An Exhaustive Guide to Pickleball Wall Drills
Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, pickleball drills can help you improve your skills, increase your endurance, and have more fun on the court.
Why Are Pickleball Drills Important?
Pickleball drills are an essential part of any player's training routine. Regular practice helps players develop the skills and techniques necessary to compete at the highest level. Whether you're looking to improve your serve, your backhand, or your footwork, drills can help you target specific areas of your game and make meaningful progress.
The Importance of Athletic Ready Stance, Balance, and Footwork in Pickleball
Having a good athletic ready stance, balance, and footwork is crucial for success in pickleball. An athletic stance that is slightly wider than shoulder width with the weight evenly distributed over both feet allows for rapid movement to be initiated quickly, giving you the best chance of getting into position in a timely fashion.
Good form and balance are essential for maintaining control over the ball and making accurate shots. Maintaining good form throughout the entire length of the game and over the course of many games requires fitness and strength, which can be developed through drills.
By focusing on one type of shot at a time and getting enough repetitions of it, you can ingrain it into your repertoire of shots. However, it's important to be mindful of doing everything correctly throughout the shot and between each shot to avoid ingraining poor technique.
It's easy to get lazy and have sloppy footwork between shots, especially when you're tired. During drilling, it's important to push yourself to stay balanced throughout all your movement and to return to your athletic ready stance between each hit so that you are ready for the next shot.
Composure
Pickleball is an adrenaline-fueled sport, where you must remain vigilant in every moment, as one ill-fated move can lead to a loss of precious points.
Preserve your poise and remain unfazed in the face of seemingly unbeatable shots, for it is only through this composure that you can increase your odds of ultimate triumph.
Battling back with brute force, attempting to overpower your opponent with sheer strength, is a catastrophic strategy that will only lead to defeat.
Taming your ego and mastering your mental state through diligent drills is the key to success on the pickleball court.
Embrace the challenge and chase down every ball with reckless abandon, disregarding any thoughts of limitations. Train yourself to be relentless in both practice and competition.
Believe with unyielding conviction that you have the ability to reach every shot, and let your actions follow. The results will astound you, as you amaze both yourself and your opponents with incredible saves that seem to defy the laws of physics.
Granted, not every effort will be successful, but the experience will hone your skills and instill fear in your opponents. They will be pressured by the knowledge that you never give up, leading them to make reckless mistakes, surrendering more points to you. Observe this phenomenon unfold before your very eyes, time and time again!
Reaction Time
Enhance your reaction time and take your pickleball game to the next level. The ability to swiftly and accurately perceive the trajectory of the pickleball and respond accordingly is crucial for success on the court.
By fostering better hand-eye coordination and increasing your physical speed, you will find yourself better equipped to handle every aspect of the game, from getting to the ball on time to executing powerful shots.
In particular, lightning-fast reactions are vital for effectively counterattacking and defending, skills that will elevate your play to greater heights.
If you want fast hands like this, you'll have to practice
Wall drills are an excellent tool for improving reaction times, as well as refining basic techniques.
Challenge yourself by hitting the ball harder and faster, starting close to the wall and gradually moving further away. This will aid in improving your depth perception, leading to a more well-rounded game.
Start slow and gradually increase the difficulty as your skills improve, avoiding the temptation to push beyond your limits too soon. Building a solid foundation of improved reactions will pay dividends in the long run.
Do I Really Have To Drill?
If you’re looking to take your pickleball game to the next level incorporating pickleball drills is a must? Regular and focused practice through drills is the key to unlocking your full potential on the court.
By incorporating pickleball drills into your practice routine, you can develop and refine your skills in a controlled environment. You can focus on specific aspects of your game, such as footwork, hand-eye coordination, shot placement, and reaction times, and work on improving them until they become second nature. This will help you identify areas for improvement and give you the opportunity to work on them until they become second nature.
Pickleball drills also help to build muscle memory and confidence. Through repetitive practice, you can instill proper techniques and movements into your muscle memory, allowing you to perform them effortlessly and automatically during games. In addition, the controlled environment of drills allows you to face challenges and overcome obstacles, building your confidence and mental toughness.
