Drills

17 drills

• Serve to the towelOn your own10 minFirst timerShotsA towel in each deep corner of the service box, ten serves at each, and only a ball that lands on the towel counts. Keep your score from session to session.Goes with Return deep, then get to the line

• Shadow the transitionOn your own5 minIntermediatePositioningPhysicalNo ball. Split-step at the baseline, three steps in, split-step, three steps in, split-step at the kitchen line. Ten times, as quiet and balanced as you can.Goes with The transition zone

• The drop bucketOn your own15 minIntermediateShotsFeed yourself and drop into a hoop just inside the kitchen. Five in a row from the baseline, then from mid-court, then from the transition zone.Goes with The third-shot drop

• The wall rallyOn your own10 minIntermediateShotsMental gameDink against a wall with a tape line at net height. Count your longest run of soft, controlled hits, switching forehand and backhand every ten.Goes with Dink patience

• Wall handsOn your own10 minAdvancedShotsPhysicalFast, compact volleys against a wall from about six feet away, paddle back up between every one. Thirty seconds on, thirty off.
• Dink to 252 players10 minIntermediateShotsMental gameCross-court dinks, counting out loud to 25. A pop-up or a miss sends you both back to zero.Goes with Dink patience
• Drop ladder2 players15 minIntermediateShotsPositioningOne feeds from the kitchen line, the other drops, moving up a step after each good drop and back a step after each bad one.Goes with The third-shot drop
• Firefighter2 players15 minIntermediateShotsPositioningOne player at the kitchen line speeds up at the feet of the other, who stands in the transition zone and has to reset into the kitchen. Ten balls, then swap.Goes with The transition zone
• Lob and chase2 players10 minAdvancedPositioningPhysicalOne lobs over the other at the kitchen line, who turns, runs it down and sends it back with an overhead or a lob.
• Quick hands2 players10 minAdvancedShotsBoth at the kitchen line, firm volleys at each other's paddle side. The first to pop one up loses the point. Play to 7.
• Return and run2 players15 minIntermediatePositioningPhysicalServe, return deep, and the returner races to the kitchen line before the third shot gets there. A point only if you're at the line in time.Goes with Return deep, then get to the line
• Skinny singles2 players20 minIntermediateStrategyShotsMental gameSingles on half the court: all of the shot-making, none of the sprinting. The narrow lane takes pace and width away, so the only way to win is placement.Goes with Dink patience
• The 7-11 drill2 players15 minIntermediateShotsPositioningThe mini-game that makes the transition zone worth playing: the baseline player needs 7 points, the kitchen player needs 11.Goes with The third-shot drop, Drive or drop, The transition zone
• Earn the line together3 players15 minIntermediatePositioningTeamworkThree players. A feeder at the kitchen line feeds deep to a pair at the baseline, who have to drop, walk in level and reach the line together, then play it out two against one.Goes with The third-shot drop, Moving as a team
• Lone wolf3 players20 minIntermediateStrategyTeamworkPhysicalA regular game for three: two against one. The lone wolf serves twice like a whole team, and the pair may only hit into the half the lone wolf served from.Goes with Moving as a team
• Odd one out3 players15 minIntermediateShotsTeamworkMental gameThree players, two against one at the kitchen line. The pair may only hit into the single player's half; the single player can hit anywhere. Everyone keeps their own score.Goes with Dink patience, Moving as a team
• The Dinking Game4 players20 minIntermediateShotsMental gameStrategyDoubles with a dink serve from the kitchen: no point comes off the serve, and a speed-up on your serve that lands out costs you a point.

No drill matches all of that yet. Show every drill