How to Move Faster on the Pickleball Court Like Ben Johns
Winning at pickleball has less to do with how hard you hit and more to do with getting to the ball early, balanced, and ready. The best players, like Ben Johns, glide to the kitchen line, split step as their opponent strikes, and push off sideways to cover the court without ever lunging. Train that footwork and that first step and you will reach shots you used to watch sail by. Here is how to move like the pros.
What actually makes you faster on the pickleball court?
Court speed in pickleball is not about having a sprinter's top gear. The court is small, so almost every ball is won or lost in the first step and the first two feet of movement. Players who look fast are really just early. They read the shot, they are already in a low ready position, and they push off cleanly instead of standing tall and then scrambling.
The single biggest key is staying balanced and athletic between shots. If you are flat footed and upright when your opponent strikes, you are late before the ball even leaves their paddle. Bend your knees, keep your weight on the balls of your feet, and you turn slow reactions into quick, controlled ones without getting any faster in a straight line.
How do top players cover the court so easily?
Watch Ben Johns and the movement looks calm and smooth, never rushed. He times a small split step as his opponent contacts the ball, pushes off the outside foot, and uses short shuffle steps to stay balanced for the next shot. The table below shows what separates a slow mover from a quick one.
| Element | Slower Player | Faster Player |
|---|---|---|
| Ready position | Upright and flat footed | Low, athletic, on the balls of the feet |
| Split step | None, reacts late | Times it as the opponent hits |
| First step | Crosses over and stalls | Pushes off the outside foot |
| Moving up | Rushes and gets caught | Advances to the kitchen in control |
| Recovery | Caught leaning one way | Resets to the middle every time |
Notice that nearly all of this is about timing and footwork, not foot speed. Fix your split step and your first step and you will cover far more court with the legs you already have.
What training builds quicker lateral movement?
Most pickleball movement is side to side, and that is exactly the direction most players never train. Lateral resistance bands fix that by loading the hips and outer legs that drive your first step and your shuffle. A few minutes of band work before you play wakes up those muscles so you push off sharper and stop more under control. Two to three short sessions a week will show up as quicker reach at the kitchen line.
Lockdown Defender Bands
Lateral resistance bands that train the hips and first step you use to cover the pickleball court side to side.
Which drills help you move faster in pickleball?
Run these in order. The first two sharpen your timing and footwork, and the last two add the lateral power. Keep them quick and crisp rather than long and tired.
Pickleball movement questions players ask
Why does Ben Johns make court coverage look so easy?
He is early and balanced. A well timed split step and a clean first step let him reach balls in control, so he never looks rushed even against hard, fast shots.
Do I need to be fast to move well in pickleball?
No. The court is small, so timing and footwork matter far more than straight line speed. A good split step and first step beat raw quickness almost every time.
Do resistance bands help my pickleball movement?
Yes. Lateral bands train the hips and outer legs that drive your side to side push off, which is most of the movement in pickleball. A few minutes before play makes your first step sharper.
What is the most important footwork habit to fix first?
The split step. Timing a small hop as your opponent contacts the ball puts you on balance and ready to move, which fixes most late reactions on its own.
Get to every ball first
Train the lateral push off that covers the court and reach shots you used to miss.
Tags: pickleball, footwork, court movement, lateral quickness, Ben Johns, agility
