John Cincola’s Kitchen Line Skinny Singles Drill: Pickleball player John Cincola has introduced a creative way to sharpen skills through a popular drill called Kitchen Line Skinny Singles. This two-person drill helps players combine core techniques with live-action play.
A Versatile Training Approach
Kitchen Line Skinny Singles is a focused half-court game where players practice dinks, attacks, and resets. The drill begins with a neutral dink, leading to live play. Cincola recommends playing to seven or eleven points to maintain intensity and focus.
“Most of what you’re working on is finding spots to attack and disguising your moves.” – (Cincola)
The drill allows players to refine their strategies in tight spaces, emphasizing accuracy and creativity.
Progressive Variations for Deeper Skill Development
Cincola shares several progressions:
- Straight Ahead Play: Players face each other directly, focusing on pinpoint attacks.
- Crosscourt Play: This variation adds angled shots, requiring players to practice resets in a designated “reset box.” This technique mimics real-game strategies.
- 70% Kitchen Line Coverage: In this advanced progression, players must cover a larger portion of the court, increasing movement and precision demands.
The final phase combines all progressions, creating dynamic, game-like scenarios.
Expert Insights from a Pickleball Professional
John Cincola, a world-ranked #6 pickleball professional with over ten professional medals, emphasizes the importance of the drill. “If you’re looking to evolve your pickleball game, this is one of the best ways to do it,” he stated, encouraging players to incorporate these techniques into regular practice.

Impact of Structured Drills
Kitchen Line Skinny Singles drills not only hone technical skills but also build decision-making and confidence in-game settings. By combining progressive challenges with real-game strategies, players can elevate their overall performance.
News in Brief: John Cincola’s Kitchen Line Skinny Singles Drill
Pickleball player John Cincola introduces the Kitchen Line Skinny Singles drill, a half-court game enhancing dinks, attacks, and resets. With progressive variations, players refine accuracy, decision-making, and game strategies. This drill blends technical skills with real-game scenarios, empowering players to elevate their performance and stay competitive under the guidance of a world-ranked professional.
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