Mastering Pickleball: Six Essential Drills for Consistency, Control, and Confidence
Enhance Your Game with These Key Drills, Covering Everything from Dinks to Third Shot Drops
In pickleball, building a strong foundation in consistency, control, and confidence is essential to leveling up your game. Kyle Koszuta walks us through six essential drills that target key aspects of gameplay, from dinks and volleys to third-shot drops and serves. These drills provide a well-rounded approach for beginners and advanced players alike, aiming to make every shot count. Let's dive into these practice routines to start strengthening your pickleball skills.
1. Openers (0:00)
- Focus: Serving and returning with intent to hit deep targets
- Serving Tips:
- Set a deep target to keep your opponent back, preventing them from reaching the net.
- Practice serving with a clear aim to reduce soft serves and errors.
- Returning Tips:
- Return the ball deep to control your opponent's movement.
- Aim for a side of the court, challenging your opponent to stay back and adjust.
Practicing targeted serves and returns builds a stronger start to each rally, giving you control right from the outset.
2. Charmin Drill (1:58)
- Focus: Softening your third-shot drop
- Drill Setup:
- Position one player at the baseline, the other at the kitchen line.
- Baseline player practices drop shots, aiming for the kitchen zone.
- Variation:
- Change angles by practicing straight-on, crosscourt, and varying positions to simulate game situations.
This drill reinforces a softer touch, helping you place third-shot drops that disrupt your opponent’s control.
3. Space Invader (3:01)
- Focus: Midcourt resets and approaching the kitchen line
- Drill Instructions:
- One player stands midcourt, and the other at the kitchen.
- Begin by hitting controlled reset shots from the midcourt.
- Progress by landing two consecutive resets before moving closer to the kitchen.
This drill builds consistency in moving up the court, maintaining control as you close the distance to the net.
4. Set-Ups (4:09)
- Focus: Crosscourt dinking with intent to set up an attack
- Drill Setup:
- Practice crosscourt dinks on both backhand and forehand sides.
- Alternate placements to keep your opponent off balance.
Dinking crosscourt with purpose sets up opportunities for controlled attacks, pushing opponents into a defensive stance.
5. Tight Spaces (5:34)
- Focus: Line dinking with precision in tighter areas
- Drill Instructions:
- Limit dinks to the sideline, creating a tighter space to work in.
- Use softer touches to avoid errors while staying within the line.
Dinking in tight spaces hones control and prepares you for high-stakes, close-range exchanges at the net.
6. Lightning (6:53)
- Focus: Developing fast hand reactions
- Drill Setup:
- Both players stand at the kitchen line or slightly inside it.
- Begin fast-paced exchanges, maintaining quick reflexes and keeping shots low.
This drill trains your reflexes for fast exchanges, helping you react swiftly and manage high-speed volleys.
7. Skinny Singles (8:54)
- Focus: Precision shots and covering court with fewer angles
- Drill Instructions:
- Play “skinny singles” on half the court, focusing on depth and control.
- This drill forces players to use controlled angles and pinpoint accuracy.
Practicing skinny singles helps with court awareness, precision, and adapting to limited space effectively.
Inclusive Guide Summary:
By integrating these six drills into your practice routine, you’re actively building a versatile pickleball skill set. Each drill targets a unique aspect of gameplay, whether it’s improving your serve and return depth, mastering soft touch on third-shot drops, or reacting with lightning speed at the kitchen line. Consistently practicing these drills will enhance your overall control, consistency, and confidence, allowing you to approach each point with a strategic mindset and an edge over your competition. Happy playing!
Time Stamps
0:00 Openers 1:58 Charmin 3:01 Space Invader 4:09 Set-Ups 5:34 Tight Spaces 6:53 Lighting 8:54 Skinny Singles
Mastering the Fundamentals: Six Pickleball Drills Every Player Needs to Know
Pickleball, a game that’s rapidly growing in popularity, demands more than quick reflexes and powerful strokes. A successful game requires consistency, precision, and strategic control—qualities that don’t come from luck but from hours of dedicated practice. Enter Kyle Koszuta, a seasoned pickleball coach, who has crafted a set of six foundational drills to improve your game from the ground up. Whether you're a weekend player or aiming to compete, these drills target essential areas of development, from serve control to quick reflexes at the net.
