NEW Pickleball Drill I'm OBSESSED With

Precision dinking, the art of delicately placing the pickleball in strategic spots on the court, has long been a hallmark of elite play. Yet, amidst the thrill of hitting those wide, flashy shots, the significance of aiming for the middle often gets overlooked
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Navratil's latest drill, the two-cone drill, aims to enhance pickleball for all players that approach their dinks in this very strategic way. The setup is simple: two cones placed on each side of the court, one out wide and the other towards the middle. But the significance lies in the intention behind it. "If you're not keeping your opponents honest by hitting to the middle, what are you doing?" Navratil questions, emphasizing the importance of diversifying shot placement in your pickleball playbook to keep opponents on their toes.
The drill's structure is meticulously designed enhance pickleball for players by targeting the middle of the court effectively. By positioning the cones strategically, Navratil ensures players learn to aim for high-margin shots that challenge opponents without risking errors. The game itself, dubbed "Kitchen Only," encourages players to focus on precision rather than power, rewarding points for landing shots in designated areas or hitting the cones.
"What I like to do is warm up with the dinking-only version of this game," Navratil explains, highlighting the initial emphasis on technique and control. But as players grow more comfortable, the intensity ramps up with the introduction of speed-ups, allowing for quicker exchanges while still emphasizing accuracy over aggression.
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The impact of Navratil's two-cone drill goes beyond mere practice sessions. It's a philosophy that champions precision and strategy, elevating pickleball play to new heights. As Navratil and his fellow players embrace this approach, the game evolves, becoming not just a test of skill, but a strategic dance of placement and control.
In Navratil's world, hitting out wide is no longer enough. It's the precision dinks to the middle that truly enhance pickleball play, and his two-cone drill is leading the charge towards a more nuanced, dynamic game.

[@brianporter2806]

Where are you and John playing out of / doing your videos? The two of you make a great video pair for pickleball advice!

[@BucksCo937]

So much for the "foot plant" strategy!

[@Duffbeeryahoo]

Love this drill! A couple question. Why place the cones 18 inches inside the kitchen line. Why not maybe just 6 inches in the kitchen? And why would you want dinks landing behind the kitchen line to be out? Seems that some of our best dinks are at or slightly past the kitchen line forcing our opponents off the line or jamming them with uncomfortable short hops.

[@RiomaWF]

so when you add speed ups outside the kitchen isn't out anymore?

[@Guy_Washburn]

Cool drill! Really helpful! What was the background music? Sweet...

[@paulrussell5579]

When you add the attacks in, is the whole half of the court in play all the way to the baseline?

[@sbinsdca]

Good for singles, IME. A good doubles teammate slides to the middle when the partner is pulled wide. Middle dinks in doubles always seem to get attacked, unless perfect. Best to be patient in doubles and go CC and wait for a high dink or low and deep DTL to avoid the erne.

[@26realmc]

I disagree, dink to left foot of the right hand player or just right of the T to tempt right side player to come across creating confusion is almost always a great option. I find speed ups and attacks happening more often with wider dinks.

[@highlife7241]

John plays further back from NVZ line than Zane. Is that intentional?

[@sbinsdca]

It's difficult to reach in and take dinks out of the air if too far back. I was taught to stay within an inch or two of the line, take medium high dinks in the air and wait for high to speed up and put away.

[@mathaddicts100]

18" from sideline and 18" from kitchen line should form a square, but cone placement looks like a rectangle. The mathematician in me wishes you used a ruler. Still adore you and your teaching content though!