Do you find yourself getting caught in the infamous “No Man’s Land”?
Today we’re going to look at a drill that I see very few players doing. This is probably one of the most challenging drills, but with dedicated practice, anyone can improve their game. So, let’s get started.
First of all, what is No Man’s Land?
The term actually comes from tennis, which usually refers to the area between the service line and the baseline.
In pickleball, it refers to the area between the baseline and the NVZ.
Drill
For this drill, one player will start at the NVZ line, and the other will start in “No Man’s Land”, which is about halfway between the baseline and the NVZ.
Just like the previous video, for this drill, you’ll only will be using half of the court.
The player at the NVZ will start by feeding the ball to the player in No Man’s Land.
Each game will be played to 5 points, in which the player at the NVZ will feed the ball to start each point.
As soon as any player hits the ball out of bounds or into the net, it is a point for the other player.
After a game to five points is played, the players will switch positions, so that the other player can also practice hitting shots from No Man’s Land.
Let’s check out some points. (See video at top of post)
The whole objective of this drill is to learn how to take pace off the ball, while trying to hit every ball into the NVZ.
What you’ll soon find out, if you haven’t already, is that the area of No Man’s Land is the hardest place to play from in a game.
Ideally, No Man’s Land is not a place where you want to be stuck in, in the middle of a point.
Although, this does not mean that you can always avoid playing in the area of No Man’s Land.
Actually, after hitting a third shot drop, you will always have to work your way past No Man’s Land to get to the NVZ.
This is why it is vital that we drill shots from this area.
Yes, the whole goal as the serving team is to GET TO and STAY at the NVZ line, but in the transition process from the baseline, we have to fight and get through No Man’s Land first.
This drill will sharpen your skills from this mid-court area, and help you gain confidence as you work your way to the net from the baseline.
As the player in No Man’s Land tries to drop each shot into the kitchen, the player at the NVZ line should work on hitting each shot at their opponents feet.
The player at the NVZ should do their best to make it as hard as possible for their opponent, and they should try to put the ball away for a winner if they can.
This is definitely one of the hardest drills, but when you can learn to drop any shot into the kitchen to reset the point, you will be able to get yourself out of trouble a real game situation.
Remember, constant drilling is the key to getting better.
Keep practicing, and you will see your game move to the next level.
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