The Survivor Drill: How to Defend the Overhead Smash Like a Pro

Defending against an overhead smash isn't about hitting a perfect shot right away. It's an exercise in persistence and endurance. You just need to survive long enough to find the right opportunity to turn the tides back in your favor.

To help you get the hang of it, here's a drill that can transform you from a sitting duck into a defensive wall. It's called the Survivor Drill, and Selkirk TV's Mark Price is here to break down exactly how to use it.

How to Play Many of the most effective pickleball drills are the simplest, and this one is no exception.

Here's how to run it:

One player is at the kitchen line, hitting aggressive overhead smashes or speed-ups at every opportunity The other is behind the baseline, working to put the ball back in play as much as possible The point is live; the goal is to win the point, by any means possible There's one critical caveat: The offensive player cannot hit angled shots out wide, but rather must keep all attacks within the baseline and centerline of the opposing player's respective side.

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The Art of Blocking High When the smash comes toward the baseline, your defense should be under the ball, blocking high. You're not trying to be a hero with a perfect drop-shot here; you're putting the ball up high to force another smash and live to tell about it.

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