What Drills Can I Do to Improve at Pickleball?

The most valuable pickleball drills target the third shot drop, dinking consistency and placement, serve and return depth, and reset shots under pressure — these high-frequency, high-impact shots produce faster overall improvement than general practice or casual match play alone.

Third Shot Drop Drills

Repetition drop drill: With a partner or feeding machine, hit third shot drops from the baseline repeatedly, focusing on consistent depth and softness rather than power.
Drop and transition: After each drop, immediately move forward toward the kitchen line, simulating the real in-game transition rather than practicing the shot in isolation.
Drop from both wings: Practice the drop from both the forehand and backhand sides equally, since most players have a noticeable gap between the two.

Dinking Drills

Cross-court dink rally: With a partner, rally cross-court dinks and count consecutive successful exchanges, working to extend the streak over time.
Target dinking: Place targets (cones, towels, or markers) in specific spots in the kitchen and practice landing dinks on them intentionally rather than just keeping the ball in play.
Dink and attack: Practice recognizing when a dink sits up high enough to attack, then transitioning immediately from soft shots to an aggressive put-away.

Serve and Return Drills

Depth consistency drill: Serve repeatedly aiming for a target zone near the baseline, tracking how many serves land in that deep zone versus short.
Return and approach: Practice returning serve deep and then immediately moving to the kitchen line, reinforcing the habit of advancing after the return rather than staying back.

Reset Drills

Have a partner or feeding machine hit fast, hard shots at your body while you practice absorbing pace and softly resetting the ball into the kitchen. This builds the controlled, low-grip-pressure technique needed to neutralize attacks during real match play.

Note

Drilling is most effective when it's specific and repetitive — hitting the same shot many times in a row to build muscle memory — rather than randomly mixed in with casual rallying. If you don't have a regular practice partner, a ball machine or wall practice (for certain shots) can substitute for some drilling needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time should I spend drilling versus playing matches?

There's no universal ratio, but many players who want to improve quickly dedicate at least 20 to 30 percent of their total court time to focused drilling rather than full games. Even a short, consistent drilling routine before regular play can meaningfully accelerate improvement over time.

Do I need a partner to drill effectively?

A partner is ideal for most drills, especially dinking and return drills, but you can practice some shots — like serves and certain wall drills — alone. A ball machine is also a valuable substitute for partner-based repetition drills if you don't have a consistent drilling partner available.

Questions about pickleball skill levels? Email [email protected].