Some may argue that pickleball drills are not necessary, as they can be boring and repetitive. However, it is important to remember that the purpose of drills is to help you improve specific skills and techniques, not to provide entertainment. The repetition and focus required by drills are what make them so effective in improving your game.
Basic Strokes
Pickleball is a game that requires not only physical ability but also a knowledge of the various strokes and when to execute them.
The Serve
The serve is the starting point of each game, executed with an underhand motion, and it's crucial to have control over both the speed and direction of the ball.
One benefit of the serve is that it can be practiced alone, giving the player complete control over the ball. Consistent and frequent practice can lead to improved serving skills. However, having a partner to retrieve the balls and return them can also enhance practice and overall performance.
It's recommended to set aside time for practice, either alone or with a partner, in an empty court with a basket of balls. With dedication and effort, the player can master the art of pickleball strokes and reach new levels of success in the game.
Groundstrokes:
A groundstroke is when you hit the ball after it bounces on the court. You hit it from the back, near the baseline. The goal is to hit a good one that lets you go to the net and trick your opponent so you can win the point. You might have to hit a lot of groundstrokes before you get a good one that lets you advance to the net. If you're new, you gotta practice so you hit the ball in front of you and use the right swing and angle on the paddle.
The Return:
The return of serve is like a groundstroke but it's special cuz you only use it after your opponent serves the ball. It's the second shot of each point. When you hit the return, you gotta think differently than other groundstrokes. You should try to follow the return to the net if you can. When you practice the return, use footwork that helps you go to the net.
Soft Shots
The mastery of the "soft shots" in pickleball is a crucial aspect of unleashing a winning strategy during a rally. A soft shot, as the name suggests, is a slow-paced shot that involves a minimalistic paddle movement and is executed with a push or block technique instead of full swings. These shots serve multiple purposes, such as advancing to the net, setting up an attack, blocking the opponent's attack, and defending oneself.
The Dink
The dink shot, a low and soft shot hit from the non-volley zone (NVZ), is a delicate stroke that requires precision and a good sense of timing. The shot is characterized by its soft arc, which is intended to force the opponent to hit high on their next shot and prevent an attack. The target area for a dink shot is a combination of in and near the kitchen, and it is crucial to vary its landing spot to keep the opponent off-balance.
Drop Shot
The drop shot, similar to the dink shot, is executed from a further back position, such as the transition zone or near the baseline. The shot has a longer arc, given its longer distance from the net, and it is designed to land in the kitchen (NVZ) or just beyond the kitchen line with a low bounce.
The execution of a drop shot requires quick reflexes and agility to get to the ball, as well as a good feel for the ball and proper body positioning during the setup and shot.
By incorporating these shots into your pickleball strategy, you can keep your opponent off-balance and pave the way for a victorious rally.
The Art of Volleying
The technique of striking the ball before it touches the ground on one's side is known as a volley. This attacking maneuver is usually executed with the intention of winning a point through forcing an error from the opponent or by hitting an outright winner.
A well-executed volley can lend a player an advantage, as it hastens the pace of the game, puts one in control, and can also intimidate opponents. Thus, mastering the proper form and body position is imperative to achieving success with this shot.
To enhance one's skills, drills that focus on refining hand-eye coordination can be highly beneficial.
Maybe on day you'll look like this.
The Elevated Lob
The lob is a high-arcing shot that sends the ball deep into the back court and over the heads of opponents. This shot, although aesthetically pleasing when executed correctly, can be quite challenging to perform.
A missed lob, with insufficient height, can prove disastrous as it leaves the opponent with an opportunity to execute an overhead smash, a highly offensive shot in the game. Hence, a good sense of timing, accurate placement, and the ability to judge the required power to lift the ball over the opponent's head is crucial.
The Overhead Smash
The overhead, also referred to as a "smash", is a hard-hit shot with a contact point above the head. It is usually directed downwards towards the opponent or hit at an angle that sends the ball off the court and away from the opponent after the bounce.
