I recently got into the sport of pickleball. Coming from a competitive tennis background, I wasn't quite sure I was going to love it, especially since my only experience with pickleball until about four months ago was that it is (take no offense) a gentler "old person's" version of tennis played with grumpy seniors and a cheesy wiffleball. Holy cow, was I ever wrong. In the past several weeks, I've picked up the sport of pickleball and absolutely fallen in love with it, especially since a new place opened just near my house called "The Pickleball Playground." Though doubles have been a fun sport to get away and play with the family for our recreation time, when it comes to singles, it is the ultimate combination of reaction time, speed, power, mental and physical chess, and just about everything I'm looking for in a "new sport." Now I also know why it's the fastest-growing sport in America, and even the official state sport of my own home state of Washington! Turns out, one of the top singles and doubles pickleball players in the world lives just near my home, and we've recently become acquainted. His name is Tyson McGuffin, and he has a podcast called "The McGuffin Show." Tyson and I decided it would be fun to geek out on this new sport for any listeners out there who want to learn more about pickleball, discover secrets of fitness, nutrition, supplementation, recovery, and more that can apply to any sport, but especially pickleball, and who want to get to know Tyler and me just a little bit better. So who is this guy anyway? Tyson McGuffin is a two-time U.S. Open Champion and five-time National Champion, who has six PPA Titles and a Triple Crown. Tyson currently holds the number one ranking in men's singles, number five ranking in men's pro doubles, and number six ranking in mixed doubles. McGuffin is extremely involved in all areas of pickleball and is an incredible ambassador for the sport. He runs clinics all over the country, releases free YouTube instructional videos, hosts The McGuffin Show Podcast, and promotes pickleball as a game that anyone can learn and enjoy. This isn’t everything, however. If Tyson is not teaching or competing, he is spending time with his #1 fans. Tyson is married to the love of his life Meg McGuffin, and they have four beautiful children: Skyler, 15, special needs with a heart of gold; Ty, 8, superphysical and creative, Banks, 2, who has him wrapped around her little finger, and Mac, 1, a bruiser who's walking and talking early. During our discussion, you'll discover: -How would Tyson describe pickleball to people?...09:29  -How did Tyson get into pickleball?...13:57 -Can you win money in pickleball?...16:06 -What does a typical day look like for Tyson, like an optimized training day?...20:10 -Is there any special diet Tyson recommends?...24:06 -What's the best way to get started in pickleball?...25:43 -What kind of things could you do if you can't get to the court that help your pickleball game?...27:50 -Why does the paddle matter?...30:34 -What sort of training program would you put together for a top pickleball athlete?...39:29 -What to do about cramping?...58:57 Additional Resources: Ben Greenfield Website: https://bengreenfieldlife.com/ Ben Greenfield Podcast: https://bengreenfieldlife.com/podcast/ Ben Greenfield Books: https://shopbengreenfieldlife.com/collections/books Ben Greenfield Social Media: Twitter https://twitter.com/bengreenfield Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bengreenfieldfitness/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BGFitness TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@bengreenfield Youtube handle: @BenGreenfieldLife ​