How to Drill: Practice Like a Pickleball Pro | Ben Johns

 

Mastering Pickleball Strategy with the Johns Brothers

An Instructional Guide to Advancing Your Pickleball Game

In this instructional guide, professional pickleball players Ben Johns and Colin Johns walk through their typical training regimen. As two of the top-ranked pickleball players in the world with multiple major titles between them, the Johns brothers provide invaluable insight into high-level strategy, shot selection, and matchup tactics. Whether you're a beginner looking to improve or an advanced player aiming to take your game to the next level, this guide offers concrete drills and tips straight from the game's elite.

We'll cover dinking rallies, mid-court defense, third shot drops and drives, fourth shot offense, and fast volleys. Follow along with the Johns brothers to build consistency, add weapons to your arsenal, and boost your confidence competing against any style of opponent. With deliberate, focused practice using the methods detailed below, you'll find yourself hitting better shots and winning more points on the court.

1. 0:05 Dinking Rallies Ben and Colin begin by warming up with straight-ahead dinking rallies, focusing on consistent shot-making. They recommend attacking any ball that sits up to work on seizing opportunities. The keys are controlled aggression, targeting different locations to open the court, and quick reactions on defense. Mix in straight and cross-court dinks to build complete court coverage. Watch your movement and make minor adjustments to handle a variety of shots. Stay patient in long rallies until a shot opens up for a clean winner.
2. 2:01 BEN Mid-Court Defense Recognizing the mid-court as a trouble area in his game, Ben isolates defending medium-height balls landing between the baseline and kitchen line. He practices volley resets, half volleys, and quick reaction holds from multiple locations to handle speedy drives. Shift side to side and front to back to field balls bouncing at different heights and angles. Use a continental grip for solid volleys and compact half volley form to reliably return tough shots. Let several balls go by at match pace to test your skills under fire. Mid-court defense translates directly to maintaining rallies and saving points in game situations.
3. 2:55 BEN Third Shot Drops & Drives Doubles Style Ben transitions to a doubles focus, working on four shot sequences. He alternates third shot drops and drives using two-hand grips for control. The extra support adds consistency to gently drop balls just over the net. Meanwhile, compact swings generate pace and depth on two-fisted drives directed at a partner's feet. While screaming winners feel great, Ben cautions against overdoing the “patty cake” drill of easy lobs followed by puts away, since that avoids realistic defense. Mix in challenging shots to build skills. To incorporate angles, trade cross court and down the line. As always, use active footwork to open your hips and reinforce proper technique.
4. 5:30 BEN Third Shot Drops & Drives Singles Style Modifying the previous drill, Ben adopts a singles mentality by covering the entire court himself. He switches between forehand and backhand wings to deliver a steady diet of drops and drives. The focus shifts to shot selection strategy over a partner's position. Move aggressively to cut off balls and attack with purpose. Vary pace and locations to construct points that set up winning opportunities. Recognize that mixing speeds often proves more effective than pure power. After each shot, recover to the optimal court position to defend against any reply. Even on offense, visualize where your opponent could place a counterdrive so you can respond decisively. Mixing singles tactics into doubles helps widen your range of strategies.
5. 7:00 COLLIN Third Shot Drops & Drives Doubles Style
   The coaching continues as Colin assumes the drill, repeating Ben's doubles patterns from both baselines. Colin fine-tunes his four shot progressions, likely targeting any personal weaknesses. Alternatively, he works on shots he recently added and wants to ingrain deeper into muscle memory through repetition. Observe Colin’s ready position, grip changes, balance, and follow through that all contribute to effective execution. As the lower-rated brother, Colin wisely uses Ben as a model for ideal technique. He will then take his own turn working on mid-court reactions, an essential skill at higher levels requiring smooth footwork and lightning hands.
6. 7:17 BEN Fourth Shot Offense Practice With Colin drilling baseline patterns, Ben now has a “partner” feeding him regularsetups to practice four shot offense. This creative use of solo practice timeoptimizes the workout for both players. Ben poaches many balls and attacks thethird shot with hard, flat drives. He punishes any weak replies with swing volleysand punch volleys for outright winners. Work on placing drives inches over thenet to limit defensive options. Attempt reactive, reflex volleys off hard shotsrather than passive blocks. Although tempting, resist just trading control.Ben focuses on constructing an offensive point worthy of match play. Trainingyour eyes and reactions to pounce on attackable opportunities while maintainingaccuracy separates the elite.
7. 8:09 Fast Volleys Ben and Colin conclude their session with fast-paced volley exchanges to build quickness. They rally back and forth relying purely on reflexes and hand-eye coordination to react instantly upon contact. Although tiring, reflex volleys demand focus on centering the ball precisely between both players without a target spot on the court. Actively split step to gain momentum forwarding or back. Lower your expectations on depth and velocity to maintain the rapid pace. After establishing a rhythm, intentionally throw in low slice shots or timely dinks to disrupt comfort zones. While games hinge on smart choices, fast volleys train pure explosiveness that provides a physical edge.

Summary From warming up with controlled aggression in the dink rally to closing with lightning fast volleys, the Johns brothers demonstrate a deliberate practice philosophy relying on quality over quantity. Each drill isolates specific skills that combine to form complete games. They incorporate singles and doubles tactics tailored to individual needs, such as Ben prioritizing his mid-court defense while Colin emulates Ben’s techniques. Every shot selection factors into stage construction for winning points. Physicality melds with strategy for peak performance.

Players of all skill levels can apply these principles by identifying weakness, using partners productively, and compartmentalizing parts of your game to incrementally improve overall capabilities. With advanced training methods modeled by top professionals Ben and Colin Johns, you now have an insider’s blueprint for excelling at pickleball by raising the level of your practice.

0:00 Intro 0:05 Dinking Rallies 2:01 BEN Mid-Court Defense 2:55 BEN Third Shot Drops & Drives Doubles Style 5:30 BEN Third Shot Drops & Drives Singles Style 7:00 COLLIN Third Shot Drops & Drives Doubles Style 7:08 COLLIN Mid-Court Defense 7:17 BEN Fourth Shot Offense Practice 8:09 Fast Volleys