This shot is usually a result of a lob from the opponent, and if executed correctly, can lead to a point win. A full motion, proper body position, timing, and accuracy are all necessary components for executing a successful overhead smash. When executed correctly, it can be a spectacular sight, but a miss-hit can be frustrating.
In conclusion, these are the essential shots one must master to excel in pickleball. Stay tuned for our upcoming section on the best pickleball drills.
Wall-Backboard Drills for Aspiring Players
Fundamental Shots
1) The Serve
Tape out a box that is about 1 square foot at a height about 2 feet higher than the net would be and aim for that box on the wall. Move 20 feet back and aim your serve within the box.
2) The Fundamentals of the Forehand Groundstroke
The forehand groundstroke is a shot executed by striking the ball with one's dominant hand. For instance, if you're a right-handed player, the forehand shot is utilized when the ball is on your right side, and vice versa for a left-handed player.
A critical aspect of the forehand shot is to lead with the palm of the hand, which is why it is the preferred shot of most players compared to the backhand, where you lead with the back of the hand.
Stand 10 feet away from the wall, and hit the ball so that it bounces back to you at around the 5-foot mark. The ball should be struck high enough to bounce back to you at approximately thigh height. Utilize your knees and step in with your non-dominant foot while executing the shot.
Start by hitting a point on the wall that is roughly at chest height and gradually adjust the height and speed to achieve the desired bounce. Focus on a strong shoulder turn and a more abbreviated backswing and follow-through when starting out.
As your skills improve, move further away from the wall, and you'll need to hit the ball harder, with a more pronounced shoulder turn, and follow-through. Angle your body slightly forward by moving your lead foot forward, bend your knees, and aim to hit the ball slightly ahead of your body.
3) The Backhand Groundstroke Basics
To perform the basic backhand groundstroke, stand 10 feet away from the wall, just like you would for the forehand groundstroke. This time, however, you will be hitting the ball on your non-dominant side, leading with the back of your hand.
Before making contact with the ball, make sure to bend your knees and step in with the foot on the same side as the hand holding the paddle. Aim to hit the ball at a point on the wall that is approximately at chest height, gradually adjusting the height and speed to achieve the desired bounce.
Focus on using your legs and body to generate power for the shot, rather than relying solely on your arm strength. As you progress and your skills improve, you can move further away from the wall and hit the ball with more power, but always maintain good form and technique.
Practice hitting the ball at different heights and speeds, and try to aim for specific points on the wall. Focus on maintaining a smooth and controlled motion, and try to keep the ball in play for as many repetitions as possible.
4) The Art of Alternating Groundstrokes: Forehand & Backhand
Are you ready to take your tennis game to the next level? Then it's time to master the delicate balance between the forehand and backhand shots.
In this simple exercise, you will alternate between each shot with each hit. Direct your backhand shots towards the right and your forehand shots towards the left (if you're a lefty, reverse the direction).
Footwork is key in this maneuver, so ensure that as you transition from forehand to backhand, your lead foot changes accordingly. Right-handed players, take note: your left foot advances on the forehand and your right foot advances on the backhand.
You'll soon realize that when hitting these shots individually, you aim straight at the wall to make the ball come back to the same spot. However, in alternating between shots, you must now hit at a slight angle to get the ball over to the other side of your body and back again. This is where the challenge lies!
5) Volley: The Ultimate Show of Skill
Volley often look like masterful display off fast reflexes and quick play.
To attain a professional level of volleying, you’ll be spending alot of time drilling for sure.
Move relatively close to the wall (approximately 5 feet away), and hit forehand volleys (no bounce allowed) within the boxed area. The goal is to repeatedly hit the ball back at the wall, avoiding letting it hit the floor.
Take your time getting use to the motion. Start slowly and gently. Many make the mistake of hitting the ball directly forward at this stage, but the ball might fly back at you too quickly and at too low an angle if you’re still new to it.
