The Dink Game

You might enjoy a little four-person warm-up exercise called the dink game. All players stand just behind their kitchen lines. The server serves into the diagonally opposite kitchen area. All rallying must occur within the kitchen. If a ball bounces beyond the kitchen line, it is out. Any kind of kitchen rally is acceptable. You can slam the ball, you can lean forward and return it before it bounces, you can use a forehand topspin, or simply dink it back and forth until someone makes a mistake or has an advantage. Other than the fact that the ball must bounce in the kitchen, all else is like ordinary pickleball. Dink games are generally played to seven points. You’ll find this gentle game that involves almost no running is a good way to start before the muscles are ready for full-on games.