PickleFitter

The shake and bake in pickleball, with drills

What the shake and bake is, how the drive and the crash work together, and three drills to run it with a partner, for 3.5 to 4.0+ players.

For players rated 3.5+

When to use it

The shake and bake is a serving-team pattern: one partner hits a hard third-shot drive, and the other, who starts beside them at the baseline, rushes the net ('crashes') to volley the weak fourth shot.

Use it when the return lands short or the other team struggles with pace. It works best when the drive is low, at a player's feet or backhand, so the reply pops up, and when the crashing partner moves as the drive is hit.

Drills

Your level
Practising

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  1. 1.Crash footwork

    Solo3.5

    Builds the run-and-stop footwork the crash needs.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENAFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inA
    Sprint toward the middle of the kitchen line, then split-step…
    1. Start at the baseline where you'd stand as the server's partner.
    2. On 'go', sprint four or five steps diagonally toward the middle of the kitchen line, then split-step and shadow a volley.
    3. Walk back and repeat from the other side.

    Reps: 3 sets of 8

  2. 2.Drive and crash

    Four players3.5

    Times the crash: the partner moves as the drive is hit, not after.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABCDFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inACDB
    C feeds a short ball.
    1. You and your partner start at the baseline. One player across the net feeds you a short ball; the other, at the kitchen line, blocks your drive.
    2. Drive low at the blocker's feet. As you hit, your partner runs forward.
    3. Your partner volleys the block, ideally out of the air, before it gets deep.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 10, then swap roles

  3. 3.Shake and bake from the serve

    Four players4.0

    Runs the whole pattern from a live serve and return.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABCDFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inBCAD
    The return lands short…
    1. Play points. The serving team drives the third shot whenever the return lands short.
    2. The partner who doesn't hit the drive crashes the net on every drive.
    3. The returning team scores double for any winner past the crashing player or at their feet.

    Reps: Games to 11

Common mistakes

  • Crashing late. The partner has to move as the drive is hit, or the block gets past them.
  • Driving high. A drive that reaches the opponent above the waist gives them an easy counter at the crashing player.
  • Running into the kitchen. Split-step before the line; volleying with a foot in the kitchen is a fault.
  • Using it on every point. Good teams learn to block at the crasher's feet, so mix in drops.

What to work on at your level

2.5–3.0Not yet: get comfortable with drive and poaching first.
3.5Learn the timing: drive low, and the partner moves as the drive is hit.
4.0Run it from live returns, read when the return is short, and mix it with drops so it stays a surprise.
4.5+Run it from live returns, read when the return is short, and mix it with drops so it stays a surprise.

Paddles that help

The pattern starts with a hard, low drive, and a powerful paddle makes that drive easier to hit with pace.

Best Pickleball Paddles for Power

Common questions

What is the shake and bake in pickleball?
A serving-team pattern where one partner drives the third shot and the other rushes the net to volley the weak reply.
Who crashes in a shake and bake?
The partner who isn't hitting the third shot. They move forward as the drive is hit.
How do you beat a shake and bake?
Block the drive low at the crashing player's feet, or reset it softly into the kitchen so they can't volley it down.

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