Patrick Smith,
Senior Contributor

Patrick Smith has adapted concepts of the martial art Qigong to pickleball. In the world of Taichi, Qigong is at the root. He has studied Martial Arts since 1964.

Smith is a Master level black belt instructor with Dillman Karate International and posits that pickleball calls upon bodies to perform movements that can be made without much preparation. Oher movements do need gentle rehearsal before playing pickleball, he teaches.

Qigong teaches breathing, balance, and relaxation in various movements and postures. It opens joints and intersections throughout the body, offering deeper flexibility internally which equals fewer injuries externally.

Patrick is a Level One Certified practitioner of Kingian Nonviolence Reconciliation, bringing forth nonviolence as a way of life and spirit.

His Pickleball Qigong teaches breathing, balance, and relaxation in various movements and postures commonly seen in Pickleball. Other related movements support the benefits of Pickleball Qigong as participants strengthen muscles and tendons to perform more challenging pickleball competition motions, he teaches.

Smith is the author of The Curious History of Pickleball and is an accomplished musician.