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CJ Johnson
Tony Roig
Caution – Bad Pickleball Advice Ahead
Most of us started our pickleball journey learning from the pickleball enthusiasts who preceded us. The sport was passed down to us from the court elders or the group’s pickleball experts who shared their nuggets of wisdom.
“Stand up there when I am returning serve.”
“The first team to serve only gets one serve.”
“After the third shot, get to the kitchen as fast as you can.”
And so on.
In our most recent reader survey, you told us that your top two sources of pickleball improvement information were YouTube and other players at your local courts.
Some of the wisdom passed down to us by other pickleball players was good advice. In fact, it was necessary so that we could learn the rules of the game.
But some of the advice we received, particularly before we had a better understanding of pickleball, could fall under the category of bad pickleball advice because, in most cases, it proved counterproductive to our improvement.
This is not to say that those who taught us did so with anything but the best of intentions. We are thankful to those who took the time to help us on our journey with this awesome sport that we are now a part of.
One of the things we try to do is set the record straight on some of these “tips” with the hope that we can push them out of the lore of the game. So that when the next new player comes to your facility, you can get them on the path to pickleball improvement without the unnecessary detours we all went down.
Bad Pickleball Advice-Topic #1
Perhaps the most damaging bad advice most of us pickleball newbies received as we started our journey was “rush up to the kitchen” when you are on the serve side. This advice suggests that as soon as you or your partner hits the third shot, you both should rush headlong up to the kitchen line.
The advice is based on the generally correct premise that pickleball is won by being up at the kitchen (non-volley zone) line. While it is true that we want to play rallies from up at the non-volley zone line or NVZ, we first have to get there. And that is where this advice falls short.
There is a concept that is even more fundamental to the game.
And that is the difference between the serve side of pickleball and the return side of pickleball. To frame it out clearly, every time we play pickleball, we are actually playing two different sports. We are playing a serve-side of pickleball, and we are playing a return-side of pickleball. And these two different sides of the game are as different as ice skating and football.
A fallacy that players make – a common one – is to play the same whether they are playing on the serve side of the ball or on the return side. This leads to numerous unnecessary errors as well as ineffective strategies.
That means that “rush up to the kitchen” is great advice if you are playing the return side but awful advice for the serve side.
Conclusion
This applies not only to “rush up to the kitchen” but dozens of different “truths” we hear on the courts. Such as forehand has the middle 😜.
We’re assuming that you are a pickleball player who wants to improve if you’ve read this far. There are so many people doling out “free” advice on the courts, on YouTube, and in places like Facebook. Don’t you owe it to yourself to make sure you have a trusted resource who can help you understand the entire picture?
As Paul Harvey used to say:
Now you know…the rest of the story
What Bad Pickleball Advice have you received? Put it in the comments below.
Tony Roig
Hola. Hello. Konichiwa. After 40 years playing tennis, I am now a full-time pickleball player and professional. As a 5.0 rated Senior Pro Pickleball Player and an IPTPA-certified Master Teaching Professional, my focus is on helping players like you learn to play their best pickleball. In 2016, shortly after starting to play pickleball, my friend Tom and I jumped into the highest division at the first US Open in Naples, Florida. That morning it became clear just how much there is to learn in this seemingly simple sport – a lifetime of learning if you so choose. Since 2018, I have been on a mission to share my knowledge of pickleball so other players can enjoy the game at a higher level and attain their pickleball objectives. When not studying or playing pickleball, I like to travel with my other half, Jill.
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Always stay out of the non-volley zone.
I also learned to rush the net after the return of serve. Recently I have learned that is not always correct. I hope I can now practice judging when that is appropriate and when to stay back until I get a good shot back to the opponent.
CJ and Tony, thank you for this wise advice. I totally agree. However, a thought on your commentary.
You are advising beginners (? or anyone) to Come to the Net after a Good 3rd shot, and not come if a Not So Good
Shot. I play doubles with players who NEVER come to the net. So my advising them to consider coming to the net should be judicious/selective…..as to when
It would be helpful to help with more clearly defining what “a good 3rd shot” is…………I think I know but not sure. So I can’t help them exactly.
Love to hear from you.
I came from volleyball and was used to call out balls out as partner communication. Someone told me that I could not do that. I switch to let it go which is too long. Took me almost a year to change it to no. Some habits are hard to break. Later by reading the rules I found out that I could have continued to just saying out and it would be considered partner communication.
Forehand always covers the middle
The partner who was not lobbed should always run back behind and take the lob.
The forehand always takes the middle.