This means you'll need to hit the ball higher on the wall to avoid hitting it at your feet. Your shots will have a pronounced arc at the start, but that's perfectly normal.
Don't worry if your shots don't look like what you see on the court. That's exactly what you're working towards! As your skills improve, you can hit harder and lower with less arc.
With each passing moment, you will be able to move further away from the wall, increasing the speed and power of each shot.
Eventually you’ll be able to imitate the pros.
Intermediate Player Backboard Wall Drills
6) Art of Spin
You've come a long way, but there's still room for improvement. Take your pickleball game to the next level by incorporating spin into your shots.
Once you have reasonable control over all the core shots, it's time to add topspin, underspin, and even sidespin to each of your shots. Spin adds an extra layer of complexity to your game and makes you a formidable opponent on the court.
Select the type of spin you wish to incorporate into your game, and use all the drills mentioned earlier. Focus on hitting each shot with the desired spin, and then cycle through each drill again, experimenting with all the different spins.
By mastering the art of spin, you will be a higher level player with a wider arsenal of shots. The crowds will be awestruck by your pickleball prowess!
7) The Short Hop Shot: A Test of Precision
Are you ready to challenge yourself and elevate your pickleball game? Then it's time to master the art of the short hop shot.
This shot requires you to hit the ball immediately after it bounces, right at your feet. It's called a short hop or a "half-volley," and it's a more difficult shot to control. To make these shots, you will need to use an extremely limited backswing, as close to no backswing as possible.
Stand on an imaginary line parallel to the wall, relatively close (approximately 5 feet away), and aim for the ball to bounce on or close to the line. Keep in mind that many players aim for your feet during play, making these shots even more challenging to handle.
To clear the net, you will need to angle the shots up sharply. It's best to hit these shots softly, so they land in the kitchen and bounce low, making them unattackable by your opponents.
By honing your skills in the short hop shot, you will become a more well-rounded player, ready to take on any challenge on the court.
8) The Art of Drops: Tactical Tool
The drop shot is a critical component of the pickleball game, often used to advance from the baseline to the net.
Visualize the wall as the net, and aim to land the ball just beyond the net in the kitchen. Your shot should be descending as it approaches the wall to land short in your opponent's court. Practice both forehand and backhand drops, and alternate between a groundstroke and a drop to create a continuous hitting format.
As you become confident in your forehand and backhand drops, you can alternate between the two. Vary the distance from the wall to simulate drops from the baseline and up in the court (transition zone).
9) The Backhand Slice
The backhand slice is a shot in pickleball where the player hits the ball with a slicing motion, causing it to spin and dive low after hitting the ground. The backhand slice is often used as a defensive shot to keep the ball low and slow, making it difficult for the opponent to hit an aggressive shot.
To execute a backhand slice, the player needs to have a relaxed grip on the paddle and make a slicing motion with their arm, while keeping the wrist firm. The backswing should be short and the follow-through should be low and across the body.
Practicing the backhand slice on the backboard wall is a great way to improve your control and accuracy. Start by hitting low, slow slices and gradually increase the speed and power. You can also practice hitting slices at different angles and with different amounts of spin.
10) The Delicate Touch of Dinking
Dinking is a soft shot hit from the non-volley zone or "kitchen" that should land in your opponent's kitchen or just beyond their non-volley zone line. Stand approximately 7 feet from the wall and practice your forehand and backhand dinks individually.
Then, challenge yourself by alternating between forehand and backhand dinks, or try different combinations (e.g. 1 forehand, 2 backhands, and repeat). The more you can handle, the better, but don't move on to more challenging drills until you're strong in the basics.
11) The Walking Dink: A Test of Control
Take your dinking game to the next level with the walking dink. Using any shot, you can lead yourself in one direction by hitting it slightly off the wall (start right or left, it doesn't matter) and stepping that way to keep up with the shot.
Once you've traveled 10 feet or so in that direction, hit it slightly back in the other direction and travel back with it. Repeat this back and forth as many times as you can.
