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Are you moving to the kitchen wrong?

Are you moving to the kitchen wrong?

Paul from Pickleball Daily
February 04, 2026

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Tip of the day

Most Players Move to the Kitchen Wrong...

Shea Underwood coaches a 3.0 player through the essential footwork and positional habits needed to transition smoothly from the baseline to the kitchen line without getting caught out of position.

Mastering the "serve, step back" routine is a high-priority habit that prevents you from getting jammed by deep returns hitting your feet.

By practicing a simple two-step backward motion immediately after your follow-through, you can instinctively create enough space to handle a deep return with balance.

Your decision to move forward should be dictated by the quality of the shot you just hit; if you hit a high, weak ball, you must stay back or even retreat.

The goal of moving forward is to gain as much ground as possible while ensuring you are completely stopped and set before your opponent makes contact with the ball.

"Blindly running" to the kitchen is a common mistake; instead, use a split-step or a deliberate pause to stay balanced and reactive throughout your transition.

A "seesaw effect" should govern your paddle height: keep it lower when you are at the baseline and gradually raise it as you move closer to the net.

When you are positioned further back, any ball hit above a low paddle is likely going out, allowing you to let it go rather than attempting a difficult reach.

As you reach the kitchen, your paddle should be at chest height and held slightly out in front of you to maximize your reaction time and punching power.

Keeping your elbows slightly away from your body rather than tucked in tight provides a greater range of motion for both backhand and forehand volleys.

Key Points:

Establish a "one-two" backward footwork pattern after every serve to ensure you aren't standing inside the court for the return.
Read the height of your own shot to determine if you should advance to the net or hold your position defensively.
Focus on becoming perfectly still before your opponent strikes the ball to avoid being caught mid-stride.
Adjust your paddle height dynamically as you move forward to stay prepared for the most likely trajectory of the incoming ball.
Maintain a comfortable distance between your paddle and your chest to ensure you can react quickly to fast speed-ups at the kitchen.

Watch the full tutorial here.