Pickleball is a small court, so the difference between a balanced shot and a stretched one is a single step. The split step, a small hop timed as your opponent hits, keeps you ready to move in any direction.
Move to the ball with shuffle steps rather than crossovers when the distance is short, and recover to your position after every shot.
Key cues
- 1Split step as the opponent strikes the ball
- 2Shuffle for short distances, run for long
- 3Stay low with knees bent
- 4Recover before admiring your shot
Common mistakes
- Reaching instead of moving
- Standing flat-footed at the kitchen line
- Backpedaling for lobs