How to Stay a 4.0 Forever!
The Number-One Mistake That Keeps Players Stuck
If your goal is to remain a 4.0 player for the rest of your pickleball career, I'm going to explain exactly how to do it. If your goal is to become a 4.5 or even a 5.0 player, I'll explain that too.
The difference may come down to one habit.
The number one mistake I see from 4.0 players is repeatedly overhitting a low transition ball. Think about how many points in open play follow the same pattern. The serve is hit hard, the return is hit hard, the third ball is driven, and then comes a low ball in the transition zone. Instead of using that shot to move safely toward the kitchen, the player attacks it as hard as possible.
The ball sails long, goes into the net, gets blocked back, or sits up for an easy attack. More often than not, the player already standing at the kitchen line—usually their partner—becomes the target. The point is over before it ever had a chance to become interesting.
The Point Never Even Begins
One of the biggest differences between a 4.0 player and a 4.5 or 5.0 player has very little to do with power. It has everything to do with mindset.
Many 4.0 players unconsciously believe the point should end in four shots or fewer. Higher-level players understand something completely different: the point doesn't really begin until ball number five.
Imagine sitting down to watch a movie only to see the commercials over and over while the feature never starts. That's what many 4.0 games look like. The rally never develops because nobody gets the opportunity to solve problems, construct the point, or patiently create an attacking opportunity. Someone forces a low ball, and the rally is over.
Watch Ben Johns
If you think this is just my opinion, spend a little time watching Ben Johns.
His patterns are remarkably consistent. He serves or returns with purpose, not recklessness. On the third shot, he may drive, or he may drop, depending on what his opponents give him. The most revealing decision often comes on the very next ball.
As he moves through the transition zone, he rarely tries to win the point from below net height. Instead, he frequently plays a controlled drop or reset that lands softly at his opponents' feet. That shot limits their ability to attack, gives him time to continue moving forward, and allows him to join his partner at the kitchen line.
Only after both partners are established in the kitchen does he begin looking for opportunities to speed the ball up. Watch enough professional matches, and you'll see this pattern repeated over and over. The best players don't rush to finish the point—they first earn the right to play it.
Create Safe Passage
If your partner is already standing in the kitchen while you're still moving forward, your first responsibility is not to hit a winner. Your responsibility is to create a safe passage.
Nothing makes your partner a bigger target than driving a hard ball upward from below net height to opponents who are already waiting at the kitchen line. Instead, play a controlled shot that lands low at their feet, forcing them to hit upward while you continue moving forward. Join your partner, establish equal court position, and only then begin looking for offensive opportunities.
Think of it this way: your first objective isn't to hit a winner. It's to avoid making your partner a target.
The Soft Game Is Not Optional
Here's a reality many players don't want to hear.
You will never become a consistent 4.5 or 5.0 player without developing a dependable soft game.
If you're currently playing 4.0, the most likely reason you've plateaued isn't that you need another paddle or more power. It's because your soft game isn't yet strong enough to consistently move you and your partner safely to the kitchen line.
The encouraging news is that this skill can absolutely be learned.
Use Open Play to Build Your Future Game
Open play isn't just where you test your game—it's where you build it.
Instead of trying to win every game by hitting harder, use open play to practice the shots that currently make you uncomfortable. Work on your third-shot drops, your transition shots, your fifth-shot drops, and your resets from midcourt. Those are the shots that separate good players from great ones.
Yes, you'll miss some shots, and yes, you'll probably lose games you might otherwise have won. That's called learning. The players who improve the fastest are willing to become temporarily uncomfortable while building skills that will serve them for years.
Rewire Your Thinking
You cannot become an upper-level player while continuing to think like a 4.0 player.
Many players believe harder is better, faster is better, and shorter rallies are better. Higher-level players understand that a soft shot is often the most aggressive decision on the court because it improves their position while denying their opponents an opportunity to attack.
The goal isn't always to hit the ball harder. The goal is to improve the next situation.
Earn the Right to Play the Point
Stop trying to win the rally while you're trapped in the transition zone. Win the race to the kitchen instead.
Develop a dependable soft game. Protect your partner by creating safe passage. Join your partner at the kitchen line, then begin constructing the point from a position of strength.
Go out, have fun, experiment with new tactics, and practice the shots you currently avoid. Before long, you'll discover that the most enjoyable rallies aren't the ones that end in four shots—they're the ones that finally give everyone on the court a chance to really play pickleball.
FLiK IQ
At FLiK Pickleball, we believe improvement begins with understanding. Our goal is to help you see the game differently, think more clearly, and develop the skills that make pickleball more enjoyable and rewarding for years to come.
