John Cincola’s Pickleball Footwork Tips: Professional pickleball player John Cincola has released a new video teaching players how to move better on the court. The video, shared online in early June 2025, shows five easy footwork tips that can help players of all skill levels. These tips focus on helping players move faster, stay balanced, and react quickly during games.
John Cincola said good footwork is important because it helps players get to the ball, slow down, and be ready to hit. In the video, he breaks down five simple movements that players can learn and practice to become better and quicker on the court.
“There are a lot of phases to kind of the whole footwork part of things. We’re going to focus on the five key ones and hopefully by the end of this, you’ll be moving around the court much more efficiently.” – (Cincola)
Moving in a Straight Line
The first tip is to run straight toward the ball when it is far away. This is better than hopping or shuffling.
“If we need to cover a lot of ground, we turn and we run in a straight line to that spot.” – (Cincola)
This movement helps players get to the ball quickly, especially in singles matches or when they are playing from the back of the court.
Lunge and Load Step
The second footwork move is the lunge and load step. This happens when a player steps out to hit the ball near the kitchen line. The goal is to stay balanced.
“You’re going to be planting generally on your outside foot and what we need is… good balance over that leg.” – (Cincola)
It also helps players stop after running and get ready to hit a good shot.
Step Back to Create Space
The third move is a step back. It gives players more space to hit when the ball comes quickly or lands close to their feet.
“If I take a big step back now I create all this space that I can hit from.” – (Cincola)
This can be used near the kitchen line or from the baseline to give players more time and space to prepare for the shot.
Shuffle Side to Side
The fourth tip is the shuffle step. This movement helps when the ball is a little out of reach, especially near the kitchen line.
“Between the shuffle and the lunge, you should be able to cover your half of the court up at the kitchen line really with no problem.” – (Cincola)
The shuffle lets players move sideways without losing their balance or control.
Split Step for Quick Reactions
The last movement is the split step. This helps players react right after their opponent hits the ball.
“When the ball touches their paddle, I’m trying to time both of my feet touch the ground… so once the ball comes off their paddle whatever direction it goes I can be very quick to react.” – (Cincola)
This move keeps players ready to move in any direction as soon as the opponent hits the shot.
Summary of the Five Moves
John Cincola gave a short review at the end of the video to help viewers remember the five key moves:
- Straight Line Movement – Run fast to the ball.
- Lunge/Load Step – Stay balanced when reaching or stopping.
- Step Back Move – Create space when the ball is too close.
- Shuffle Step – Move sideways to reach wide shots.
- Split Step – Be ready to react quickly.
What This Means for Players
These footwork tips from John Cincola can help pickleball players improve their speed and control on the court. Learning these movements can help players in singles and doubles games. With regular practice, players can expect to improve their movement, stay more balanced, and have more fun playing pickleball.
News in Brief: John Cincola’s Pickleball Footwork Tips
John Cincola shared five footwork tips in a new video to help pickleball players move better. Posted in early June 2025, the video shows simple moves like the lunge, shuffle, and split step. These techniques can help players stay balanced, reach the ball faster, and respond quickly during matches.
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