35 Pickleball Drills to Level Up Your Game like a Pro
Let’s get one thing straight—pickleball is all about having a good time. Whether you're playing with friends or making new ones mid-match, it's meant to be fun. But once you get hooked (and you will), it’s only natural to want to improve. And raw power alone won’t cut it. That’s where drills come in. If you're serious about getting better, whether it’s your footwork, dinks, or stamina, pickleball drills are your secret weapon. It’s the behind-the-scenes reps that make the magic happen during actual play out on the court.
We’ve rounded up some of the best drills to keep you sharp, even when you’re off the court. From quick solo practices to pro-level routines, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re learning the basics or chasing gold at your next local tourney, we’re here to help. 11 PICKLES is more than tips and tricks; we’re a welcoming community that believes pickleball should be fun and accessible for everyone. Stick with us for the latest drills, updates, and court-side wisdom. Let’s level up—one drill at a time.
Why Pickleball Drills Matter
It might be tough to hear, but no one’s too good for the basics—not even you. Think about it: even the greatest musicians rehearse their songs repeatedly, not because they’ve forgotten them but to make the performance feel effortless and tap into pure instinct.
The same goes for pickleball. Drills transform routine plays into second nature reactions, training both body and brain to react without overthinking. In a sport where strategy can make or break a point, this kind of instinct is crucial. When the pressure’s on, you want to feel your next move, not think about it. Drills build muscle memory and help you recognize when to opt for control and when to unleash your power, making your timing natural and precise.
Drills might not be glamorous, but they’re the fastest way to play like a champ. Here are 5 reasons to make them part of your routine:
- Skill Development: Repetition builds muscle memory and sharp technique.
- Consistency: Fewer unforced errors, more reliable shots.
- Strategic Awareness: Drills mimic real play to boost strategy and pattern recognition.
- Professional Endorsement: Top players like Ben Johns swear by drilling over playing.
- Superior Learning Speed: Targeted reps = quicker learning than casual games.
Pickleball Favors Strategy Before Power
Strategic play doesn’t happen by accident; it’s built through repetition, awareness, and targeted practice. The right drills help you keep yourself collected on the court. They can help with:
- Mastering shot placement through control and consistency
- Training your brain to recognize patterns and adjust mid-rally
- Building patience and discipline for high-percentage opportunities
- Using power effectively in game situations
Think of drills as your training ground for playing smarter, not harder. Whether you’re practicing dinks, drop shots, third shot drives, or transition resets, every drill sharpens your mental game.
Smart Power Starts with Reps
Raw power might come more naturally than strategy, but it still requires focused practice. Drilling helps you recognize when to use that power—and how to deliver it with precision. As your awareness grows, you’ll learn to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses and strike decisively when the moment is right.
Because power shots offer little room for error, training for those high-pressure situations is essential. Repetition builds composure, sharpens reactions, and prepares you to capitalize when the perfect setup appears. There’s nothing worse than being handed a meatball and missing the chance to put it away.
It’s about control, timing, and knowing exactly when to go full throttle. With consistent reps, you’ll not only strengthen your power game but also develop the judgment to choose the right power shot for the moment.
Pickleball Drills for Every Aspect of Your Game
By mixing up your practice routine with purpose, you’ll not only improve faster, but you’ll also stay more engaged and motivated on the court. To build a strong, well-rounded pickleball game, it’s helpful to break your training into four key categories.
- Warm-Up Pickleball Drills
- Skill Development Pickleball Drills
- Game Simulation Pickleball Drills
- Fitness & Movement Drills for Pickleball
Each one targets a different part of your development—whether you're just warming up, honing your skills, working on real-game situations, or boosting your fitness.
Warm-Up Pickleball Drills
Before you dive into intense rallying or matches, it’s essential to get your body and paddle ready with light, low-stress activities. These warm-up drills get your blood flowing, activate your muscles, and help you ease into the feel of the game. You can even add some of these to your routines to practice pickleball at home.
Short-Court Dinking: Stand close to the net and exchange soft dinks with a partner. This helps with control, touch, and timing—perfect for easing into your rhythm.
Shadow Swings: Practice your forehand and backhand swings without a ball. Focus on footwork, body mechanics, and smooth paddle movement to fine-tune your muscle memory.
Wall Volleys: Find a wall and hit controlled volleys to yourself, trying to maintain a rally. It’s a great way to warm up hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes.
Skill Development Pickleball Drills
Once you’re warm, it’s time to sharpen the fundamentals. These drills target shot mechanics, accuracy, and decision-making, helping you develop consistent, reliable strokes.
Cross-Court Dinks: Practice soft dinks diagonally across the net. It forces you to use angles and control, helping build consistency and patience during dink rallies.
