Pickleball Wall Drills to Practice

Pickleball Wall Drills: How to Improve Your Game with Wallball Drills

If you’re a pickleball player looking to improve your game, wallball drills can be an excellent way to develop the skills necessary for success on the court. Wallball drills allow you to work on your reflexes, control, and confidence, all while improving your speed, touch, and spatial awareness. In this article, we’ll provide a walkthrough on setting up a wall with tape, making targets, imaginary net, and NVZ line. We’ll also explain how to do drills that will help you improve at pickleball.

Setting Up the Wall for Pickleball Wall Drills

Before we get started with the drills, we need to set up the wall. To do this, you’ll need a flat, vertical surface, like a wall or a garage door. You’ll also need some tape, a marker, and a measuring tape.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up the Wall

Step 1: Mark the No Volley Zone (NVZ) Line
Using your measuring tape, measure seven feet from the wall and mark it with a piece of tape or chalk. This is the front of the no-volley zone line.

Step 2: Make the imaginary net
Using your measuring tape, mark 3 dots with your marker that is 36 inches at the edges and 34 inches in the middle. Now tape a line on the wall at net height from dot to dot to dot. This line will serve as an imaginary net, allowing you to practice hitting over it just like you would in a real game.

Step 3: Mark the target zone
Using your measuring tape again, measure 8 inches above the imaginary net and put a second strip of tape all the way across. This will serve as the target zone.

Step 4: Create Target boxes
Using your tape, make a 3 squares on the wall at 1 to 6 inches above the imaginary net height. You can make the square any size you like, but a good starting point is around six inches. These squares will serve as your targets for some of the drills we’ll be doing later.

Adding a Shoebox for Drop Shot Practice

Step 5 can be added later when needed:
Tape a shoe box with the bottom of the box even with the imaginary net. This will be used later when practicing drops from different distances.

Wall Drills to Improve Your Pickleball Game

Now that you’ve set up your wall, it’s time to start drilling. Here are some of the best wallball drills for improving your pickleball game:

Drill 1: Speed and Reflexes

Stand two to three feet from the wall and volley the ball. Alternate between forehand and backhand volleys, trying to maintain a consistent pace. This drill will help you develop quick hands and improve your reflexes. Do not worry about location yet, just get your timing down. Be sure to meet the ball in front of you. As you get more comfortable, you can begin to focus on returning the volley into the target zone, and the target boxes.

Drill 2: Control and Precision

Stand a little farther from the wall, around four feet away, and practice hitting the ball softly and with precision. Aim for the target zone you taped on the wall and try to hit the ball between the two strips of tape consistently. As you become more comfortable, aim for the target boxes. This drill will help you develop better control over your shots and improve your precision.

Drill 3: NVZ Line Practice

Stand at the front of the no-volley zone line and hit the ball with some speed. Practice blocking the ball and returning it just above the imaginary net in the target zone. This drill will help you improve your placement and control when hitting from the NVZ.

Drill 4: Balance and Footwork

Stand three feet from the wall and practice volleying while standing on one foot. Once you’ve mastered this, switch to the other foot and continue practicing. This drill will help you improve your balance and footwork, which are critical skills in pickleball.

Drill 5: Working on Drops

Start by standing at the front of the no-volley zone line and hit the ball with a little speed. Once the ball comes back, attempt to drop the ball into the shoe box. Continue this drill until you can get 5 in a row into the box. Move back 3 feet and do the same drill. Move back 5 feet and do the same drill. You can also do this same drill from the baseline. This will require you to use a gentle touch and a quick reaction time to hit the ball just right. This will develop an important tool in your arsenal, being able to drop the ball in the kitchen from anywhere on the court.

Q&A Section

Importance of Varying Distance in Wallball Drills

Q: Is it important to vary your distance to the wall when practicing pickleball using wallball drills?
A: Yes, varying your distance to the wall is essential for improving your reflexes, control, and confidence on the court. By hitting the ball from different distances, you’ll develop quicker reflexes, better control over your shots, and increased confidence in your ability to hit the ball under different circumstances.

Developing Paddle Face and Switching from Backhand to Forehand

Q: How can I develop a better sense of the paddle face and switch from backhand to forehand?
A: Drill 1 is an excellent drill for developing a sense of the paddle face and switching from backhand to forehand. By standing closer to the wall and aiming for the target, you will develop muscle memory for the switch from forehand to backhand when needed.