John Cincola FIXES My Ready Position

[@mhamberg]

You literally posted the higher ready position short on Twitter six hours ago! 😮

[@melisamelisa8929]

Very nice video! Quick question :Is anyone familiar with the Oliver-Sport paddle?

[@buchananosteve]

One thing I noticed is the different heights between you two guys. This also affects the level or height of the paddle. A shorter person may want it higher, and a taller person may want it lower relative to their bodies.

[@lesterma1608]

Relative to the net!

[@sd1660]

Agree. Im 5’1 standing feet together and tall. So many pieces of advice do not apply lol. Feet apart with an athletic stance my paddle is at chin height 😂😂

[@davidaronson9475]

I'm 6'4 and always wondered how I get away with my arms practically hanging down. I have very fast hands for being 65 years old. Now I get it.

[@Scotticus07]

JW Johnson isn't tall and he holds at his knees... But maybe he's an exception

[@KCVen805]

Are you saying Zane is kinda short? lol

[@stevenjanoff8496]

Zane excited to see your collaboration with John. I’m a relatively new, one and a half years Pickleball player and I have been following John for over a year. I have also watched your videos for sometime. I have some vision problems now and I do find that while I had very good volley/hand skills as a 40 years tennis player, my hands or vision are slower now with Pickleball . I appreciate the ready position. Content in this video. Looking forward to more videos from each of you. Good luck on tour in 2024.

[@kurt5347]

Love this collab! Two awesome players working together to get better. Great vid gents!

[@-theslatemasons7428]

Thanks Zane … been practicing for the last four weeks the way that you previously taught, now I need to change it😳

[@brucebillst]

Thanks Zane. If we didn't evolve as players then there would only be a one-handed backhand in tennis. I greatly appreciate your open mindedness to say there may be a better way rather than being "that guy" that is so insecure they can't (or won't) pivot.

[@frankfurter7260]

I wish tennis had not “evolved.” And I’ll take peak Wawrinka’s BH over peak Djokovic’s.

[@BruceAChristie]

I appreciate this change as an improvement from Zane’s earlier position. I used John’s suggested ready position and was able to return more shots, with better quality.

[@brett7011]

Thanks for posting this!!!!

[@AustinRich-bf5vd]

Zane flexing!

[@gnarfish5555]

Love the tips!! thank you so much for sharing!!

[@georgebanker2669]

Great stuff, guys.

[@lobocnc]

From watching your fast hand exchanges in this video, it looks like every shot had a back swing, rather than just a static block from where your ready position keeps the paddle. So what's important is not so much keeping the paddle where you expect the ball to be, but keeping it where you can start your swing to hit the widest variety of shots. JW Johnson keeps his paddle down by his thigh, which allows him to bring his paddle up from ready position to contact position (forehand or backhand) without the retraction motion required for a higher, more forward ready position. The physics of paddle motion is pretty complicated, and not necessarily intuitive.

[@jespb66]

Wow! No wonder my hand is still not fast enough!!! Definitely will try this new theory!!! Thanks!! 👍👍👍

[@charlesmuller120]

This is exactly what I am working on! Thank you so much!

[@wafarris]

Great content! I have been thinking about this for the past couple of weeks. For some reason, I have just recently noticed that it seems a little slow and slightly awkward to hold the paddle at mid-chest height as I was told to do. And this is after about a year of playing pickleball. This makes perfect sense. Going to be trying a lower position now.

[@gymleaderjake1579]

You guys made the correct observations but came to the wrong conclusion. Ideal paddle positioning is not determined by its relationship with your body. E.g (at the hip vs at the chest.) It is determined by the relationship between the ball, and the net. If the ball is being sped up from a lower angle, then your paddle needs to be higher. If from a flat angle then the position in the video is correct. If from high angle, the paddle needs to be lower.

[@kabob21]

They literally talk about relaxed position falling naturally at net tape height and compare it to how Ben Johns keeps his paddle at top-of-net height as an example. 1:28 - 2:05

[@mikeoliver861]

Wow, this is amazing. I've been doing it wrong. Thanks so much!

[@mathaddicts100]

Could height relative to net height play a factor in the ready position height? Both John Cincola and Ben Johns are over 6 feet tall. They have to stay lower. I love that two of my favorite pickleball KZbinrs are in the same video! I laughed when Zane flashed his bicep. Thank you for the video. I still find your original ready position a helpful reminder in my play.

[@madrum]

I’ve landed on that positioning too in the last few months. I also try to have my paddle a bit lower if my opponent is hitting down and higher if they’re hitting up.

[@househq48]

Great video, it seems you both are tall, what about when you are sooo small. Should the racket be higher?

[@shih_nanigans]

different per player in relation to net height and where you're setting up to receive the ball imo

[@josefbleaux6724]

Great video Gentlemen! I Think of the paddle position, not so much relative to your waist- but relative to the net. Just depends on your height...

[@ShenZA6]

Wish to see zane and jack vs john and james play at the lab

[@josepinchero]

a local pb coach suggested to keep the paddle in slight backhand favoring ready position. do you want the paddle facing straight forward? or in a slight backhand favoring position?

[@joshuapickett1234]

Zane, have you been playing your signature paddle stock lately? If so, I’m curious why?

Would you change your ready position (maybe raising hands a bit) when anticipating a drive from the baseline as opposed to a hands battle at the kitchen line?

[@PalamaPickleball]

If you are shorter then your waist may be below net level. If that is the case, do you recommend raising the ready position to where the net height hits your own height?

