Proper paddle position is a key skill in pickleball. Having your paddle in a good “Ready Position” can reduce the time it takes you to perform your return shot and reduce your percentage of errors.
Whether we get tired or lazy, it’s easy to let your paddle drop to your side especially later in the game when you are starting to feel fatigued. While a simple reminder to keep your paddle can help kick the bad habit a bit, there are some much better strategies that you can implement to go beyond the simple advice of keeping the paddle up and ready.
Below you’ll find three different strategies from three well-known pickleball channels on Youtube, each with a different take on the best way to practice the ready position and keep your paddle in the optimal position.
1) Variation on the Ready Position.
This first video comes from the folks at Pickleball Channel and national pickleball champ Simone Jardim.
Many times, beginner pickleball players are told to keep the paddle at the 12:00 position (imagine a clock) straight at the net and then transition to 9:00 for backhand shots. Although this works for many players, it can create some weakness that opponents can easily take advantage of. Many players get into trouble when the ball comes over their weak side shoulder (left side for right-handed players) and they flip or turn the paddle into weird positions rather than hitting a solid backhand.
Another problem on the 9:00 position is the elbow comes out from their torso and up (“chicken wing”). Simone recommends adjusting the ready position to 10 and 2 o’clock with elbows tucked, hands in and belly button high. This body positioning enables Simone to cover 75% of her shots and easily transition from forehand to backhand shots and eliminates the awkward “chicken wing”.
Great video and great advice Simone! Watch the full video here:
2) Paddle Tracking
Sarah Ansboury introduces a concept she calls “Paddle Tracking” to use the pickleball paddle to track the ball while it’s in play. She likes to think of her paddle as a heat-seeking missile. I really liked that description, I’ve tried this out in practice and find the visualization really does help keep me on the ball better.
Sarah points out that one of the keys is good body positioning, keeping your body high (not bent over) and pickleball paddle held high and out in front of you while constantly pointing the paddle at the ball and shifting your body weight as the pickleball ball moves around the court. Maximize use of your shoulder, not elbow and wrist!
This helps you keep engaged in the game and brain and body connected. This is also a great strategy for poaching as it helps you get in position and anticipate the shots! “Poach Like A Pro”!
3) Pickleball Strategy: The Myth of ‘Paddle Up’
Lastly, we have this video from Mark Renneson at Third Shot Sports who offers his opinion and reasons why he feels the “Paddle Up” mantra that is repeated so often by many coaches to beginner pickleball players is not necessarily good advice …and may actually be creating bad habits that are detrimental to your pickleball game!
The video does a great job showing many examples of top-level players who do NOT keep their paddle up high. In fact, some of the clips show them consistently holding your pickleball paddle at waist height or even below –down near their thighs while in the ready position waiting to return the next shot. Mark also explains that keeping your paddle too high will elevates your center of gravity which makes it difficult to move quickly.
It may be a matter of compromise, some players are willing to give up some paddle readiness to have a lower center of gravity and move better on the court.
As Mark says MOVING MATTERS in Pickleball!
In the video, you can see Mark is playing with the Selkirk Sports Pro S1 Pickleball Paddle but in more recent videos he’s updated to the Selkirk Amped Line.
The video also shows balanced examples of top players who DO use the high paddle position, including Simone Jardim (from the video above). So, ultimately the decision is yours and most likely will be the strategy that best matches your playing style or maybe a slight modification of one of these or a combination of strategies that best fit you.
We hope this combination helped you a bit with pickleball body positioning, paddle tracking and some options to think about and practice to find the best ready position for you. Big thanks to Simone Jardim, Pickleball Channel, Sarah Ansboury and Third Shot Sports for the great content!
More Tips:
- Paddle positioning is the first tip in our Top 7 Pickleball Tips (click here to see the other 6)!
- Click here to see the #1 Tip To Instantly Improve Your Pickleball Serve!
- Still looking or more tips? See our 77 Quick Ways to Improve Your Game.
Strange how there are conflicting videos for paddle position.
I am (5’3 “) short so the balls come towards my face and chest lot. Then I miss the balls at my feet.
I find that If I keep the paddle out away from me, at waist height, I have a better chance of getting those foot balls.
Yes, I have gotten hit in the chest, but it’s rare
Great point Trina, there really isn’t any one perfect paddle position. Probably best adjust based on your playing style and as you say – height- if you are taller or shorter than most you may need to adjust your paddle position for best results.
Show more on left hand women players and tips for them in a ready position.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for the comment. We’ll definitely try to come up with some tips for lefties and publish it soon.
-Matt
Really liked the Paddle Tracking clip. Makes a lot of sense in engaging with a good ready position and paddle way out in front.
I’d also add watching the closest opponent’s eyes when your partner is hitting helps anticipation.
Is keeping the paddle up always the best advice in pickleball, considering how top players often keep it lower for improved agility?