Anna Leigh Waters’ Pickleball Training: World No. 1 pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters recently gave insight into her training habits during a session with pro player and content creator Kyle Koszuta. The pair discussed how much time should be spent drilling compared to recreational play. Waters said she now splits her time with about 60–70% on drills and 30–40% on games, stressing the importance of balance.
Anna Leigh Waters admitted she didn’t drill at all at the beginning of her career, then ended up drilling too much. Over time, she found the right mix.
“Drilling is great, but it’s not replicating exactly what’s going to happen in a game. Right now, I’m drilling probably 60-70% of the time, and playing games 30–40% of the time.” – (anna)
Her mother and coach, Leigh Waters, added why playing games is just as important.
“When you’re drilling, you’re supposed to be working on things. If you don’t ever play in a game, you never get to practice using the things that you’ve learned in your drilling. You’re less likely to do those things in a match if you’ve never done it in practice.” – (Leigh)
“If you’re drilling a forehand speed-up and you never play rec games where you get to actually hit forehand speed-ups you’re working on, you’re definitely not going to do it in a tournament or a rec game that counts because you’re going to be too scared. You have to play rec games because you’ve got to put to use what you’ve been working on.” – (Leigh)
Leigh Waters also noted how practicing reactions to the shots being drilled is key. That’s because game situations bring unpredictable shots and movement.
What Drills Should Players Practice?
Anna Leigh Waters works on all parts of her game during drills. This includes dinks in different directions, speed-ups, and third-shot drops followed by moving into the kitchen.
“There are days where we work on one thing the whole practice. Then there’s other days where it’s more movement-oriented, so we’re working on cardio and footwork, and some days where it’s situational and we’re working on patterns and two-on-one drills.” – (anna)
Even top players can get tired of doing the same drills again and again. Anna Leigh Waters said she felt bored after 18 months of starting every practice with 30 to 45 minutes of dinking. She recently changed it up to start with groundstrokes from the baseline instead.
“Mixing it up is great, and just doing the same thing over and over isn’t all that helpful.” – (anna)
Where to Begin and What to Focus On
For many players, it can be hard to decide where to start. Leigh Waters has a clear opinion on that. She believes that aggressive play should come first before focusing on finesse skills.
“I have a different viewpoint than most people. Most people think you need to have the finesse game first, but I think you need to have the aggression first because the finesse game takes time. The finesse game is so nuanced and it’s really the most difficult part of pickleball. The scariest part of pickleball for your opponents is the attacks, not your dinks.” – (Leigh)
“Look at any tennis players who come into the game. How do they play? They do nothing but attack. They drive and attack, and people hate it. But the more they play pickleball, they dink more and they attack less because they think that’s how you’re supposed to play. I’m an aggression coach, and I think it’s important. Don’t get locked into learning the dinks and ignoring the aggression. The aggression is super important.”- (Leigh)
Anna Leigh Waters pointed out another common mistake among players—only working on their weaknesses. She said players should also focus on improving their strengths.
“If you have an amazing backhand speed-up, why not make it better? I feel like a lot of players think they need to work on the things they’re not great at. But if you could make your strengths even better, that’s something you should work on, too.” – (anna)
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Why It Matters
This advice from Anna Leigh Waters and Leigh Waters highlights how important it is to strike a balance between drilling and playing. Drills help improve technique, but real games teach players how to use those skills under pressure. Knowing when and how to drill or play can make a huge difference for players at any level.
Players who only drill may not feel confident using new skills in matches. But those who only play may not sharpen their technique. Finding the right mix is key to becoming a stronger and smarter pickleball player.
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News in Brief: Anna Leigh Waters’ Pickleball Training
World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters says she now drills 60–70% of the time and plays 30–40%, stressing that real-game play is key to using what’s learned in practice. Her coach, Leigh Waters, agrees and urges players to drill with purpose but also play enough to build confidence in matches.
ALSO READ: From World No. 1 to Powerhouse Coach: How Leigh Waters Is Shaping Pickleball’s Next Generation