Pickleball Tip: What You Need to Know About Footwork Near the Kitchen

Season 25, Episode 4: Shaun Boyce and Jim Carella Welcome to today’s tennis tips where Shaun invites RSPA and PPA certified pickleball pro Jim Carella (AKA Jimbo Pickleball). Today he’ll share the importance of footwork at the non-volley line, which is generally known as “Kitchen”. No matter if you're just a pickleball enthusiast or a seasoned pro, mastering this technique (that Jim shares today) will level up your game. What This Short Episode Exposes The episode is short but enriched with some precious advice from Jim Carella that will help you dominate the court. Here are some of the key facts that the episodes is going to reveal- The Importance of Footwork at the Kitchen Line Today Jim explains why your footwork near the net is super crucial. It will allow you to be aggressive and defensive at the same time. This approach will enable you to stay balanced and improve your ability to determine the ball’s next move. Why Shuffling is Key Jim highlights the significance of standing facing the net with your hips and shoulders at all times. This simply allows for better control and quicker reactions. He advises shuffling left and right aggressively to stay in a ready position, which allows for making defensive shots and strategic moves. Proper shuffling helps maintain one's balance while reacting to the fast-paced action of pickleball. The Dangers of Crossing Your Feet One of the most common mistakes many players make is crossing their feet with the intention of moving. Jim defines crossing your feet as a harmful habit as it causes instability, makes it difficult for your body to recover, and leaves you exposed to a "speed-up" shot from your opponent. It is clear that remaining forward with anticipation and preventing crossing legs enables more effortless movement to a ready position. When to Use a Step-Cross (and How to Recover) Although crossing your feet should always be avoided, Jim explains why it can sometimes be acceptable in certain situations. But if feet do get crossed, it is highly important to make a strong recovery and get to a neutral position as quickly as possible to be ready for the next sequence. Special Thanks reGeovinate.com: For providing the studio space. Signature Tennis: For their continued support of the GoTennis! Podcast. Support the Show Enjoyed the episode? Please leave us a 5-star review in your favorite podcast app! Your reviews help us reach more listeners and continue bringing you valuable tips. Visit LetsGoTennis.com for more racket sports content, event calendars, exclusive deals on products, and much more! If you loved this episode, please share it with your fellow players and friends. Let's share some racket sports love! 🎾📲 More about Jim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimcarella/ Shaun Boyce USPTA: shaun@tennisforchildren.com https://tennisforchildren.com/ 🎾 Bobby Schindler USPTA: schindlerb@comcast.net https://letsgotennis.com/windermere/ 🎾 Geovanna Boyce: geovy@regeovinate.com https://regeovinate.com/ 💪🏼🏋️ This podcast is powered by GoTennis!: The Best Value in Atlanta Racket Sports 🤜🏼🎾🤛🏼 🏠 https://letsgotennis.com/ 🫶 https://letsgotennis.com/join/ https://letsgotennis.com/shop 👟👜 https://letsgotennis.com/podcast/ 🎙️🎧 Do you want to read about some good things going on in the world of tennis? https://letsgotennis.com/stories/ 🔥🪑 Check out our GoTennis! Facebook page for deals, updates, events, podcasts, news, stories, coach profiles, club information, and more https://bit.ly/gt_facebook_page Also, you can support this show (and save some $) by shopping at 🤑 https://letsgotennis.com/shop-home/ Or, donate directly HERE Want to get into crypto? This is easy: https://www.coinbase.com/join/boyce_3s?src=ios-link Want donate with Bitcoin? Here’s the address: 3EqTU1gQBLoieMeFLC1BQgCUajPpPMCgwB Considering your own podcast? We (obviously) recommend Captivate: This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free .