Ready Position and Footwork at the Kitchen Line: The Checklist

First published October 21, 2026 Last revised October 21, 2026 4-minute read

An article from the La Cuisine en Douceur editorial team.

A pickleball player in ready position, knees bent and paddle out in front, near the kitchen line. — **Ready at the Line.** A good ready position means bent knees, the paddle up in front of you and your weight slightly forward. Keep your feet a safe distance from the line to avoid a fault. After each shot, reset and get ready for the next one.

Let's start "Ready Position and Footwork at the Kitchen Line: The Checklist" with no preamble. You'll know how to check your posture and footwork before every dink. We'll go through the steps to run through and the essential vocabulary.

The Steps to Run Through

Run the sequence in order, without skipping a line.

At the moment of impact on a dink, the paddle face should be more horizontal than vertical.
For the dink, hold the paddle very loosely — USA Pickleball suggests a grip pressure of about 2 on a scale of 1 to 10.
On the dink, face the net and move your feet rather than reaching out for the ball.

The Essential Vocabulary

Let's run through the vocabulary.

Double Bounce

The double bounce rule requires the ball to bounce once on each side after the serve before volleys are allowed.

Take this case: the returner lets the serve bounce, then the server lets the return bounce before they can volley.

The details of Double Bounce are waiting for you on its page.

What Ready Position Should You Adopt Near the Net?

Take this case — pickleball was born in 1965 on Bainbridge Island (Washington State), dreamed up by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum with ping-pong paddles, a perforated ball and a lowered badminton net.

By the numbers, the pickleball is a hollow, perforated plastic ball (26 to 40 holes depending on indoor or outdoor use) and the paddle is solid, about 240 g on average.

Per the rulebook — after the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side of the court before players can volley (double bounce rule).

In your next session, this specialist site lists, among other things, "Balles de pickleball extérieur — Packs de 3 ou 6" — a starting point.

Where Should You Put Your Feet Relative to the Kitchen Line?

Check the following rule — in doubles, the "double chance" applies: each partner serves before the serve passes to the opponents, except at the very start of the game, when the starting team gets only one chance.

Supporting text: the serve must be made below the hip, diagonally, from behind the baseline, and land in the opposite service area.

Keep these measured benchmarks in mind: a pickleball court is 6.10 m wide by 13.41 m long, which makes four courts on a tennis court according to the FFT club guide.

How Do You Reset After Each Shot?

Check the following rule: in the non-volley zone, volleying is prohibited, including the takeoff and the landing; you can step in to play a ball after it bounces.

The List to Keep

Write down the following in your notebook.

In doubles, the "double chance" applies.
For the dink, hold the paddle very loosely.

Checking Your Motion and Footwork Before a Dink

Points to check at the kitchen line to play a steady dink and stay within the rules.

Bend your knees and keep the paddle up in front of you. — A low, ready position lets you play low balls without standing up.
Check the distance between your feet and the kitchen line. — Stepping in the zone or on the line during a volley is a fault.
Shorten your backswing and play the ball in front of your body. — A short motion gives a soft, more consistent trajectory.
Reset and return to the ready position after the shot. — That prepares you for the next ball in a dink rally.

Source: How to Dink and Why It's Important For Your Success in Pickleball – USA Pickleball.

Final Word

You've been through the steps to run through and the essential vocabulary: go back to the part that gives you trouble. Reread this page before your next session, pencil in hand.

Kitchen Rule in Pickleball: What's Allowed and What Isn't — Non-volley zone, double bounce and related faults. Here: the rules that guide you, the glossary, deeper reading and where to start.
The Double Bounce Rule Explained for Dink Players — You'll learn to apply the double bounce rule on the serve and the return, and understand how it changes your play at the kitchen line.
Dink, Drop, Drive: Telling the Three Pickleball Shots Apart — You'll know how to choose between a dink, a drop and a drive based on your position and the ball you receive. Here are the terms to keep in mind.
What Is a Dink in Pickleball? Definition and Role of the Shot — You'll learn to define a dink, know what it's for and spot one in a rally. Topics covered include the essential vocabulary.

Sources cited

The Three Ds of Pickleball: Dink, Drop, Drive – Pickleball Canada —
How to Dink and Why It's Important For Your Success in Pickleball – USA Pickleball —
What is Pickleball? – USA Pickleball — Overview of the basics: serve, scoring, 7-foot non-volley zone, double bounce rule, origins of the sport. Source accessed on 2026-10-13.
Pickleball – Le Guide du club — Overview of the sport for clubs: court dimensions, net, equipment, resources and competition guides. Source accessed on 2026-10-13.
Les règles du pickleball — Rules in French: 2.13 m non-volley zone, no volleying in the kitchen, double bounce, serve, scoring, court dimensions. Source accessed on 2026-10-13.

The rules cited are based on the text of the Fédération française de tennis, which holds the delegation for pickleball in France, and on those of USA Pickleball; in competition, always check the rulebook in force.

This site doesn't replace the advice of a doctor or a physical therapist: if you have persistent pain in your elbow, shoulder or wrist, see a health professional.