Most UK pickleball happens at club sessions where you play games from the first minute to the last. That’s great for fun and rubbish for improving, because in games you only hit the shot you’re worst at when you can’t avoid it. Ten minutes of drilling before the session fixes that.
Ask the organiser if you can borrow a court for ten minutes before open play starts. Most will say yes, and some will join in.
1. Cross-court dinks (3 minutes)
Two players stand at opposite corners of the kitchen line and dink cross-court only. Count consecutive dinks without a miss; beat your record each week.
2. Third shot drops (3 minutes)
One player feeds from the kitchen line; the other hits third shot drops from the baseline and walks forward a step after each good one. Swap after ten balls. Full technique in our third shot drop guide.
3. Volley ladder (2 minutes)
Both players at the kitchen line, volleying without letting the ball bounce. Start slowly and raise the pace every ten volleys. The goal is control, not winners; compact swings, paddle up. See volleys and hand battles.
4. Deep serves (1 minute)
Serve to the back third of the service court only. Count how many of ten land there. Eight is the target. Details in the serve.
5. Return and move (1 minute)
One player serves, the other returns deep and walks up to the kitchen line, stopping balanced. You’re training the habit, not the shot: see the return of serve.
Making it stick
- Same drills, every week. Improvement comes from repetition, not variety.
- Keep score. A number to beat turns a drill into a game.
- Bring the drills into games. Pick one thing per session (say, every third shot is a drop) and stick to it even when it costs you a point.
Find a session with space to practise: venues offering court hire are ideal for a pair who want a drilling hour.