My Favorite Solo Pickleball Drills

As one of pickleball’s top pros, Zane Navratil has mastered the art of training even when there’s no one else around. For players looking to enhance pickleball performances without a partner, Zane offers valuable insights on solo drills, emphasizing that self-disciplined creativity can elevate any player’s skills.
Thank you Lobster for making this video possible! Level up your practice sessions and game with a Lobster ball machine. Use code ZANE5 for 5% off any pickleball machine and accessories.
lobstersports....
The AIM7 app turns data from wearables to personalized and actionable solutions focused on pickleball performance, recovery, and injury prevention. Use this link and add code ZANE25 for a 30-day free trial and annual subscription for 25% off! Annual subscribers also receive 30% off Thorne supplements!
www.aim7.com/?...
UPTIME Energy gives me smooth and sustained energy to power through my day! Check them out here!
www.uptimeener...
My Kineon MOVE+ Pro helps with my nagging injuries and joint pain using red light therapy that I can use at home. Use this link to order risk-free, enter code: ZANEPB at checkout for 10% off and check out my review video!
www.k7gh8dt.co...
• Red Light Therapy for ...
Grab your next ProXR Signature or Sweet Spot Max Paddle on my website!
zanenavratilpi...
Subscribe to my newsletter to stay up to date with me on and off the court!
zanenavratilpi...
Tune into Game+ Network, the official home of Major League Pickleball in Canada!
gameplusnetwor...
Har-Tru has all your pickleball court equipment needs. Use discount code ZANE10 to receive 10% off your purchase.
hartru.com/
Zane’s on Cameo!!
cameo.com/zane...
Thorlo Socks are the best! Engineered with varying levels of padding, their pickleball socks provide maximum comfort and support. Get yours here.
thorlo.com/pag...
Recover with Yobow, the most compact massage pistol! Each purchase includes a free Yobow warm-up band ($25 value) and free US shipping!
zanenavratilpi...
Zane’s go-to method for solo practice is simple but highly effective: wall drills. “There are actually a bunch of wall drills that I do on a semi-regular basis,” he says, noting that a good wall can substitute for a practice partner. One of Navratil's favorite drills involves alternating forehands and backhands, hitting the ball against the wall at various distances.
“Start close to the wall to work on quick hands and blocking. Then, back up and hit from farther away to develop more power in your shots,” Zane advises. The key, he stresses, is to always mix it up, challenging yourself to expand your pickleball playbook.
After perfecting alternating shots, Zane switches focus to backhands. Navratil encourages players to isolate specific skills. “Focus on all backhands in your next round,” he explains, laughing about the challenge. “Sometimes the wall wins!” But the beauty of wall drills, according to Zane, is their unpredictability and how they force players to be on their toes.
For more advanced players, Zane recommends a four-part sequence that simulates game scenarios: “A dink, a speed-up, a counter, and then a reset.” He emphasizes repetition- “dink, speed up, counter, reset”-as a way to develop muscle memory. It’s a drill that’s constantly evolving, helping players build both offense and defense.
Zane also points out that players like Christian Alshon have additional creative wall drills on social media that are worth checking out. “Christian’s got a bunch of wall drills on Instagram and KZbin, and sometimes, yes, he’s shirtless in those videos,” he jokes, highlighting the many ways players can find inspiration.
While the wall drills hone reactive skills, Zane uses the Lobster ball machine to fine-tune his strokes. His favorite drill involves setting the ball machine on the baseline and having it shoot directly down the line. “If I can hit the ball back at the machine in a straight line, it really helps with my timing and accuracy,” he says.

[@deweystace]

I really enjoy your humor and the fact you can laugh and have a good time, that is why I also enjoy your content. A fan for the last 3 years.

[@joiedevivre541]

You are always so much fun! I also love your teaching! Thank you!

[@hruntingson]

Thanks Zane! I love learning new techniques for play with myself! You’re a real pro! Also, for confirming Alshon plays with himself constantly too! One of us! One of us!

[@lil_nong]

learning new techniques to play with yourself? back in my day they just called that giving yourself a stranger

[@lisazabriskie7916]

Drops, drives and volleys with my best bud Wally!!!!!!

