5 Beginner Pickleball Mistakes to Avoid (Plus How to Fix Them)

As a beginner pickleball player and coach with years of experience helping new players improve, I’ve seen firsthand the most common mistakes beginners make when starting out in this fun sport. While pickleball may seem easy to pick up at first, there are some key techniques, rules, and strategies that can take time to learn properly. Making mistakes is simply part of the learning process, but being aware of the pitfalls can help you avoid developing bad habits that will hinder your progress later on. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll be sharing the top beginner mistakes I often see on the court, along with actionable tips you can start applying right away to quickly improve your game.

Common Beginner Mistakes and Solutions

1. Serving and Stepping In

One of the most frequent errors I see beginners make is stepping into the court after serving. Here’s why this is a problem:

• Since you have to let the ball bounce before hitting it again after serving, moving forward puts you in a poor position if your opponent makes a deep return.
• You’ll likely be caught moving backward, which disrupts your balance and often leads to either missing the return or popping it up – easy put-away chances for your opponent.

Instead: Hold your position or step back slightly after serving. This keeps your weight centered and allows you to move forward to meet the return. Serving and staying back preserves better balance and control.

2. Overusing the Third Shot Drive

It’s very tempting as a beginner to hit every third shot as hard as possible. But without proper technique, this often leads to hitting balls out or into the net. Think precision over power.

Instead: Try a third shot drop – a softer shot placed just over the net to land in the kitchen. This not only improves your chances of making the shot but allows you to then move up to the non-volley zone for the next shot.

3. Lacking Focus at the Kitchen Line

Many beginners move sporadically at the kitchen line – shifting forward and back repeatedly. This lack of composure can throw off your balance and lead to poor returns.

Instead: Stand your ground and move minimally. Side-to-side shuffling or small backward diagonals are okay but avoid excessive motion. Staying grounded preserves balance, giving you better court coverage.

4. Taking Big, Loose Swings

Giant backswings may look impressive, but they often lead to hitting shots into the net. Beginners frequently misjudge the ball height required for these dramatic swings.

Instead: Use a compact punching motion, lowering your body. This controls the power and trajectory while ensuring solid contact – reducing errors.

5. Closed-Mindedness About Feedback

Being stubborn or refusing suggestions can really limit your development as a beginner. An openness to feedback and critique is essential for continual improvement.

Instead: Proactively seek feedback. Ask better players for advice after games. Observe and analyze more skilled players to learn from them. This humble mindset accelerates your progress.

Bonus Tip: Paddle Positioning

Beginners tend to hold their paddle too low when at the kitchen line, forcing them to make large, inefficient movements to respond to faster volleys.

Instead: Have your paddle up and out front when at the kitchen. This ready position allows quick, controlled responses to your opponent’s shots.

Other Frequent Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Beyond those major errors, there are several other mistakes I commonly see beginners make. Being aware of these can help you refine your technique and strategy over time:

• Neglecting the soft game – Resist smashing every shot and practice control dinks, drops, and volleys to master the finesse of pickleball.
• Avoiding weaknesses – Work on your backhand, lob shots, or other areas of your game that need improvement.
• Attacking low balls – Only strike shots that bounce above the net; be patient during rallies.
• Not moving forward – Proactively move toward the non-volley zone to take time away from your opponents.
• Disregarding the net – Avoid the temptation to hit delicate net shots; clear the net with margin.
• Paddle grip issues – Grip too much in the palm leads to control problems; get coaching on grip.
• Footwork flaws – Not utilizing the split step or having heavy feet hurts agility; do drills.
• Swing control challenges – Overly long strokes lead to mishits; use a fence or barriers to limit backswing.
• Trying advanced play prematurely – Focus on basics before mixing in fancier spins or ambitious power shots.
• Poor court positioning – Hugging the baseline leaves you out of position; move forward.

Helpful Drills and Training Tips

Now that you’re aware of the most common beginner pitfalls, let’s discuss some useful ways to train yourself out of these habits:

• Practice serving and staying – Concentrate on holding your position after serving during drills. This ingrains better muscle memory.
• Drop shot-only games – Limiting yourself to only hitting third shot drops during casual play removes the temptation to drive everything.
• Soft game repetitions – Spend time at the kitchen line bouncing the ball back and forth to hone control and touch.
• Split step drills – Do lateral shuffles while alternating the split step to build muscle memory.
• Backswing barriers – Use a fence or court lines as barriers to shorten your swing.
• High ball attack practice – Have someone toss you high balls to learn ideal attack opportunities.
• Patience games – Challenge yourself to go extra reps in a rally before attempting to strike; build discipline.
• Play with better players – Seek out and observe skilled players to learn from them.
• Actively ask for feedback – Talk to fellow players after matches to get critiques and advice.
• Watch instructional videos – Study picks from experienced players online to gain new perspectives.
• Work weaknesses into drills – Isolate flaws and spend dedicated time improving them.

Common Rules Beginners Misunderstand

In addition to technical and strategic mistakes, beginners also frequently misunderstand pickleball rules and kitchen guidelines. Here are some of the most often confused:

• Kitchen rules – You can enter the kitchen after the ball bounces; you just can’t volley it there.
• Serving foot faults – Your foot cannot touch or cross the baseline prior to serving contact.
• Volleying – You must let the ball bounce before volleying after the serve.
• Line calls – A ball touching any part of a line is considered “in.”

Having a solid grasp of the basic rules and guidelines will serve you well as you progress in pickleball and move up to more advanced competitive play.

Final Thoughts on Avoiding Beginner Pitfalls

The key takeaway here is that all players make mistakes when starting out. It’s part of the learning process. However, avoiding common beginner errors will help fast-track your development as a pickleball player.

Be patient with yourself, focus on fundamentals, and don’t get ahead of your current skill level. With the right mindset of learning over winning and embracing feedback, you’ll be hitting returns like a pro in no time.

Now get out there, be ready to laugh at yourself, and enjoy this fantastic sport!