Kitchen Footwork: Shift Weight Before You Take Extra Steps

Summary

Collin Johns (via Pickleball 360) reframes kitchen footwork as efficiency, not more steps. Plant outside the NVZ and arrive balanced early so you steal time from the opponent — a full step often costs more time than a simple weight shift.

When a shift alone gets you there, use it. When you need more range, pair the weight shift with other footwork-family tools like a lateral lunge so you move the feet once, redistribute weight, and land set for the shot.

Key takeaways

• Weight shift beats extra steps when it gets you there balanced
• Goal is early, balanced arrival that cuts opponent time
• Combine shift + lunge when pure shifting is not enough

Action items

• In a kitchen drill, force the first adjustment to be a weight shift before any step
• Add a lateral-lunge-only round for wide balls and freeze on balance before you swing