Backing Up in Pickleball: A Step in the Right Direction?

I’ve been noticing that more and more players are taking a step backwards to fire the ball.

This is happening during local rec games, popping up in tournaments, and is clearly visible when watching most PPA matches, more specifically, women’s doubles matches.

So, if more and more players are taking a step back to hit the ball off the bounce instead of taking it early, does that mean it’s a trend or is it a simple evolution in strategy?

Let's talk about it ...

If you’ve been around the game long enough, you might be amongst the large wave of players who were taught to take the ball out of the air, as a volley, so as to take away time from your opponents.

But then why are more players stepping back to let the ball bounce? In many cases, it comes down to comfort - or lack of it.

Players who aren't confident taking volleys or handling fast-paced shots up close tend to retreat, giving themselves more time to react.

Many are former tennis players who bring over habits from the baseline-heavy game they’re used to, where letting the ball bounce is the norm. Others simply feel safer backing up, especially in fast exchanges.

There’s also a copycat effect at play: players see others doing it - sometimes even higher-level players - and follow suit without fully understanding the consequences.

To complicate things further, there are instructors who promote this tactic, framing it as a strategic reset rather than a positional mistake.

While the intention might be to stay in control, the habit often does more harm than good.

Another factor driving this trend is the increasing use of two-handed backhand groundstrokes and attacks - especially in women’s doubles, where the technique has become a staple.

Players using two hands often need more space to generate power and swing freely, and stepping back provides that room.

You’ll frequently see players retreat just enough to load up and rip a two-handed backhand, often off the bounce, rather than taking the ball early out of the air.

In some cases, it works - especially if they can reestablish position quickly afterward - but it’s also reinforcing a pattern that moves players away from the kitchen line and out of optimal positioning.

Instead of stepping fully back, a more efficient and balanced approach might be to retreat just one foot - a subtle adjustment that gives you the space you need to execute under pressure without fully surrendering your ground.

I often teach players to slide one foot back when they feel jammed, creating just enough room to swing or reset without losing control of the point.

This micro-adjustment keeps your body balanced, maintains your presence at the line, and allows you to stay offensive.

It’s a small change, but it makes a big difference in maintaining pressure without sacrificing court position.

While stepping back might feel like the safe choice in the moment, it often comes at a cost - and that cost is court position. In pickleball, maintaining a forward position, especially at the non-volley zone (NVZ) line, is critical.

Giving up that space allows your opponents to regain control, push you into a defensive posture, and open up angles that weren’t there before.

Once you step back, it becomes harder to stay aggressive, and you’re more likely to get caught in transition or forced into awkward resets.

In short, retreating too often turns proactive play into reactive play - and that shift can be the difference between winning and losing a point.

That said, stepping back isn’t always the wrong move.

Like most things in pickleball, it’s situational.

There are moments when backing off the line is the best available option - for example, when you're off-balance, when a ball is coming at an awkward height, or when you need to reset after a scramble.

In transitional zones or after being pulled wide, taking a step back can help buy time and regain composure.

The key is making it a conscious, strategic choice - not a default habit. Backing up with purpose is very different from backing up out of fear or uncertainty.

Personally, rather than teaching players to retreat, I turn the focus to building the skills that allow them to stay forward.

That means learning how to take the ball out of the air with confidence, improving reaction time, and practicing footwork that keeps you balanced and ready at the NVZ.

Drills that emphasize early contact, compact swings, and soft hands at the kitchen line go a long way in replacing the need to step back.

It's also important to train players to read the ball off the paddle - not just off the bounce - so they can anticipate and hold their ground.

With the right tools, players can shift from playing scared to playing smart, keeping the pressure on their opponents instead of themselves.

This article was taken from our 'Control the Kitchen' Newsletter, if you're interested in receiving more content like this, please feel free to sign up using the subscribe section located at the bottom left of this page (or underneath the article if you're on mobile), thanks!