I meant to coming in, close to the kitchen line, not the net. sorry (I was thinking tennis)
Bad advice I received when starting out always seemed to start with “never” or “ always”. Not knowing any better, it made me develop some bad habits. After some time I realized there are very few “always” and “nevers”.
Never serve short.
Never retreat from NVZ.
Never hit to stronger doubles opponent.
Never dink straight on.
Never back peddle.
Never lob on windy days.
Never hit a drive that’s above your chest.
Never stay back after your 3rd shot.
Never take a shot that your partner can get with their forehand.
I could go on and on, there are just as many “always”.
Although you might be able to say “mostly never” or “almost always”, close matches are won by those who know the difference.
Never say never.
Ken Nola…
The forehand always takes the shot!
Hit a drive to their backhand!
Always hit it as deep and hard as you can!
After I return, I’ll rush to the NVZ, you stay back in case they hit it over my head!
run up to the kitchen line as fast as possible, i was always getting hit while i was moving
I moved to Australia 18 months ago. After playing in the USA for a couole of years, it’s slowly starting here. I’m afraid I am guilty of actually offering some bad advice myself. As much as getting up to the kitchen is critical, many new and older players just are not quick enough to volley at the net. They actually win more points hitting ground strokes, msny are previous tennis players. I suggested they come to the net now, when they hit a really good deep return or when they get a short ball. The most difficult part has been getting players to realize that using the dink shot can be so effective. But we are getting there. The other advice that has worked is serving usung the bounce… Seems much easier for beginners.
To cover my own 10 feet of the NVZ vs being tethered to my partner and moving with him/her. Someone young and quick can do this. I need to adjust with my partner and maybe readjust with the shot they hit. I’m also a 25 year tennis player so this is a habit that would be very hard to break
I don’t feel I ever got “bad” advice. I took the advice I got and adapted to what worked for me. After playing USTA league tennis for 40 years I took my tennis skills and adapted to Pickleball. I prefer to make a first shot drop off the return of serve instead of waiting for the third shot drop. Longtime Pickleball players are ingrained to get that third shot drop. If you send back a first shot drop they are caught off guard. They are back, as the serving team, waiting for the return to be deep. I don’t do the first shot drop every time, I mix it up. I wish I had found pickleball sooner. At 74 I love this game.
I think you are missing the point of serve return, you want to keep them back and hit your return deep and make their 3rd shot more difficult, by hitting a short shot you are just inviting them to NVZ ( which we don’t want to do) May work as a one off but not best choice in the long run.
As I look back over how I use to play and how I play now the biggest difference for me is yes we were told to get to the kitchen as fast as you can yet I never was told to be there for my partner don’t leave them behind cause you are setting up a big gap between you two. It wasn’t that it was bad advice I just didn’t look at the game that it’s 2 of us playing together on the same side and how our shots could make it extremely tough on your partner basically setting them up to get slammed balls or maybe direct hit to their body cause I chose a poor shot not knowing what the smarter shot was. Not playing a racquet sport there has been many challenges.
Taking lesson has helped by looking at the bigger picture for me and my partner as a team as well as me learning how to execute different shots when and where !
Thank you both for all that you do for our pickleball world !!
“Just play; your shots (skills) will get better along the way.” My game improved by leaps and bounds when I started PRACTICING. As Jack Nicholas once said, “The more I practice, the luckier I get. “
Worst advice I have received as an intermediate: Your serve is just meant to start the game so simply hit a “patty cake” serve into your opponent’s box. This advice never made sense to me as serving is the only time the server (and only the server) has complete control over the ball. Why would the server give up this offensive advantage to hit a soft, patty cake serve and immediately be put on the defensive as the receiver now has the advantage? I prefer intentional serving. I mentally divide the PB serving box into 9 squares. I see if the receiver is right or left handed and evaluate where they are standing (far right, left or centered) and how they are standing (upright or crouched; alert or nonchalant; weight balanced and forward or shifted to one side or on their heels). Then I aim for the square within the service box that will make my opponent work the hardest to return the ball.
Bad advice: don’t be in “no man’s land”. I’ve since learned that it’s a transition zone & it’s also an excellent spot to attack from if the circumstances warrant.
Worst Advice: “Aim the ball for the center of the court. All other shots are low percentage. ” ALL shots are low percentage until you master them. Be unpredictable – use the whole court – aim for sidelines – your opponent’s feet – hit deep – hit shallow – dink – drive – lob – slam – drop. Master them all. Use the whole court every time you play. Keep your opponents guessing.
stand at the kitchen line with my paddle drawn back to a back hand position. I like pointing forward much better because I am ready for backhand or forehand.
This bad advice I have corrected many times over the years: you can’t go into the kitchen until the ball bounces.
Forehand ALWAYS covers the middle.