Here’s a rundown of Koszuta’s six essential drills, perfect for players looking to level up.
1. The Opener: Commanding the Serve and Return (Timecode: 0:00)
Pickleball points are won or lost as much on the serve as in the rally, and "The Opener" drill prioritizes one of the game's most underrated skills. In this drill, one player serves repeatedly while the other focuses on consistently returning with depth and precision. A deep return forces the server to stay back, giving the returner time to approach the net—a strategic edge in any rally.
Koszuta encourages players to practice targeting specific areas with their serves and returns. By honing this precision, players gain control right from the beginning of the point, setting up a more aggressive and calculated game.
2. The Charmin Drill: Mastering the Third-Shot Drop (Timecode: 1:58)
Pickleball enthusiasts know the third-shot drop is a game-changer, shifting the rally into a controlled, strategic exchange. The "Charmin" drill teaches players to soften their touch, guiding the ball into the kitchen area (no-volley zone) with enough precision that their opponent is forced to "hit up" on the return.
This soft drop creates a neutral rally, making it difficult for opponents to attack. As Koszuta points out, third-shot drops keep players in the driver’s seat, opening up opportunities to dictate the flow of the game. Developing a reliable third-shot drop builds confidence and control, especially in tight matches.
3. Space Invader: Conquering the Midcourt (Timecode: 3:01)
Navigating the midcourt, or “no-man’s land,” is notoriously tricky. Shots that land here can leave players vulnerable if mishandled, which is why Koszuta introduces the "Space Invader" drill. The goal? Practice "reset" shots from the midcourt, keeping the ball low to prevent opponents from hitting a winning volley.
In this drill, players practice two consecutive resets from midcourt before advancing to the kitchen. This movement mimics real-game transitions and helps players refine their accuracy in an area where they might otherwise be off-balance.
4. Set-Ups: The Art of Crosscourt Dinking (Timecode: 4:09)
One of the game’s most tactical aspects, the crosscourt dink, tests a player’s patience and strategy. The “Set-Ups” drill focuses on these crosscourt dinks, encouraging players to patiently guide the rally rather than rushing for a winner.
Koszuta stresses the value of moving the ball to different points on the opponent’s side, like from the inside to the outside foot. This forces the opponent to adapt, increasing their chances of making a mistake. Crosscourt dinks are about building an opportunity, often setting up the perfect moment for an offensive shot.
5. Tight Spaces: Practicing Up-the-Line Dinks (Timecode: 5:34)
While crosscourt dinks offer room for error, up-the-line dinks in tight spaces call for flawless touch and timing. “Tight Spaces” works within a smaller zone, helping players develop close-range control that’s crucial in real-game scenarios.
As Koszuta suggests, adding variations like lobs and speed-ups within the drill can further enhance versatility. This drill teaches players to stay calm and controlled even when the shot placement feels constricted, an invaluable skill during competitive play.
6. Lightning: Building Reflexes with Quick-Hand Drills (Timecode: 6:53)
Pickleball’s kitchen line is notorious for fast-paced rallies that test reaction time and hand-eye coordination. “Lightning,” the final drill in Koszuta’s regimen, focuses on these reflexive skills. Players rally quickly back and forth, keeping the ball low and controlled within the kitchen. This rapid exchange not only sharpens reflexes but builds confidence in one’s defensive skills during those tight, high-stakes moments.
Koszuta often places players just inside the kitchen for this exercise, encouraging both offensive and defensive moves to prepare for intense hand battles at the net. It’s a high-energy drill that rounds out his training series, ensuring players have a full arsenal of skills to meet the demands of any game.
Elevate Your Game with Practice and Patience
Kyle Koszuta’s drills are more than exercises; they’re a masterclass in the fundamentals that separate good players from great ones. Serving and returning with accuracy, mastering controlled drops, handling midcourt challenges, and developing crosscourt finesse—all these skills converge in the high-speed action of a real game.
With consistent practice, these drills enable players to focus on creating winning strategies rather than just making lucky shots. So, whether you’re on the court daily or just for the weekend, these six drills can be the key to unlocking a more strategic, disciplined, and ultimately successful pickleball game.
