Set up
Put an attacker and blocker at opposing kitchen lines; the blocker does not know which target the attacker will choose.
Court: One pickleball court; use the named half-court lanes when instructed
Equipment:paddles, pickleballs
Run the drill
- Play three soft dinks, then let the attacker choose forehand, backhand, or body for a speed-up.
- The defender blocks into the kitchen, never counters, and switches roles after 15 to 20 reps.
Timing: about 14 minutes for the whole block. Use the stated repetition goal as a target and the scheduled block time as a hard ceiling.
Roles and rotation
2 players
- Player 1: attacker; plays three soft dinks, then speeds up to forehand, backhand, or body
- Player 2: blocker; reads the unannounced attack and resets it into the kitchen
Rotate: Swap attacker and blocker after 15 to 20 repetitions.
Repetitions: Each player receives the same number of unpredictable block attempts. Split the working time evenly.
4 players
- Players 1 and 2: attackers; build with three dinks, then either player chooses the speed-up
- Players 3 and 4: blockers; protect their lanes and reset without countering
Rotate: Attacking and blocking teams swap jobs halfway through the block.
Repetitions: All four players stay live, with both blockers receiving unpredictable targets. No added time is required.
Targets and cues
- Block the unannounced fourth-ball speed-up softly into the kitchen without swinging or counterattacking.
- Blocker stays on the line with the paddle in front and a slightly open face; attacker varies the target fairly.
Common failure: Rushing the next contact before the player has recovered position.
Good miss:A purposeful miss made while following the stated target and movement cue.