Forehand and Backhand Drives: Drill low, fast drives off both wings to develop offensive weapons you can rely on during faster-paced exchanges. Keeping the ball low in pickleball is a key skill.
Serve & Return Practice: Don’t neglect the basics—powerful, consistent serves and solid returns can set the tone for the entire rally.
Game Simulation Pickleball Drills
These drills add pressure and realism by simulating actual game conditions. Use them to practice strategy, shot selection, and transitions in situations that mirror real play.
Doubles Transition Drills: Start at the baseline and work your way up to the kitchen after each shot. Focus on smart movement and coordination with your partner.
Volley-to-Volley Battles: Engage in controlled volley exchanges at the net to build reflexes, reaction time, and net presence.
Pressure Point Drills: Play mini-games where every point counts, helping you develop focus and mental toughness under pressure.
Reset and Defend Scenarios: Practice softening fastballs and resetting the point from a defensive position, especially from mid-court or off-balance stances.
Fitness & Movement Drills for Pickleball
To outlast tough opponents and stay sharp deep into matches, your physical conditioning matters just as much as your shotmaking. These drills boost speed, agility, and stamina.
Ladder Footwork Drills: Use an agility ladder to practice quick, controlled steps that improve lateral movement and court coverage.
Court Sprints: Sprint from baseline to kitchen and back, mimicking movement patterns during fast-paced points.
Reaction Ball Work: Use a reaction ball to improve reflexes and hand-eye coordination. Great for sharpening responses in unpredictable situations.
Paddle Tap Agility: Tap a ball against your paddle in alternating hands while moving through cones or markers. It’s a fun way to blend coordination with movement.
To take things a step further, you can use your fitness watch to keep track of your stamina and conditioning each time you train. There’s even a Catherine Parenteau pickleball apple fitness program that you can follow to tap into key exercises that will help you on the court. Don’t forget to stretch and move around during your warm ups. Check out this routine that’ll get you moving before the game.
Pickleball Drills to Improve Specific Shots
In order to tap into specific skills that you need on the court, we’ve put together a list of some drills for each type of shot you’ll use during play. Use these pickleball drills during solo sessions or with a partner to strengthen key areas of your game and develop a toolkit you can rely on in real match situations.
Targeted practice is the secret to leveling up. Instead of just rallying aimlessly, focusing on specific shots during your training can help build confidence, consistency, and strategic awareness
Serves
The serve is the first shot of every rally, and while it can’t win the point outright (since serves must bounce), it can set the tone. A strong, consistent serve keeps your opponent on their heels and helps you start each point with purpose. Plus, a little variety in your serve can force return errors and open up scoring opportunities.
Deep Target Serving: Place cones or targets near the baseline corners of your opponent’s service box. Practice serving deep and to different areas—especially the backhand side—to keep opponents off balance.
Spin & Speed Variations: Spins are legal on serves! Alternate between flat, topspin, and slice serves (if you’re comfortable with spin) while focusing on consistent placement. Mix up the pace and trajectory to develop control and unpredictability.
10-in-a-Row Challenge: Pick a specific target area and try to land 10 serves in a row there. Miss one? Start over. This builds accuracy, focus, and pressure tolerance—just like in a real match.
Bonus Tip: Consistency is key, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different toss heights, grip pressure, and paddle angles to find your most natural serving rhythm.
Dinks
Dinks are all about finesse, control, and patience. They're essential for softening the pace and setting up winning plays.
Dink and Step Back: After each dink, take a small step back. Then return forward with your next shot. Great for training balance, recovery, and controlling the pace from slightly off the line.
Dink to Target: Place cones or targets in the kitchen. Practice hitting dinks to those zones to improve accuracy and touch. Here are some sports spot markers that are great to use for the court.
Bonus Tip: Keep your paddle up and your knees bent—balance is everything for solid dinking.
Third & Fourth Shot Drop
The third shot drop is the foundation of transition play. It lets you move from the baseline to the net safely. The fourth shot (the next ball after the third) should reinforce your positioning and maintain pressure.
Drop Feed Progression: Start at the baseline or kitchen and feed yourself a ball. Aim to drop it softly into the kitchen. Move up or forward slightly after every 3rd shot, working on consistency from various court positions.
Live Drop + Reset: With a partner or coach, play a live rally where one person feeds a return, and the other hits a third shot drop. Play out the fourth shot to simulate real-game transition.
Bonus Tip: Focus on contact point and paddle angle—this is all about feel, not force.
ATP (Around the Post)
The ATP is flashy but functional—it’s the perfect counter to wide-angle dinks when opponents leave the sideline open. This shot is a legal shot where the ball is hit around the net post (not over the net) and still lands in the opponent’s court. It’s possible because the net in pickleball doesn’t extend past the sidelines, allowing room to swing wide and go around it. It’s a good one to practice and have in your back pocket if you ever need it.
