10 common mistakes beginners make

And how to fix each one

I made most of these myself in my first month. None of them mean you are bad. They are just the normal potholes everyone hits. Here they are, with a quick fix for each.

1. Staying too far back. New players camp at the baseline. Fix: get up to the kitchen line as soon as you can. That is where points are won.
2. No ready position. Standing straight with the paddle down. Fix: knees soft, paddle up in front of you, ready to react.
3. Smashing every ball. Trying to end each point with power. Fix: learn the soft game. Aim for control, not speed.
4. Ignoring dinks. A dink is a soft shot that drops into the kitchen. Beginners skip it. Fix: practice it. It is the heart of the game.
5. Standing in the kitchen on a volley. A fault. Fix: keep your feet behind the line when you hit out of the air.
6. Forgetting the two-bounce rule. Volleying too early after the serve. Fix: let the serve and the return both bounce first.
7. Gripping too hard. A tight, tense grip kills touch. Fix: hold it about as firm as a handshake.
8. Watching your partner. Turning to see what they are doing. Fix: watch the ball and the other team instead.
9. Not calling the ball. Both players freeze, or both swing. Fix: say "mine" or "yours" out loud.
10. Giving up after misses. Getting down on yourself. Fix: everyone misses. Reset and play the next one.

Do not try to fix all ten at once. Pick one per session. Small changes stack up fast in this sport.