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Ready to take your pickleball game to the next level? Follow this 7-day plan to sharpen your skills, boost your fitness, and develop winning strategies. Each day focuses on a mix of drills, gameplay, and strategic development to help you see real improvement by the end of the week.
Here is your 1-Week Plan to Improve Your Pickleball Game!
Psssssstttt! Our super secret sauce is at the very end of this blog!
Day 1: Goal Setting and Core Drills
Goal Setting:
Activity: Spend 10 minutes setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your pickleball improvement. Examples: "Only miss 1 our every 10 serves this week" or "Reduce 3rd shot drop errors by 10% from 6 missed for every 20 attempted down to a game to 4 missed for every 20 attempted."
(**PRO TIP! Write these in a pickleball journal to keep track of your progress over time!)
Photo: Medium
Drills:
Dink Drills (15 min): Practice controlled dinks to improve your precision and touch.
Volley Drills (15 min): Focus on quick, accurate volleys to enhance your reflexes and net play.
Serve Drills (10 min): Work on different types of serves to develop consistency and accuracy.
Baseline Groundstroke Drills (10 min): Practice baseline strokes to ensure solid and consistent groundstrokes.
Day 2: Focused On Fundamentals
Drills:
Dinks and Drops (15 min): Continue improving your touch with targeted dinks and drop shots.
Volleys and Smashes (15 min): Focus on both defensive and offensive volleys.
Serving Practice (15 min): Refine your serve with a focus on placement and variety.
Groundstrokes (15 min): Work on forehand and backhand strokes, focusing on technique and consistency.
Day 3: Gameplay Session
Activity:
Gameplay (1 hour): Play a full game or multiple shorter games. Focus on implementing the skills you’ve practiced.
Post-Game Analysis (10 min): Reflect on your performance. Identify strengths and areas for improvement. (**PRO TIP! Write these in a pickleball journal to keep track of your progress over time!)
Day 4: Footwork Fundamentals and Ab Workout
Photo: AI Generated To Keep Up With The Times ;)
Drills:
Footwork Drills (20 min): Practice ladder drills, side-to-side shuffles, and other footwork exercises to improve agility and movement.
Ab Workout (20 min): Strengthen your core with exercises like planks, Russian twists, and leg raises.
Day 5: Focused Skill-Specific Drilling
Drills:
Dinking & Reset Drills (15 min): Focus on consistency and putting pressure on your opponent without speeding the ball up.
Serve & Return Drills (15 min): Practice serving and returning servers with depth. Then introduce changes to your power and location of serves and returns.
3/4 Court Drills (15 min): In pickleball no man's land does not exist! It's the transition zone and focused drilling here will drastically improve any players game!
Baseline Drills (15 min): Continue refining your groundstrokes, focusing on placement and consistency.
Day 6: Gameplay Session
Gameplay (1 hour): Engage in another gameplay session to apply the skills and strategies you've worked on.
**PRO TIP! Have fun! Yes you want to improve your game, but don't forget why you are trying to do that...because you enjoy playing pickleball!
Post-Game Analysis (10 min): Analyze your performance, focusing on the improvements you've made and areas still needing work.
Day 7: Rest and Strategy Development
Rest:
Activity: Take a break from physical activity to allow your body to recover. Engage in light stretching or yoga if desired.
Strategy Development:
Watch the Pros (30 min): Spend time watching professional pickleball matches. Pay attention to their strategies, shot selection, and positioning.
Analyze Play (30 min): Reflect on what you’ve learned from watching the pros. Think about how you can incorporate these strategies into your game.
THE SECRET SAUCE
By introducing drilling into your regular pickleball routine you might see improvement in your game in only 7-days... BUT! The true secret to success is repeating this 7-day plan for 3, 6, 9-months and looking back to see how far you have come!
By following this 7-day plan over a period of months, you'll not only enhance your technical skills but also develop a deeper understanding of game strategy. Remember, consistency and dedication are key. Good luck, and enjoy your journey to becoming a better pickleball player!
Do you need a backpack, balls, paddles, or overgrips to enhance your training journey? Check out our Equipment Page or look no further than JustPaddles.
Stay tuned for more expert tips and advice from Fresh Coast Pickleball by signing up for our newsletter! Let us know how your week of training goes in the comments below. Happy playing & STAY FRESH!
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