Future Writing
Acknowledgements
References
Tim Kempf is a Biomechanist and Human Movement Analyst with over 40 years of work in clinical practice, academia and higher education. He has a Ph.D. in Biomechanics from Purdue University and participated in multiple research projects at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, IL studying the motor learning behavior of patients with Parkinson’s disease, and taught Biomechanics and many other Exercise Science courses, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, at Purdue University, the University of Arizona, and most recently at Boise State University. Tim is a retired Clinical Professor and maintains the rank of Professor Emeritus with Boise State University. He still lives in Idaho and enjoys playing Pickleball with his wife.
The Philosophy and Biomechanics of Purposeful Pickleball Play will help anyone who already enjoys or wants to begin playing the game and sport of Pickleball. This book will also help professional Pickleball instructors and coaches who utilize a scientifically based approach to teaching Pickleball. Students, players and athletes will complete a series of Learning, Practice, and Reflection Activities, using a process called “Task Analysis,” so they may discover for themselves how to play and enjoy the game. In addition, each chapter of the book addresses a scientific principle that underlies how to successfully move on the Pickleball court and execute required shots. Even more, the book is designed for you to take with you to the Pickleball courts and complete the activities with instructions that are easy to follow.
This book is organized into three sections, with the first section addressing the player’s interest and ability to play Pickleball. The second section shows the biomechanical principles that underlie the physical movements necessary to play Pickleball and the time period in which the player performs those movements. The third section provides recommendations for how to approach and play Pickleball based on the player’s achieved knowledge, skills and abilities.
After you have read this book, you will be able to better appreciate the following:
1. Why you play Pickleball and how that may affect your performance and play on the Pickleball court.
2. How you uniquely perform different movements and shots in the game and sport of Pickleball.
3. What some of your abilities and capabilities are to perform and play the game and sport of Pickleball.
4. What some of your performance limitations to play Pickleball are and possible reasons behind those limitations.
5. The role of instruction and practice to help you improve your knowledge, skills and abilities of the game and sport of Pickleball.
6. How to better assess and evaluate your Pickleball play to help you to gauge your progress and to determine whether you are meeting your performance goals and intention for playing.
7. That Pickleball can be fun, safe and fulfilling.
Preface
About the Author
Introduction
Section I. Intention
Chapter 1. Purpose and Emotion
Chapter 2. Technique and Style
Chapter 3. Activation and Action
Chapter 4. Timing and Execution
Section II. Time
Chapter 5. Movement
Chapter 6. Elements: Moving
Chapter 7. Elements: Hitting
Chapter 8. Error Detection
Chapter 9. Pace: Moving
Chapter 10. Shape: Hitting
Chapter 11. Posture and Execution
Chapter 12. Starting and Stopping
Chapter 13. Contact and Collision
Chapter 14. Efficiency and Economy
Chapter 15. Balance and Stability
Chapter 16. Lift and Drag
Section III. Prediction
Chapter 17. Opportunity
Chapter 18. Preparation
Chapter 19. Strategy
Chapter 20. Emerging Themes for Future Writing
Acknowledgements
References
Tim Kempf is a Biomechanist and Human Movement Analyst with over 40 years of work in clinical practice, academia and higher education. He has a Ph.D. in Biomechanics from Purdue University and participated in multiple research projects at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, IL studying the motor learning behavior of patients with Parkinson’s disease, and taught Biomechanics and many other Exercise Science courses, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, at Purdue University, the University of Arizona, and most recently at Boise State University. Tim is a retired Clinical Professor and maintains the rank of Professor Emeritus with Boise State University. He still lives in Idaho and enjoys playing Pickleball with his wife.