Pauls Play Diary

This is where theory meets the court.

While the articles, books, and coaching materials on this site explore the principles of Fluid Motion Factor, this diary follows a more personal path. Here you'll find reflections from actual matches, practices, tournaments, conversations, frustrations, breakthroughs, and occasional head-scratching moments from my own pickleball journey.

Some entries may confirm FMF principles. Others may challenge them. A few may simply document the ongoing adventure of trying to play better while understanding less and accessing more.

Think of these pages as field notes from the court, written by a fellow traveler rather than a teacher.

6.18.2026 - No plan

Having a plan before the serve may be okay, but during the serve it appears to be a disaster recipe. Maybe it's because I'm emphasizing more receptivity and less plan, but it seems like it works a lot better, if I have a plan, to think it through before the serve, not during. It's obvious to me by now that having a plan smells a lot like a prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity, and here we are trying to deemphasize that and let the prince of physical function (cough, cerebellum, cough) do what it's good without calling in the king (PFC) to bark out orders for something that it's not actually going to do itself. Maybe it's because I'm writing about and advocating for the Fluid Motion thing, but when I do the wrong thing, maybe it hits me harder than anyone. Not sure of course, but if anyone should know better, it's a very short list with my initials at the top.

6.17.2026 - It has been a while

I've been out of town and off court for three weeks and yes, got rusty. Day one coming back is wierd because you think you can do more than you are actually grooved to do, FMF relies on muscle memory, but there is no mention of muscle forgettedness.