Pickleball drilling is one of the best ways to get better at the sport. When you prioritize drilling, you'll realize you get more touches on the pickleball compared to a game and you get to practice specific skills. Barrett and Danea Bass will teach you the best 2-person pickleball drills to improve your pickleball skills and get you ready for your next game.
Pickleball drill #1: Battleships drill
So many pickleball players warm up their dinks by sitting in the same spot and hitting to the same spot. The Battleships drill will help you practice hitting specific areas on the court.
- Set up on the kitchen line across from your opponent.
- Each of you should have four cones set up in front of you.
- You can play this straight on crosscourt.
- Each of the cones is one of your battleships.
- The whole goal of this drill is to move your opponent around and try to “sink all of their battleships” (hit their cones).
- Start with a cooperative feed.
- If you win a rally, you get one point.
- If you sink a ship, you get three points.
- If you sink a ship, your partner will take that ship away.
- The first person to 10 points wins.
To see this drill in action, watch the video above.
Pickleball drill #2: Tug-of-War drill
The Tug-of-War pickleball drill adds an element of pressure that translates to game play.
- Set up crosscourt or straight across the net from your opponent.
- Whether you choose crosscourt or straight across, you will each use only half your court.
- You will both start the game with five points (5-5).
- Start with a cooperative feed, dinking only.
- If you win the rally, you get a point.
- If you win a rally, your partner also loses a point.
- When the score gets to 10-0, the game is over.
- If you want to add an extra element to this drill, you can play the same game but only allow speed-ups out of the air.
To see this drill in action, watch the video above.
Pickleball drill #3: Winner drill
The pickleball Winner drill will help you understand which ball is the best putaway, and can help you become more patient with setting up a point.
- Stand across from your opponent at the kitchen line.
- Start with a cooperative feed and play like you normally would.
- You're trying to win the point, but here's the catch: You have to call “winner” before the winning shot.
- If you call “winner” and the ball is a winner you get a point.
- If you call “winner” and that ball wasn't the winning shot you get a negative point.
- If you win the rally but nobody calls “winner,” nobody gets a point.
- The first person to seven points wins the game.
To see this drill in action, watch the video above.
Pickleball drill #4: Trouble drill
The pickleball Trouble drill translates really well to game play, especially when you're at the baseline trying to work up to the kitchen.
- You will stand at the baseline and your opponent will stand at the kitchen line.
- You will throw the ball in the air and hit a big overhead, simulating that you are in trouble and trying to work your way back to the kitchen.
- Once you are able to make it up to the kitchen line, your opponent will move back and be the person hitting from the baseline.
This drill should teach you how to know when to just get the ball over the net and when to get the ball over the net and advance forward.
To see this drill in action, watch the video above.
Pickleball drill #5: 7-11 drill
The pickleball 7-11 drill will show you the advantages and disadvantages of the baseline and the kitchen line.
- You will start at the baseline, trying to work your way up to the kitchen line and win the point.
- Your opponent at the opposite kitchen line, doing their best to keep you back and ultimately win the rally.
- If you're the person at the baseline, you automatically have the disadvantage so you will win the game when you get seven points.
- If you're the person at the kitchen line, you will win the game when you get to 11 points, because you have more of the advantage.
To see this drill in action, watch the video above.
Pickleball drill #6: Serve Return Slide drill
The Serve Return Slide simulates many of the shots that you'll use in a real pickleball game.
- You will serve crosscourt like you would in a normal game, except that you and your opponent will play skinny singles right in front of each other.
- Your opponent will return in front of them and you will slide over immediately after you serve to play straight.
- Like in a normal game, only the server will get a point if they win a rally.
- The first play to 11 points wins.
To see this drill in action, watch the video above.