Pickleball: Tip of the week – how drilling can benefit your game
Master Your Pickleball Skills with Coach Mary’s Warm-Up and Drills
Subtitle: Practical Tips for Individual, Two-, Three-, and Four-Player Drills
Introduction:
Pickleball players often struggle to find like-minded partners who are willing to spend time drilling instead of jumping straight into games. Coach Mary has shared a structured warm-up routine and creative drills to improve your game, whether you're practicing solo, in pairs, or with a small group. These drills can make practice fun, competitive, and efficient, giving you the tools to sharpen your skills and elevate your pickleball game.
Article:
Finding the right group to drill with can be a challenge. Many players prefer to dive into games after a few minutes of dinking. However, skipping warm-ups or skill-specific drills can limit your improvement. Coach Mary offers a simple yet effective warm-up routine and innovative drills designed for groups of all sizes—or even for solo practice.
Quick 10-Minute Warm-Up Routine for Four Players
Before jumping into games, try this structured warm-up routine to prepare your strokes and movements:
- Dink down-the-line
- Dink crosscourt
- Volley-volley down-the-line
- Volley-volley crosscourt
- Third shot drops (one up, one back) – then switch roles
- Resets off a drive from the baseline
- Serving crosscourt – alternate sides for complete practice
If you're an advanced player, enhance this warm-up by including transition zone resets, speed-ups, lobs, and overheads.
Creative Drills for Fewer Than Four Players
1. One-on-One Skinny Singles
Play singles on a narrow section of the court, alternating between down-the-line and crosscourt shots. This focused practice improves precision and footwork.
2. Ball Machine Practice
If no one is available to drill, invest in a ball machine. It allows you to work on specific shots at your own pace.
3. Three-Player Drills
In three-player scenarios, two players hit to one side of the court where a single player practices resets, third-shot drops, and attack shots. Rotate positions to give everyone a chance to improve each skill set.
The Z-Drill: A Fun and Competitive Group Drill
Thanks to Ernie Medina and Kevin from Loma Linda, the Z-Drill is a great way to practice resets, drives, and teamwork. Here's how it works:
- Player 1 starts at the NVZ (Non-Volley Zone) with a courtesy feed to Player 2 at the baseline.
- Player 2 executes a topspin drive back to Player 1.
- Player 1 resets the ball softly crosscourt to Player 3 in the opposite kitchen.
- Player 3 feeds to Player 4 at the baseline.
- Player 4 drives the ball down-the-line to Player 3, who resets it crosscourt to Player 1.
- The rotation continues, with players switching spots to ensure all skill sets are practiced.
Making Drills Fun and Competitive
Players are more likely to drill when it’s fun and goal-oriented. Use scoring systems or set measurable objectives to make drills engaging. For instance, keep track of unattackable resets or successful third-shot drops during drills.
Summary:
Coach Mary emphasizes the importance of structured warm-ups and creative drills for improving pickleball skills. Her step-by-step warm-up routine prepares players for games in just 10 minutes. For solo or small-group practice, innovative drills like skinny singles, ball machine sessions, and the Z-Drill keep practice engaging and productive. By making drills competitive and fun, you can motivate players to embrace skill-building sessions that elevate their game.
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