[@bobotto1786]

Terrific tutorial and I enjoy the humor, too. Thanks and keep them coming!

[@stymeron]

Love the Chris target

[@bryandbaker]

Yo Zane, for your off the bounce speed ups, use your and Shea’s now illegal serve spin toss technique and it will bounce back towards you with topspin. I do it from all over the court and for all types of dinks. Great practice for internalizing “brush” (which creates spin), which is really hard, over “slap” (what sends the ball forward with speed). My backhand roll is easily 5.0+ because of it. I can also reliably hit a tomahawk from one paddle below the net because of it. I think of every shot as a vector, the component vectors of which are the aforementioned brush (vertical component vector) and slap (horizontal component vector). Dinks and rolls are 99% brush with only 10% slap, and drives are maybe 20% brush with 80% slap.

[@RamonRamon609]

RIP CHRIS!!!

[@ocelotarmory]

😅😅

[@ralph7077]

😂😂😂

[@JesseUnderscoreMartin]

Good drills! Always happy when my second favorite pickleball KZbinr posts a video!

[@AnnMitt]

I have no friends to practice drills with *and* I don't own a pb machine. I'm a double loser 😢

[@marcusmonkeyman6907]

You can still do the wall, serves, and off the bounce drills he showed. Triple winner! You can also develop some feel and agility at home. E.g., small bounces on paddle, alternating sides, mix in some bounces of the edge. Throw ball up and try to catch it on the paddle with no bounce (absorb it like a water balloon). Practice grip changes. Then show all that off in front of people at the courts - friends! ;)

[@mathaddicts100]

Even if you had friends or acquaintances, they might not be skillful enough to drill with. I am at the point that I prefer to drill only with ex tennis players who can control the power and placement of the ball. The wall is the most reliable and equal partner. Once you get good against the wall, you will play better during rec games and be able to attract more friends or pickleball partners.

[@jorowi]

Years ago, I had a tennis coach tell me that the wall always wins. He also said when I could beat the wall he'd play me. Also, please make a tutorial on hooking.

[@mathaddicts100]

2:57 and 7:06 Pickleball Studio's Chris Olson is the target of Zane's affection. Zane, regardless of Chris' opinion, I have seen so many pros use or consider your paddles while at the Sacramento tournaments in 2024.

[@kimjaesung5938]

Exactly what i need. Thanks a bunch

[@amit212543]

Can you do something on how to slice volley dink? I see pros do it and I can’t get it down even though I can slice ground stroke. I pop it up too often.

[@Jinxman729]

Nice one Zane... with the "been there". As if you are not there now. JK love u bro ;)

[@DannyBPlays]

I love my Lobster, but it's garbage at lobs. It'd also be amazing if any machine could feed aggressive 4th shots to help with resets but that'd require a super tall machine

[@ShenZA6]

We also want a shirtless zane!! But body waxed hairless zane😂

[@0RANGOTANG]

What grip are you using when you're hitting forehands from the back of the court? Eastern or semiwestern? What about your serving grip?

[@prasiththammasithiboon4194]

You are hilarious!

[@Mad_Money_Mike]

The wall is my friend.

[@JimboC1957]

Don’t see link in description that was mentioned…

[@felixfernandez2564]

😂😂 dam not Chris haha

[@kevinwill8542]

R.I.P. Chris

[@acupof_joe]

RIP @PickleballStudio's Co-Host lol

[@JamesIgnatowich]

I’ll be ur friend Zane

[@jerrychen2302]

How do i make friends tho 😢

[@elliottfletcher4830]

If your not already there, progress to 5.0 plus and suddenly everyone wants to be your friend (partner) 😅

[@Dy1pickel]

Chris bit😂 next discussion should be is Zane gay ; there was a long pause with shirtless comment 😅

[@kgr_alex]

lol

[@charliechen4139]

SECOND!!!

[@ZaneNavratilPickleball]

🥈💪

[@hetchangela7659]

first

[@brianbta1]

Mental note: Don’t be like Chris!

[@JohnnyNguyen-v5r]

Funny - i dont like Zane much in the past but I think I like him now