Hitting a split step before every shot is one of the greatest things you can do for your game!

Troy Akin calls the split step one of the biggest advantages tennis athletes bring to pickleball. Right before the opponent hits — on 3rds, 5ths, kitchen, or baseline — land a balanced split instead of running through the next ball off-balance. Getting to the kitchen often takes two or three good shots; embrace that. Pair split-stepping with shot recognition: if your third is actually good, take the forward steps; if not, don’t crash.

Key takeaways

• Split before every opponent contact
• Land balanced — don’t run through the next ball
• Kitchen arrival often needs 2–3 shots
• Good third → advance; bad third → don’t crash

Action items

• Shadow: split on every clap/partner toss for 5 minutes
• Transition drill: third + split + decide advance vs hold
• Match rule: no step forward without a split first
• Film approach: flag reps where you’re still running at contact
• Tennis players: transfer the habit explicitly; non-racket players: over-train it