Top Pickleball Drills from the Pros: Insights from The Pickleball Breakdown

In Episode 14 of The Pickleball Breakdown podcast, pro players Jilly B and Scott Crandall shared some of their favorite drills and practice techniques. Here are the key takeaways from their discussion:

The Power of Three-Way Drilling

Both hosts emphasized the effectiveness of practicing with three players rather than four. Scott highlighted how two-on-one drills create realistic pressure situations while allowing focused practice on specific skills. This format enables players to work on cross-court dink battles, speed-up shots, and defensive techniques in a controlled environment.

The "100 Dink Challenge"

Jilly introduced her notorious "100 Dink Challenge" - a drill where players must complete 100 consecutive dinks over the net. While it may sound daunting, she noted that most players who've played more than six times should be able to achieve this goal. The drill helps develop consistency and touch while building mental resilience.

Target-Based Kitchen Line Practice

This drill involves placing three targets at the kitchen line: one on each sideline and one where the right-side player's left foot would typically be. This helps players develop intentional dinking patterns and improves accuracy. The drill can be modified by adjusting target positions as players improve.

Serve and Return Training

Jilly shared a creative serve-and-return drill using painter's tape placed parallel to the baseline. Players score points by landing serves and returns in the designated zone between the tape and baseline. The drill can be progressively challenging by moving the tape closer to the baseline as skills improve.

The Importance of Intention

A key theme throughout the episode was the importance of purposeful practice. Both hosts stressed that keeping score or creating "games within games" helps maintain focus and creates productive pressure during practice sessions.

Visualization and Mental Practice

The hosts discussed the value of mental practice, especially during injury recovery. Jilly shared how visualization can be nearly as effective as physical practice, citing research showing the brain processes imagined experiences similarly to real ones.

The episode highlighted that effective drilling isn't just about repetition - it's about creating realistic scenarios, maintaining focus through scoring systems, and practicing with clear intentions. Whether you're a recreational player or aspiring pro, incorporating these structured drills into your practice routine can help elevate your game.

[Note: This episode was recorded in preparation for their upcoming camp in February 2025 in Pasadena, California, and their Mexico training session in October 2025.]

The full episode contains many more detailed drills and insights. For those interested in improving their pickleball game, The Pickleball Breakdown provides regular technical analysis and training tips from experienced pros.