Approach to Kitchen Line
Also known as: moving up, advancing to the net, kitchen approach
The approach to the kitchen line is the movement pattern used to advance from the baseline to the non-volley zone after a third-shot drop or drive — usually using split steps to arrive balanced and ready.
After hitting a third shot, the serving team's goal is to advance to the kitchen line before the fourth shot arrives. The ideal approach uses small, balanced steps — not a sprint — so the player can stop and reset if needed. "Timing your approach" means advancing during the ball flight and using a split step to pause when the opponent contacts the fourth shot, ensuring a stable base for whatever comes next. Rushing in without a split step leads to contact while still moving, producing pop-ups. Some coaches use the cue "go, stop, go" to describe the advance, pause, advance rhythm.
The go-stop-go rhythm described by coaches reflects the timing structure of the kitchen approach. Go after your third shot lands. Stop — split step — when the opponent contacts the fourth shot. Go again once you read where the fourth shot is landing and have a clear path to advance or reset. The split step in the middle of the advance is the critical element that separates players who arrive in balance from players who arrive mid-stride and must hit while still in motion.
The width of the approach steps matters as much as the speed. Wide, lunging steps between split steps create momentum that is hard to stop suddenly if the fourth shot is attacked at the feet. Small, controlled steps — three to four per approach rather than one or two large strides — allow the player to stop on any step if a split step requires it. Drilling the three-step approach — small step, small step, split — ingrains the compact approach rhythm that holds up under competitive speed.
After hitting the third shot, count to yourself one, split, two, split, kitchen as a rhythm guide — the split beats remind you to pause and load each time the opponent contacts the ball.
Drill the kitchen approach specifically against a partner who sometimes attacks the fourth shot and sometimes dinks it — learning to read which is coming and stopping your advance or continuing it in real time is the highest-value kitchen-approach skill.
Example
After a third-shot drop, a player advances in three measured steps, splits when the opponent contacts the fourth shot, and arrives at the kitchen line balanced for the fifth shot.
How it shows up on video
On video, pause at each opponent contact during your kitchen approach. Were you in a balanced split step or mid-stride when they hit? Also check that you reached the kitchen line in balance.
Common mistakes
- Running straight to the kitchen line without split-stepping when the opponent contacts the fourth shot, arriving off-balance
- Taking two large strides to advance quickly rather than several small controlled steps that can stop at any point
- Stopping the approach entirely if the third shot lands imperfectly, rather than continuing to advance under control
- Rushing the approach so fast that the player overruns the kitchen line and steps into the NVZ for a fault
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
Motion Lab does not time your steps or split step during the approach, and it does not track the court or the opponent. On video, check your step size and whether you were balanced or still moving at each opponent contact.
Related terms
- Split StepA split step is a small, timed hop made just as the opponent contacts the ball. It loads both feet at once and allows instant movement in any direction.
- Kitchen Line PositionKitchen line position refers to standing as close to the non-volley zone line as legally possible. This maximizes net coverage and offensive angle while minimizing the court area opponents can attack.
- Third-Shot DropThe third-shot drop is a soft, arcing shot hit from the baseline that lands in the opponent's kitchen — forcing them to hit upward and giving the serving team time to advance safely to the kitchen line.
- Transition ZoneThe transition zone is mid-court, between the kitchen line and baseline. Players are most vulnerable here: too close to drive, too far to dink effectively.
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