This drill will help you develop your control and give you an edge on the court.
By mastering these shots you’ll take your control play to the next level.
12) The Aerial Assault: Mastering the Lob
Are you ready to take your pickleball game to new heights? Then it's time to master the lob. Practice lobs from a position close to the wall, ensuring that you get plenty of height on the ball. Remember, lobs are often made when you're standing close to the kitchen, so make sure to get plenty of air on the ball.
Be sure to practice alot so this doesn't happen to you.
13) The Backhand Revolution
In most racquet and paddle sports, players tend to start every drill with the forehand before moving on to the backhand. As a result, the backhand often gets less attention and reps, even if that's not the intention.
To close this gap and improve your backhand skills, regularly dedicate an entire drill session to working on your backhand only. Choose at least four different drills from the ones mentioned earlier, and focus solely on your backhand.
If you tend to avoid your backhand, it's time to break that habit. To be the player you aspire to be, you must embrace and master every aspect of your game, including the backhand.
Advanced Drills: Take Your Skills To New Heights
14) Backspin Dink + Volley: The Deceptive Move
Add a touch of deception to your game with the backspin dink + volley. Use a slightly downward motion to impart backspin as you dink the ball off the wall, followed by a volley off the wall. The backspin will send the ball heading downward after impact with the wall, making it a more challenging shot for your opponent. Check out the video in drill #7 for different spin variations and a demonstration of how to accomplish a backhand backspin.
15) Topspin Dink + Volley: The Elevating Move
Take your game to new heights with the topspin dink + volley. Use a slightly upward motion to impart topspin as you dink the ball off the wall, followed by a volley off the wall. The topspin will send the ball headed upward after impact with the wall, making it a more challenging shot for your opponent.
16) Sidespin Dink + Volley: The Surprising Move
Surprise your opponent with the sidespin dink + volley. Use a slightly outside to inside motion to impart sidespin as you dink the ball off the wall, followed by a volley off the wall. The sidespin will send the ball headed slightly toward one side after impact with the wall, so be mindful to compensate for that and adjust the location you hit on the wall so that it comes back to you.
17) The High-Speed Volley: A Test of Reactions and Coordination
Step up to the challenge with the high-speed volley. Stand close to the wall and hit forehand and then backhand volleys as quickly as you can, while still maintaining continuity. Finish with an alternating backhand and forehand volley to improve your reactions and coordination.
18) Speed Control: The Key to Converting Fastballs
Gain control with the speed control drill. Hit one or two firmer volley shots at the wall, and then attempt a dink over the line. This drill will give you the control you need to convert any fastball into a dink. This type of dink is also often referred to as a "reset" or a "block."
Ben John is a fan of these types of drills
19) Third-Shot Drops with Spin: The Strategic Move
Add spin to your drops for a strategic edge. Practice your drops as described in the drop drill, but this time use spin. Cycle between topspin and backspin to keep your opponent guessing.
20) The Volley, Surprise Lob & Overhead: A Triple Threat
Take your opponent by storm with the volley, surprise lob & overhead. Hit several high-speed volleys off the wall, followed by a lob, and clean it up with your own overhead smash. This combination of shots will keep your opponent on their toes, unable to predict your next move.
21) The Fake Out Attack: The Ultimate Surprise
Catch your opponent off guard with the fake out attack. Hit a high ball and pretend to attack with a high volley, but at the last moment, reduce your paddle speed and gently dink the ball over the line. Practicing this skill will come in handy when you have opponents pinned back at the baseline, expecting a hard drive, and you surprise them with a drop shot for a winner. This skill is especially handy against players who defend well from the baseline. Get ready to take your pickleball game to the next level!
Master These And You're Good to Go
Pickleball drills are the building blocks of success on the court. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, regularly practicing drills can help improve your skills, increase your confidence, and enhance your overall performance. As you practice, remember that consistency is key and that repetition is the mother of all skill. Take the time to master the basics, and keep pushing yourself to try new and challenging drills. With dedication and hard work, you will see your game reach new heights.
