5 Hidden Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Pickleball Game

Every player has blind spots, and unfortunately, most of them are standing smack dab in the kitchen. From involuntary flinching to ill-timed panic drives, many common pickleball errors fly under the radar simply because they feel so natural. But don’t let your instincts fool you. Flinching when someone speeds up a shot isn’t bravery—it’s biology. Same with driving balls from awkward spots or misreading spin because the ball has you hypnotized. Even more damaging is believing your improvement hinges solely on court time. In reality, small mental shifts and smarter drills (some of which can be done in your garage) can make a world of difference.

Let’s start with the flinch. Yes, the kitchen line is close, and yes, it’s uncomfortable. But learning to trust your paddle and stand your ground is essential. Practicing with controlled fakes and soft-speed drills helps retrain the muscle memory that has you ducking like it’s dodgeball. The panic drive, on the other hand, is a direct product of poor footwork and worse decisions. Players tend to slap the ball in desperation rather than recognize that a reset—often a simple drop—is a much smarter play, especially when you’re on the run. It’s not flashy, but neither is losing 11-2.

And then there’s the spin blindness. Topspin, slice, side spin—they’re not mysteries, they’re just under-read. You don’t need hawk vision, just a little focus on your opponent’s paddle and the pace it’s generating. Combine that with better wall drills—yes, wall drills—and you’ve got the building blocks of better reactions. Repetition, not revelation, is what fixes these gaps. So if you’re stuck, it’s not the sport. It’s these fixable fundamentals, each one just waiting to get tuned up before your next match.