[@btreese7]

What about when you're at the kitchen and your opponent might be hitting a speedup from below net level that is going to be up around chest high. Would you move your ready position up a little?

[@filmstop7828]

great video

[@hruntingson]

Cincola’s waist high is probably armpit height for me. Rather than body probably relate to it to the net rather than the body, maybe? Or if I take a wide low stance at the net it would be the same place relative to net, but higher relative to my body. 🤔 Edit: typos.

[@kento1957]

As far as being in a neutral position, I always thought that since you can cover more space with the backhand, that it's okay to slightly favor that angle, say 11 or 10 oclock.

[@acarter2072]

I like it!

[@Cacheola]

Yes, but keep in mind those pros typically hit the ball just above the net. The majority don't, hence keep your ready position where most of the balls are coming

[@462rob]

One thing not mentioned here; If YOU get lower, you will find that two things happen.... 1. Your paddle will by default be higher and 2. You become a smaller target, as too low and the ball will hit the net, too high and it's going out...

[@daciawolter5810]

Did you grow up in Brookfield? I went to Brookfield Central.

[@lesterma1608]

The variable of player height is the standard of the net height that is fixed, so ready position for all players is net height!

[@jagpickleball]

It's funny I had several lessons bring this up to me recently because they saw your video with that high ready position. So I even went and watched your video and then a couple match videos of you to see if you did that because it didn't seem right and I don't think you usually do that. Maybe if you're on the kitchen line and you hit a dink low and tight to the net so they'd have to drive it up, then you'd have the angle. In fact, even in this video you guys are saying stay in the neutral position, but I don't think you are most of the time. You're slightly tilted toward the backhand unless you're anticipating forehand because that's the natural position of your arm and wrist being straight in front of you. Otherwise you have to bend the wrist to be centered and the fastest hands you can have is just raising that elbow giving you a shield to counter or reset and you can handle like 70% of the balls coming near you without even moving to the forehand (even more if you're fine with just a chicken wing reset once in a while). I always say have the paddle where the ball would be if they drove it. Be ready for what comes fast first. And yes I know you guys have taught a ton and are better players than me : ) I'm just trying to help clarify what you're clarifying a little more so it helps more people. Good on you Zane to see and admit that you might have been off a little on that and decided to tell people what you learned.

[@mtcdnp]

How do you explain JW Johnson ready position?

[@btreese7]

crazy hand speed

[@mtcdnp]

@@btreese7he does what all teachers say not to do, keep paddle way low 😅

[@btreese7]

@@mtcdnp yes, he gets away with it because of his hand speed.

[@binkyandtony]

relaxed + great pickle-IQ and anticipation

[@josefbleaux6724]

Ready position at the knees. 2 feet below the top of the net. I don't think he's six feet tall ... Don't get me wrong- JW is freaking amazing! However based on my observations of J-Dub, he could definitely benefit from bringing up that paddle some. I watch a LOT of the pickleball TV (I'm hooked).

[@robertcuomo7084]

Right shoulder shots are very very hard for me to return no matter my paddle height. Help!!😢

[@andrewroberts9716]

Put his link in the description

[@AnnMitt]

Zane is cute and has a fun sense of humor.

[@wadethomas3908]

Come back to Wisconsin

[@shipwreck8847]

01:36 - I don't see any muscles zane. What are you checking for?

[@davidpossien3061]

That’s the joke he makes all the time.

[@frankfurter7260]

JW Johnson’s paddle ready position is even lower - below his balls. That guy has super fast hands.

[@Herringbone1777]

So, Bruce Lee was right !

[@clintroberts1]

Yeah previously taught by Zane himself with his stupid ball technique . And he did just a recent video with the same thing. Get some consistency on your teaching Zane!

[@charlesmuller120]

Really dude?! We are all trying to improve and that includes Zane!

[@imnotjoken]

Don't be a knucklehead! The game is constantly changing, and instruction should be changing as well. Kudos to Zane for reaching out to another pro to help him with his game. Maybe we all should be as open minded!

[@ZaneNavratilPickleball]

Thanks Clint. Why don't you make some videos

[@clintroberts1]

@@imnotjoken Look how recent his videos are teaching the touch ball technique and high paddle up around his chest to chin level. for ready position. I pointed out on those videos that he and other pros never had their paddles up anywhere near that high during their matches and now he is teaching something completely different. He's a pro. He should really assess his training and thoughts and analyze his and other pro player games before putting a video out. It was like less than two months ago....he's been playing for years. It didnt evolve that fast. He should either take down his video or replace it with a link to this one with a disclaimer. I like Zane's video but it felt like on this one video I mentioned he was putting content out just to have content and views. If that makes me a knucklehead then so be it.

[@alexandercochran806]

Ok so if u watch the end he says beginners stay higher which isn’t that diff from his touch the paddle video in which paddle is higher. He says at the end once you get comfortable then jump it. I don’t see the inconsistency but just a next level in progression video. The tone is one where I think the criticism is off. Zane is just putting out stuff to make people better and grow the sport. I don’t take everything he says on the court. But I’m not angry about it and attack the dude. I’m just happy a top end pro is willing to take the time and teach. All in all I think Zane’s personality, making it simple and getting into technical aspects is very good. Teaching and playing isn’t the same and not many high level players can actually teach pickleball or tennis for that matter. My experience hitting a round ball for 50 years tells me Zane is actually pretty darn good at it especially when he only has a few mins to make the point as opposed to an hour lesson.