Two roads that lead to shot execution
In our last article, we examined aggressive shots such as volleys and overheads, Mastering these shots requires proper technique. However, even if your stroke is solid, there is a crucial factor that can sabotage your game, whether it’s a powerful volley or a sublime dink.
The problem is often not the shot itself – it’s what happens before the shot is even hit.
Footwork and Positioning
No matter what type of shot you hit, footwork and positioning are crucial to executing the shot properly. Many players tell me that their dink, drop or backhand needs help. Invariably the problem is their set-up – they aren’t getting low and setting the paddle face on their “push” shots or they fail to prepare early and turn their body on their “hit” shots as needed. When you play with proper positioning and body mechanics, your shots become simpler and more reliable. If you freeze frame a top tennis or pickleball player just as they are about to strike the ball, you will see that they are in perfect balance most of the time. Every picture of them at this point looks identical. Your goal should also be to put yourself in the same optimal position to succeed every time.
You must be on the balls of your feet, ready to make quick steps so that you are in the ideal position as often as possible, with your weight balanced or slightly forward. When you don’t move properly, you find yourself leaning, reaching, lunging, or falling backward. Having the right footwear can greatly assist in maintaining these crucial dynamics. It’s essential to have shoes that allow for nimble movements while providing enough grip to prevent slipping or falling. We’ve put together a guide to help you select the best footwear for playing pickleball. There are times when you must do all the above out of necessity when your opponent makes a great shot, but more often than not, you have time to move quickly to put yourself in optimal position.
Dedicate yourself to moving your feet. On a dink, a quick shuffle step can mean the difference between a controlled shot and a lunging, off-balance pop-up. On a third shot drop or ground stroke, a quick step back on a hard shot can put you in position to plant your back foot and push or hit the shot to your target, also allowing you to move forward more easily and quickly to the kitchen. On a volley, you can use a slide step (one quick step to the side as the other foot slides with you) to get your body behind the ball, putting you in a more powerful position to consistently strike the ball rather than reaching.
All this footwork relies on being up on the balls of your feet with your paddle in ready position. Try not to play like Frankenstein’s monster with a hangover, flatfooted and slow to react. You should feel nimble, balanced, and ready to move in any direction. However, as you move into position on all of these shots, be careful not to get “happy feet”, move too much, and find yourself out of position for the next shot.
Positioning also involves your location on the court. You must move to the kitchen line at every opportunity to take control of points.
The kitchen line is where the game is won. (Ever heard that before?)
Winning Strategies for When You’re in a Pickle
Moving together as a team and correct location on the court as you receive serve are other examples of using proper court position to increase your odds of hitting effective shots. A simple way to improve your return game is to make sure you stand back well behind the baseline if your opponent has a strong serve. This allows you to move forward as you return serve and avoid being pushed back on your heels. It’s much easier to get to the kitchen line after your return if you are already moving slightly forward (not running!) at contact. If no matter how you try, you have a shaky backhand ground stroke, position yourself to the left as you get ready to receive serve if you’re a righthander, making it more difficult for your opponent to attack your weaker side. These techniques require no skill. However, they put you in position to hit the best shots possible even before the point begins.
Many players will focus on their missed shots without realizing that these misses are often a direct consequence of improper body position as they contact the ball or suboptimal location on the court before the ball is struck by their opponent. Your shots will magically improve when you are in the right position every time.
Preparation
Preparation goes hand in hand with positioning. Not only does preparation involve proper pre-shot positioning on the court and being up on the balls of your feet, but it also depends on posture and paddle position. It’s hard to play effective pickleball when you look like you’re standing in line at the grocery store, standing upright with one hand hanging by your side, maybe even looking at your cell phone. You might as well be wearing a T-shirt that says, “Hit Me!”. Keeping both hands up keeps your body square and balanced and discourages you from letting your paddle drop. When you’re at the kitchen, always have your hands and paddle up, expecting a hard shot.
The good news is that when you are properly prepared to hit a shot, you’re getting a great glute and leg workout while you wait. (And you thought you were just having fun…) You should keep your knees slightly bent, up on the balls of your feet, stance somewhat wide, butt somewhat low, chin up, and weight balanced evenly, ready to move in any direction. If you set up like an athlete, you play like an athlete.
There are varying opinions about the “ready” paddle position when at the kitchen line. I prefer keeping the bottom edge of the paddle slightly above the navel at about 10:30-11:00 for a righthander (if the paddle pointing straight at your opponent is 12:00), favoring the backhand. I find this position especially helpful when a shot may come back at me quickly. From this position I can square the paddle and reset or attack even if I have to “chicken wing” a ball hit a bit to my forehand side. This works great for me and most of my students — but as the kids say these days, “You do you!”
As your opponent is ready to strike the ball, you should stop your forward motion and assume your ready position. Running through the ball as you make contact or as the ball is hit at you makes it difficult to control your shot. If you are back in the court and expect a hard volley or overhead, squat low with your paddle low as well. This gives you more of an opportunity to block the ball back when your opponent wisely hits at your feet.
Another aspect of preparation is moving into optimal hitting position as soon as you begin to pick up clues as to your opponents’ intentions. These clues can come in the form of a longer backswing, telltale stance or paddle face angle. More accomplished players pick up on these clues and get a head start on preparing their feet and paddle position to execute the best shot available. Beginners will sometimes wait until the ball is almost to them and then take a hurried backswing and hit at the ball without much rhythm or intention.
I love legendary basketball coach, John Wooden’s advice.
“Be quick, but don’t hurry”.
Move quickly into position with your paddle already in hitting position, then relax and let the stroke flow. No matter what type of shot you hit, this technique will result in the best pickleball you can play.
