What Is the Kitchen
The kitchen is the 7-foot area on each side of the net, officially called the non-volley zone or NVZ. You can't hit the ball out of the air while standing in this zone. That's the simple version.
But there's a lot more to it than that. The devil is in the details.
The Line Is In
The kitchen line is part of the kitchen. If your toe is touching the line, you're in the kitchen. A lot of beginners don't realize this and step on the line before volleying.
It Includes the Air Above
You can't stand outside the kitchen and lean over it to volley either. Any part of you or your paddle that breaks the plane while volleying is a violation. Seen people get called for this when stretching to reach a ball.
What You Can't Do
Let's cover the violations that get people in trouble most often.
No Volleys in the Zone
The basic rule. You cannot hit the ball out of the air while any part of you is in the kitchen. Your feet, your paddle, your hat that fell off, anything.
Momentum Carries You In
This is the one that got me. If you volley from outside the kitchen but your momentum carries you into the zone after the shot, it's still a fault. Even if you made contact legally, you need to regain balance without touching the kitchen.
Your Partner Can't Catch You
Some people try to have their partner grab them to stop their momentum. Nope. That's still a fault. You can't be saved by your partner if you're falling into the kitchen after a volley.
Anything That Touches
Your paddle drops into the kitchen after a volley. Fault. Your hat falls off. Fault. Your spare ball falls out of your pocket. Fault. Anything connected to you that touches the zone after a volley is a problem.
What You Can Do
The kitchen isn't off limits entirely. Here's what's legal.
Hit Groundstrokes From the Kitchen
You can stand in the kitchen all day long if you want. You just can't volley from there. If the ball bounces first, you can hit it from anywhere on the court including the kitchen.
Enter After a Bounce
Run into the kitchen to retrieve a dink that bounced. Totally fine. The restriction is only about volleying.
Volley From Outside Then Enter
As long as you're stable outside the kitchen when you volley, you can enter the kitchen afterward. Just not from the momentum of the shot. If you stop completely, then step in, that's legal.
Strategic Implications
The kitchen exists to prevent players from camping at the net and just smashing everything. It creates the soft game that makes pickleball unique.
Dinking Matters
Because you can't volley from the kitchen, soft shots that land in the kitchen are valuable. Your opponent has to let them bounce, giving you time to set up.
Position Behind the Line
Stay a few inches behind the kitchen line when at the net. Gives you room to volley without worrying about stepping over. I see beginners crowd the line and get themselves in trouble.
Reset With Kitchen Shots
When you're in trouble, a soft shot into the opponent's kitchen can reset the point. They can't attack it aggressively if it lands in the zone.
Common Misconceptions
A few things people get wrong about the kitchen.
You Can Be In the Kitchen Before the Ball Is Hit
Some people think you can't stand in the kitchen at all. Not true. You can stand there, you just can't volley while there or enter from volleying momentum.
It's Not Time-Based
There's no waiting period to exit the kitchen. As soon as you're stable and both feet are out, you can volley. You don't need to wait a certain number of seconds.
Jumping Doesn't Help
I've seen people try to jump and volley thinking they're not "in" the kitchen. If you jumped from the kitchen, it's a fault. If you jump from outside but land in the kitchen, it's a fault.