Can you stand in the kitchen? #pickleball #pickleballtips

Summary

Ty Butson answers whether you can be in the kitchen before the ball bounces. You can stand in the kitchen at any time during a rally; hitting a ball there is legal as long as you let it bounce first. It’s only a fault if you volley while in the kitchen. ‘The kitchen is not lava.’ He still doesn’t advise hanging out in it: you generally want to be right at the line so you can take volleys whenever you want, and if you’re a step in, you might accidentally volley. Set your feet when you volley, because it’s also a fault to volley and then fall into the kitchen afterwards.

Key takeaways

• You can stand in the kitchen any time during a rally
• Hitting a bounced ball from the kitchen is legal
• Volleying while in the kitchen is the fault
• Volleying and then falling into the kitchen is also a fault

Action items

• Default position: right at the kitchen line, not a step inside
• If you step in for a short ball, let it bounce and then get back out
• Set your feet on every volley near the line
• Practice: dink rallies where you call out ‘bounce’ before hitting from inside the kitchen