No one wants to drill, everyone wants to improve...
This post is the third about Non-Volley Zone drills. The first was specifically about volleys and this is the second post about dinks. It continues the focus on NVZ-first learning in alignment with the RV Picklers' article shown last week, Pickleball 101.
NVZ Line Drills
Moving Dink Drills
Dinking is often done with small positional changes. But good opponents will force players to move with the goal of forcing them outside their comfort zone. Drills to improve technique and shot-making while moving are shown below.
Walk-the-Line Dink Drill
Description: Positioning starts similarly to the Simple Dink Drill – two players directly face each other from opposing NVZ lines and near a sideline. Players dink the ball back and forth for several hits. Then one player (Player A) redirects the dink toward the middle of the opponent’s service box. Player B moves to the ball, stops, and dinks the ball back toward the middle of Player A’s service box. Player A moves to the ball, stops, and redirects the dink toward Player B’s center line. Player B moves to the ball, stops, and hits the dink back toward Player A’s center line. Both players continue moving their dinks toward the opposite sideline from which they started. Each player should hit 5 shots from sideline to sideline. Players then reverse direction back toward the original sideline with the same 5 targets. Each player should hit the ball to their partner such that the return dink can be made. Players should try to have a rally with a large number of continuous hits and should not try to hit winners. Repeat the exercise as needed.
Goal: This drill will teach the player proper movement and positioning to hit the next shot Also, the player will learn proper paddle face angles to change direction of the ball. One goal is the focus on move, stop, and hit. Players will learn that better dinks are made while stopped in the proper position rather than dinking while moving.
Walk-the-Line Crosscourt Dink Drill
Description: Positioning starts similarly to the Crosscourt Dink Drill – two players directly face each other from opposing NVZ lines and opposite sidelines. Players dink the ball back and forth for several hits. Then one player (Player A) redirects the dink toward the middle of the opponent’s service box. Player B moves to the ball, stops, and dinks the ball back toward the middle of Player A’s service box. Player A moves to the ball, stops, and redirects the dink toward Player B’s center line. Player B moves to the ball, stops, and hits the dink back toward Player A’s center line. Both players continue moving their dinks toward the opposite sideline from which they started. Each player should hit 5 shots from sideline to sideline. Players then reverse direction back toward their original sideline with the same 5 targets. Each player should hit the ball to their partner such that the return dink can be made. Players should try to have a rally with a large number of continuous hits and should not try to hit winners. Repeat the exercise as needed.
Goal: This drill will teach the player proper movement and positioning to hit the next shot Also, the player will learn proper paddle face angles to change direction of the ball. One goal is the focus on move, stop, and hit. Players will learn that better dinks are made while stopped in the proper position rather than dinking while moving.
Dinking is often done with small positional changes. But good opponents will force players to move with the goal of forcing them outside their comfort zone. Drills to improve technique and shot-making while moving are shown below.
Walk-the-Line Dink Drill
Description: Positioning starts similarly to the Simple Dink Drill – two players directly face each other from opposing NVZ lines and near a sideline. Players dink the ball back and forth for several hits. Then one player (Player A) redirects the dink toward the middle of the opponent’s service box. Player B moves to the ball, stops, and dinks the ball back toward the middle of Player A’s service box. Player A moves to the ball, stops, and redirects the dink toward Player B’s center line. Player B moves to the ball, stops, and hits the dink back toward Player A’s center line. Both players continue moving their dinks toward the opposite sideline from which they started. Each player should hit 5 shots from sideline to sideline. Players then reverse direction back toward the original sideline with the same 5 targets. Each player should hit the ball to their partner such that the return dink can be made. Players should try to have a rally with a large number of continuous hits and should not try to hit winners. Repeat the exercise as needed.
Goal: This drill will teach the player proper movement and positioning to hit the next shot Also, the player will learn proper paddle face angles to change direction of the ball. One goal is the focus on move, stop, and hit. Players will learn that better dinks are made while stopped in the proper position rather than dinking while moving.
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| Dink 1 Dink 2 |
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| Dink 3 Dink 4 |
Walk-the-Line Crosscourt Dink Drill
Description: Positioning starts similarly to the Crosscourt Dink Drill – two players directly face each other from opposing NVZ lines and opposite sidelines. Players dink the ball back and forth for several hits. Then one player (Player A) redirects the dink toward the middle of the opponent’s service box. Player B moves to the ball, stops, and dinks the ball back toward the middle of Player A’s service box. Player A moves to the ball, stops, and redirects the dink toward Player B’s center line. Player B moves to the ball, stops, and hits the dink back toward Player A’s center line. Both players continue moving their dinks toward the opposite sideline from which they started. Each player should hit 5 shots from sideline to sideline. Players then reverse direction back toward their original sideline with the same 5 targets. Each player should hit the ball to their partner such that the return dink can be made. Players should try to have a rally with a large number of continuous hits and should not try to hit winners. Repeat the exercise as needed.
Goal: This drill will teach the player proper movement and positioning to hit the next shot Also, the player will learn proper paddle face angles to change direction of the ball. One goal is the focus on move, stop, and hit. Players will learn that better dinks are made while stopped in the proper position rather than dinking while moving.
 |
| Dink 1 Dink 2 |
 |
| Dink 3 Dink 4 |
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