Pickleball Ready Stance
The ready stance is your athletic base position to prepare for any shot:
Key Elements:
Feet: Shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
Weight: On the balls of your feet (not heels) for quick movement.
Body: Slight forward lean with a straight back and low center of gravity.
Arms & Paddle: Paddle out in front of your body at chest height, angled slightly upward, with both hands loosely on the paddle (dominant hand holding, non-dominant supporting).
Eyes: Focused forward, watching your opponent’s paddle and body cues.
Purpose: This stance allows quick lateral or forward/backward movement, preparing you to react fast to volleys, dinks, or drives.
Proper Positioning on the Court
1. Serving Team Positioning
Server: Behind the baseline on the correct side (right side for even score, left for odd).
Partner: Near the baseline, prepared for the return. Do not rush the net until the third shot is played.
2. Receiving Team Positioning
Returner: Behind the baseline, ready to return deep.
Partner: Up at the non-volley zone (NVZ or “kitchen”) line, prepared to intercept short returns or pressure net play.
3. After the Serve
Serving Team: After the serve and return, the goal is to execute a third shot drop and advance to the NVZ line together.
Both Teams: Ideally, both players on each team should be at the non-volley zone line, maintaining a side-by-side formation.
Tips:
Move as a team—maintain a “tandem” shape, not leaving gaps.
Stay aligned with your partner, about 6–8 feet apart.
Cover the middle and communicate who takes shots.
Avoid standing too far back unless defending a lob or reset.
