A few weeks ago I was watching one of my players — let’s call her Sandra — during a drill session. Sandra is in her early 60s, incredibly fit, plays four days a week, and genuinely loves the game. But she kept getting caught just missing the ball with her paddle. Ball after ball would come back faster than she expected, and she’d lunge, flick, or just barely get her paddle on it. Afterward she pulled me aside and said, “CJ, I don’t understand it. My hands just aren’t fast enough. Am I too old to get quicker?”

I smiled, because I hear some version of that question all the time. And my answer is always the same: it’s not your hands, Sandra. It’s your feet.

I had her try one thing — just one — and within ten minutes she was getting to balls she’d been missing for months. She looked at me like I’d handed her a cheat code. In a way, I had.

That one thing is called the split step. And today I want to share it with you, because if you’re over 50 and you feel like the game is sometimes moving faster than you can keep up, this is going to change how you play.

So what exactly is a split step?

If you’ve ever played tennis, you may have heard the term before. A split step is a small movement — a hop or a step out — that you make just before your opponent hits the ball. The whole point of it is simple: you’re stopping your momentum.

That might not sound like much, but that one little pause changes everything. When you stop moving, your brain suddenly has the time and space to do its job. You can read your opponent’s paddle angle. You can start to anticipate where the ball is going. And because your weight is balanced and your feet are set, you can push off in any direction the moment you need to.

Without the split step, you’re still moving when your opponent makes contact. You’re essentially guessing and reacting at the same time — and that’s a tough combination when the ball is coming at you fast.

Two ways to do it — pick what feels right for you

There’s no single right way to split step. I use two versions depending on what feels natural in the moment, and I want you to try both so you can find your own comfort zone.

The first is the hop. Start in your ready position — knees soft, paddle out in front protecting what I like to call your bullseye. Weight forward onto the balls of your feet. Then simply hop out so your feet land just a little wider than shoulder width apart.

The second is the step out. Same starting position, but instead of hopping, you step one foot out to widen your stance. Again, the key is feeling that weight shift onto the balls of your feet.

In our courses at betterpickleball.com, we use a cue called “triangle over triangle.” Imagine a triangle drawn across the front part of your foot — the ball of your foot, just behind your toes. When you’re in your split step, that’s where your weight lives. Your heels might just barely graze the ground, but all the action is forward. That position is what makes you explosive in any direction.

Reading the paddle angle — this is where the magic happens

Once you’re in that split step and your momentum has stopped, something really interesting starts to happen. Your brain gets to work.

One of the first things you can train yourself to look at is your opponent’s paddle angle. It sounds complicated, but it’s actually very intuitive. If their paddle face is pointing straight at you, the ball is most likely coming straight at you. If their paddle is angled to one side, the ball is probably going that way too. You don’t need to consciously figure this out every time — your brain starts picking up on these cues automatically once you give it a moment to read the situation.

And that moment? That’s exactly what the split step gives you.

What about the bangers?

Let’s talk about the players who love to hit hard — because I know they’re out there, and I know they can feel intimidating. Here’s the good news: the split step helps you here too.

When you’re in your split step position, watch your opponent’s body — not just their paddle. If they turn sideways and load up their core, whether to their forehand or their backhand side, that’s a signal. They’re about to generate serious power. That ball is probably coming fast.

Knowing that in advance gives you options. You can get your paddle ready. You can decide to back up. You can even let the ball go if it looks like it’s heading out. Having that extra split second of information makes a big difference in how you respond — instead of just reacting, you’re actually making a choice.

Timing is everything

The split step only works if your timing is right. You want to be landing in that wide, balanced stance just before your opponent makes contact with the ball. Not after — before.

Picture this: you’re moving from the baseline up toward the kitchen line. Your opponent is already up at the non-volley zone, and they have an attackable ball. As you’re transitioning forward, you don’t want to still be mid-stride when they hit. Instead, you time that split step to land just as they’re about to make contact. Now you’re stopped, you’re balanced, and you’re ready to move in whichever direction the ball demands.

It might take four split steps to get from the baseline to the kitchen. That’s okay. Every single time you stop and reset, you’re giving yourself a better chance to get to that next shot.

Give your feet a chance to do the work

I think about Sandra every time I teach this skill, because her reaction is so common. She came onto the court convinced her age was catching up with her. She left convinced she had more game left than she thought — and she was right.

The split step isn’t a young player’s trick. It’s a smart player’s tool. And smart is something we get better at with every year we play.

Start by practicing just the movement itself. Hop out. Step out. Feel that weight on the balls of your feet. Then start adding the timing — watch a practice partner hit and train yourself to land in that split step position just before contact. You’re going to be amazed at how much more of the court you can cover.

Together, we can train smart, live bold, and age well — on and off the pickleball court.

Ready to keep building on this? At betterpickleball.com I have more tips, drills, and coaching resources designed specifically for players over 50 who want to play smarter, move better, and enjoy every single minute on the court. Come join us — I’d love to help you take your game to the next level.