PickleBall Drills

Drills for Pickleball 

Prior to drilling it is advisable to warm up and stretch out.  Do this prior to and after drilling or playing.

 When doing the drills make sure you are in a relaxed position, knees bend, slightly sitting, feet as wide as your shoulders, and paddle out in front of you at about 12-18 inches.  Keep a slightly loose grip.  Paddle follow through should be slow with the paddle face finishing above the net.  Avoid tensing up (breathe and exhale between points).

 DRILLS:

 1.   Dink inline (across from) your drilling partner.  Focus on placing the dink slightly off center so you and your partner moves from side to side.  Focus on footwork and do not plant yourself at the NVZ line.  Make a goal of hitting 20-25 shots continuously.

2.   Dink cross court, using forehand and backhand dinks, again with a goal of 20-25 shots continuously.  Switch sides so you are hitting both forehands and backhands.

3.   With your foursome dink with only one ball, the first four shots should be soft and cooperative.  After the fourth touch look for opportunities to end the point.  The dink should be defensive waiting for the opponent to make a mistake by hitting into the net or setting a high dink so you can put it away.  Play to 5 points and then rotate among yourselves.  Try not to back up on your shots, rather take shots out of the air.  Taking shots out of the air will allow you to return the shot much quicker and may put your opponent of guard forcing an error.

4.   Follow steps 1, 2, and 3 with all shots from mid-court.

5.   Drop Shot/yo-yo exercise:

Part 1: On one side of the net, you and your partner will be at the non-volley line and your drilling opponents will be at the baseline.  You are feeding the ball to your opponent in a cooperative way so they can practice the drop shot.  After about 10 shots you and your partner go back to the baseline and your opponents feed you.

Part 2: do the same as above with you moving up and your opponent moving back and reverse.  Here you are drilling drop shots, approach shots in the transition zone and dinks.  Try to keep this drill continuous.

6.   Serve-Return-Drop Shot:  Start with a serve to the opponent, the opponent returns, and you execute a drop shot (or 3rd shot).  Rotate servers so everyone gets to serve, return, and drop shot.  Do 3 or 4 complete rotations.

7.   Add to this by approaching the net and playing out the point.

 Additional Drills:

Volleying:  Stand inside the NVZ and practice the volley shot (in a cooperative manner) with your opponent partner.  Being inside the NVZ will help develop hand quickness.  Remember to keep your paddle up, and shots are continuous, if they bounce into the kitchen keep the ball in play.

 Now drill standing outside of the NVZ.   You should notice you have more time to react and the ball seems slower. 

 Volley shots should be punches and not full swings and certainly not across your body, keep the paddle and ball in front of you the entire time and try to keep the ball in  `play as long as possible.

 Finish your drilling by playing to 7 points and then rotate partners.  Remember to communicate with your partner, aim for the middle of the court and protect the middle of    `the court.