Split Step: Learn HOW First, Then WHEN

Summary

Coach Jess (Athena Pickleball) makes the split step approachable for non-tennis players.

The move isn’t automatic if you never learned it: first train how to hop-land balanced on both feet, then train when to time that landing as the opponent contacts the ball. Her drill series builds both the movement pattern and the timing muscle.

Key takeaways

• Non-tennis players need explicit HOW before WHEN
• Split step = tiny hop, land balanced, ready to push either way
• Drill the movement, then attach it to opponent contact timing

Action items

• Shadow 30 split-steps alone: hop-land soft, then push left or right on a cue
• In feeds, split only on feeder contact — ignore the ball until after you land