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Try the Double Ball Drill Like Jay Devilliers to See the Ball Better

by Jason Flamm on

If you want stronger muscles, you must work them out.

And we're not just talking about your biceps. Muscles that everyone needs to work out more – especially if you want to get better hands at the kitchen – are your eyes.

This drill, introduced to us by top pro Jay Devilliers, is called the "Double Ball Drill." It's designed to help you develop stronger eyes and see the ball better than ever.

What is the Double Ball Drill?

Stand with your drilling partner on opposite sides of the net at your respective kitchen lines. Each of you should have a ball in your hand and begin dinking to the other at the same time.

At first, you want to be cooperative and help each other get into a good rhythm by hitting the balls soft (not too soft) and straight ahead – it might take a few tries to get this going.

However, once you both feel comfortable, you can begin to hit better dinks and move each other around.

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The keys to this drill

Of course, the drill means nothing if you're not challenging yourselves. So, once you really start to get the hang of two balls flying around at once, you should try your best to ramp up the intensity a bit.

Things you should try:

  • Take balls out of the air whenever you get the chance
  • Try to move the person to the left or right
  • Don't be afraid to speed the ball up from time to time - just be safe about it and maybe go 50 percent power instead of risking hitting them in the face
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The benefits of the double ball drill

Eyes tend to get worse over time. Presbyopia is a condition that makes it harder to focus on close objects, and it can be caused by the weakening of eye muscles. This is why, as we age, we might need special lenses or bifocals to read something in front of us.

Working on something complicated like the double ball drill can help you build (or re-build) those muscles and maybe even help you play better pickleball.

Jason Flamm

Jason Flamm

Jason is a writer from St. Louis. He’s been a coach in several sports and is currently working on his pickleball coaching certification. He loves to teach and share his passions.

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