Wide Dink Setup: Have your partner feed dinks that pull you off the court. Practice hitting the ATP by letting the ball drop low and swinging around the net post.
Cone Lane Challenge: Set up a cone lane just outside the sideline. Practice sending the ball through that space to simulate tight ATP windows.
Bonus Tip: Let the ball bounce as low as possible—patience is key. The lower it drops, the better your angle.
Back Hand
A solid backhand gives you more options, especially in defensive or off-balance situations. It’s a common weakness for many players—so mastering it can give you a big edge.
Backhand Wall Rally: Hit only backhands against a wall. Try to sustain a rally, switching between volleys and groundstrokes to improve control and strength. If you are looking for a target to put on a wall at home try out one of these dink pads—PodiuMax Pickleball Dink Pad.
Cross-Court Backhand Dinks: Stand at the kitchen and dink cross-court using only your backhand. This helps build comfort and consistency in those tight angles.
Bonus Tip: Keep your shoulder relaxed and follow through low to high for clean contact.
Drives
Drives add speed and aggression to your game. They’re great for pressuring opponents, setting up passing shots, or countering soft returns.
Target Drives: Place cones deep in the court and aim drives toward them. Work on both forehand and backhand drives, focusing on low, fast contact.
Return + Drive: Have a partner serve, and you return with a drive. Play out the point to simulate game pressure and test your drive placement and control.
Bonus Tip: Use your legs and core to generate power—not just your arm. Precision beats pure speed every time.
Pickleball Drills by Skill Level
At each skill level you are trying to focus on a different part of your game. There’s a drill for someone at every skill level; even pros swear that drilling is more important than playing.
As a new player you are getting comfortable with your equipment and the basics of the game. Intermediate level drills should be about implementing strategy to help you level up. And expert level drills focus on refining precision, handling pressure, and mastering situational play. At this stage, you’re no longer just trying to keep the ball in play—you’re dictating the pace, reading your opponents, and using advanced tactics like misdirection, spin, and timing to win points.
Drills for Beginners Pickleball Players
As a beginner, the goal of these drills is getting comfortable with your paddle, footwork, and ball control.
Paddle Pop-Ups: Hold your paddle out in front and gently bounce the ball straight up off the face. Try to keep it at a consistent height. Once you’ve got the rhythm down, move around the court as you continue the bounces. Focus on hand-eye coordination and paddle control.
Ground Tap Rally: Bounce the ball on the ground and tap it back up to your paddle in a smooth rhythm—tap, bounce, tap, bounce. It's like a self-feeding rally and helps build feel for the ball. Focus on timing and the paddle face angle.
Kitchen Line Catch: Stand at the kitchen line with a partner across the net. One player tosses or lightly hits the ball over, and the other tries to "catch" it on the paddle face without it bouncing off. Focus on soft hands and paddle touch.
Drills for Intermediate Pickleball Players
Leveling up your consistency, strategy, and shot variety with these intermediate drills.
Triangle Dinks: Set up three markers across from your partner: left sideline, center, and right sideline. Work your dinks in a triangle pattern, hitting each target in sequence. Focus on shot placement and control under pressure.
Directional Returns: Have a partner serve to you. On each return, aim for a specific zone—deep backhand, cross-court, or middle. Switch up targets with each rally. Focus on return placement and early decision-making.
Drills for Advanced Pickleball Players
These challenging drills help you to sharpen timing, anticipation, and pressure play. These drills also focus more on how to deal with challenging opponents—like learning how to absorb pace to regain control of the rally. If you really want to shock opponents, you can even drill on more advanced techniques like the ATP and Erne.
Cross-Court Grinder: Play an entire rally diagonally across the court with your partner—from corner to corner only. You can only hit into the diagonal half. Focus on precision, stamina, & tight-angle play.
Dink & Lob Combo: Start with a dinking rally at the kitchen line. Randomly mix in an offensive lob over your opponent’s head. Their job is to track it down and return deep. Focus on deception—transitioning between soft and aggressive play.
Pressure Paddle Drill: Play short games (first to 5 points) starting with difficult setups—like your opponent already at the net or you returning from an awkward angle. Work under pressure to neutralize and recover. Focus on decision-making, defensive footwork, & counter-attacking.
Learn All About Pickleball with 11 PICKLES
At 11 PICKLES, we’re all about making sure you stay ahead of the game, both on and off the court. Pickleball is an exciting sport, but with all the drills, techniques, and strategy to master, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why we’re here—not just to share tips and tricks, but to create a community where you can always stay informed and inspired to take your skills to the next level. Stay tuned with our newsletter, shop for our latest products & apparel, and keep on learning about the sport you love with all of our articles.
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