Ready Position

Ready Position is the position a player is in whenever they aren't serving, actively hitting a ball, or running to a ball.

The grip is Continental, 1-2 grip pressure, at 10 o'clock for right handed players or 2:00 o'clock for lefties. Knees are bent, weight is on the balls of the feet, and in an open stance. Facing the opponent who is making a play on the ball, so the player may need to turn away from parallel with the net to face their opponent.

Paddle height: At the NVZ line, the butt is above your waist and the tip of your paddle is below your chin. You lower the paddle as you move back to the baseline.

It is much easier to lower your paddle to get a dink, than it is to raise a low paddle to block or reset a drive or speed up.

If I ever say, "Paddle up!" check your ready position and paddle position.