How to Practice Effectively
Success in Lincoln-Douglas debate doesn’t come from talent alone. It comes from preparation and practice. The best debaters aren’t just the smartest- they’re the ones who have put in the most work outside of competition.
But not all practice is useful. If you’re just reading your case over and over or doing random drills without a goal, you’re not improving as fast as you could be. Good practice is structured, intentional, and focused on the right skills.
Step 1: Practice Speaking Under Pressure
Debate rounds move fast. If you can’t think and speak quickly, you’ll struggle. The best way to improve is by practicing under real conditions.
Time yourself. Always practice with a timer. Get used to pacing your speeches so you don’t run out of time or rush at the end.
Do practice rounds. Even if you don’t have an opponent, deliver your speech as if you’re in a real round. The more you practice under pressure, the more natural it will feel.
Record yourself. Watching your own speeches will help you catch mistakes in delivery, tone, and clarity.
Step 2: Improve Your Argumentation
Debate isn’t just about speaking well- it’s about thinking well. If you don’t practice argument construction and refutation, you won’t improve.
Drill contentions and rebuttals. Take random resolutions and practice writing contentions for both sides. Then, write out possible refutations.
Play devil’s advocate. Force yourself to argue the side you disagree with. This will strengthen your ability to anticipate and refute arguments.
Watch high-level debates. Learn from the best. Analyze how top debaters build arguments, weigh impacts, and adapt to their opponents.
Step 3: Sharpen Cross-Examination Skills
Cross-examination is where many debaters gain or lose control of the round. Strong CX skills come from quick thinking and strategic questioning.
Rapid-fire questioning. Have a teammate or coach ask you difficult questions about your case while you practice answering confidently.
Pre-write key CX questions. Think about the common weaknesses in your opponent’s arguments and plan out the best ways to expose them.
Practice saying less. Weak debaters talk too much in CX. Strong debaters give short, precise answers that don’t give their opponent more to attack.
Step 4: Master Your Delivery
Even the best argument won’t win if you can’t deliver it persuasively. Speaking skills require just as much practice as argumentation.
Eliminate filler words. Record yourself and listen for “um,” “uh,” or “like.” Train yourself to pause instead.
Read and speak aloud. This improves clarity, enunciation, and vocal control.
Practice without notes. The more comfortable you are speaking from memory, the more confident and engaging you’ll be.
Step 5: Simulate Tournament Conditions
The best practice mimics real debate rounds as closely as possible.
Practice with judges. Get feedback from different types of judges so you can adapt to different expectations.
Debate against strong opponents. Don’t just practice with people at your level. Debate against tougher opponents who will challenge you.
Limit prep time. When practicing, use real prep time limits so you learn to think quickly under pressure.
The Bottom Line
If you want to improve, you have to practice the right way. Focus on speaking under pressure, strengthening argumentation, refining cross-examination, and simulating real rounds. The more intentional your practice, the faster you will see results.