The 7 Pickleball Mistakes Holding You Back — And How To Fix Them Fast
If you’re feeling stuck in your pickleball game and wondering why that elusive next level keeps slipping through your paddle, you’re not alone. Common mistakes — from lazy footwork on dinks to overhitting at the kitchen — are often the culprits holding players back. A top-level breakdown identifies seven key errors that almost every player makes, and correcting just a few of them can have a massive impact. From relying too heavily on your forehand to poor communication with partners, these issues sabotage your performance more than you realize, especially in the transition zone where many points are won or lost.
Good footwork — staying low, moving actively, and getting your outside leg behind the ball — is foundational. Just as crucial is resisting the urge to overhit when you reach the kitchen. Playing aggressively doesn’t mean smacking every ball like it owes you money; it means knowing when to slow down, build the point, and patiently wait for the right opportunity to attack. Similarly, short serves and returns are silent killers. Deep placement from the baseline sets the tone for the point, giving you and your partner a much better chance to dictate play. And speaking of partners, the silent treatment during a game? It’s not a flex — it’s a fast track to losing. Communicating simple plans between points can be the glue that turns two good players into one unstoppable team.
If you find yourself always running around your backhand or going for low-percentage hero shots under pressure, it’s time for some tough love. Both sides of your game need practice — you can’t just bail to your forehand forever. When attacked during transition, the smart move isn’t to blast a counterattack from no man’s land; it’s a calm reset into the kitchen, where you can truly take control. Focus on high-percentage decisions, footwork fundamentals, and clear partner communication, and you won’t just improve — you’ll become the player your current self would hate to play against. Time to get to work.
