Learning the rules is only half the battle of entering the pickleball scene! You know how to play pickleball. Now, it’s time to hone those skills.

Like any sport, pickleball requires time and practice. Most players start with pickleball drills — specialized exercises meant to train their muscle memory and coordination. Alone, you can work on a solo drill. You can also find some friends to start a group drilling session. Either way, you’re building your muscles and training your body!

You can always pay for lessons. You may even find free group practice sessions at local clubs and activity centers. However, you can’t always rely on dedicated pickleball training groups. The best players improve through constant practice and a variety of drills.

So, to help you start your amazing pickleball journey, the staff of Pickle Goddesses has gathered our favorite pickleball drills for beginners!

The Different Types of Pickleball Drills for Beginners

But! We want to clear the air before we begin our list.

There are different types of drills. Moreover, drills for beginners have very specific goals. Most aim to train your muscle memory, easing your transition from “new player” to “pickleball aficionado.” Some are meant for you — and you alone — to perfect those essential pickleball skills. Others are designed to strengthen the bond you have with your partner.

For the sake of simplicity, we’ve broken this guide into two distinct sections. The first half of today’s blog post focuses on solo drill practice. The latter half is dedicated to group sessions.

Regardless of which drill helps you the most, variety is the key to success! Mix and match your exercises during every drilling session. This guarantees your body acclimates to the unique needs of pickleball. You’ll better master those muscle memory movements and speed up your journey to the more experienced side of everyone’s favorite court sport.

We also suggest diligently reviewing the rules. Make a game of it! Create flashcards to quiz yourself and your partner on the ins and outs of pickleball. And don’t forget to learn some stretches to keep your muscles primed for the game.

3 Solo Drills for Beginners

These solo drill ideas are perfect for when you want to work on a pickleball drill, but all your pals are busy! Don’t lose practice time; work on your own skills to speed up your conquest of the pickleball court!

While most of these drills sound simple, you’ll need plenty of space to do them properly. Avoid practicing pickleball in small, enclosed spaces. Even the most basic drills — save for some stance and grip-based practice drills — require at least a few square feet of space. At a minimum, you’ll want:

• A hard, solid floor. Otherwise, the ball won’t bounce. Outdoors, any ball works. You can play on asphalt, concrete, and any available racquet sports courts. Indoors, you can use hardwood, laminate, and tile flooring. Always use an indoor pickleball when playing indoors to reduce damage to the flooring!
• Ample lighting ensures your safety. You can more clearly see the ball and perfect those third-shot drops. Most gyms and recreational centers have ideal lighting setups. Outdoors, play during the day, or seek out courts with artificial lighting.
• At least three square feet (or around one square meter) of open space. Avoid practice hitting in rooms with low-hanging fixtures, fans, or lights.
• Barriers to prevent your ball from rolling away! Indoors, you’ll have walls. Outdoors, seek out spaces with fencing and greenery.

So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at our list!

1. The Bounce and Hit Drill

Get that athletic stance ready! Our first drilling session focuses on consistency, precision, and timing. The aptly named “bounce and hit” is commonly used to acclimate new players to drop serves, but it doubles as the perfect way to practice hitting the ball.

This classic drill is simple enough:

1. Get ready to hit. You know the stance. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Keep your hands in front of your chest, ready to hit, and have your paddle comfortably resting in your grip.
2. Drop the ball. Use your non-dominant hand to drop the ball. This is the beginning of a drop serve and the beginning of this drill’s action.
3. Hit the ball! Try hitting straight and true when you’re starting. Aim to time your swing so that the paddle contacts the ball as it reaches the apex of its bounce. Eventually, you’ll find the “rhythm” behind a perfect shot.

Tips to Boost Your Drilling Sessions

Want to go even deeper?

Once you’ve mastered the basics, start switching it up! Aim for different spots — such as the opposite corner of the room — and hit the ball from different angles. Take note of how different hits have different results.

Don’t be afraid to experiment! The drop and hit is the perfect time to observe the physics of pickleball.

This exercise is often done with backhand shots, so consider using forehand shots as an alternative, too!

2. The Serve-to-Target Drill

This drill helps players build the fundamentals of their serving skills. It’s an exercise in control, force, and form. However, because it requires hitting shots appropriately, you’ll need more than a few feet of space!

Serve-to-target drills are best performed on a pickleball court or a makeshift pickleball space. Additionally, you’ll want to bring some tape or chalk to mark your targets. Begin with large boxes — about one foot square (30.48 square centimeters) — and decrease the size as you improve.

Once you’re ready, follow these simple steps:

1. Choose your serving style. You might want to practice hitting a few shadow swing shots as you begin the drill. Focus on perfecting your form and mastering your stance. Remember to keep your body square until the pivotal moment of contact.
2. Serve the ball. Do your best to target the appropriate area.
3. Repeat! Bringing extra balls can speed up the drill. You can also drill with friends and have them serve the ball back.

Remember: There’s no “wrong” serving style. A drop serve is just as effective as a volley serve! You can also change your serving style as you grow.

Make That Next Shot Even Better

Are you getting a little pop-up after your shots?

Don’t be discouraged! Your first serves won’t be perfect. This is a beginner exercise; mistakes are to be expected! The most important thing is to learn from those mistakes. Focus on mastering the form and stance of your serve. Obviously, this makes you look like a pro on the court; it also prevents injuries by training the correct muscle groups.

Notice, too, how much power you need to land certain shots. Feel the difference between soft shots and deep-court slams. Think about how you hold your paddle. Try different gripping styles; they might improve your accuracy!

Once you’re comfortably landing those shots, switch things up! Serve from different positions and put down new targets.

3. The Toss and Catch

Our last beginner-friendly drill isn’t a legal game move, but it’s a must for working on your muscle memory.

Let us explain.

One of the biggest problems new players have is old-school instinct. You see a ball flying to you, and your body wants to slap it away. But that’s not always the best tactic! Plenty of pickleball strategies — including the iconic dink shot — require a light touch. Fortunately for everyone, this drill trains that skill. (It also makes for a fun party trick!)

Like our last drill, the toss and catch is a simple two-step process:

1. Prepare yourself. You’ll want enough space to throw the ball straight into the air. Ideally, you should also have a wall or barrier to catch any failed attempts.
2. Toss and catch! Throw the ball and use your paddle to catch it. Don’t hit it! Instead, absorb the energy of the ball’s fall and balance it on your paddle’s face.

How to Perfect the Toss and Catch

This is one of our trickier drills for beginners, so don’t get discouraged!

Focus on a light, flexible grip. Many find the best grip for this trick uses only the thumb and index finger to hold the paddle; your other fingers act as stabilizers.

You can also practice this drill with a ball bounce. It’s the same process, but you drop the ball instead of throwing it. You’ll still need a soft touch and some fine hand-eye coordination to perfect this pickleball practice drill.

And don’t forget your body position, either! While it may be easier to use a more casual stance, that won’t help you in a game. Stand as you would when playing pickleball and hold your pickleball paddle appropriately. We promise you’ll better understand grip control and momentum that translates to your games.

2 Team Drills for Beginners

Pickleball is a social sport! You can practice backhand dinks and split step work all you want, but it’s more fun with friends. Fortunately, coaches and pros have developed plenty of drills to make sure both you and your doubles partner are in tip-top form!

Aside from one or more partners, most of these exercises require more space and planning than solo drills. We don’t recommend trying these at home; you’ll need plenty of space! Ideally, you’ll practice these drills for beginners at your local court. However, if the courts are busy, you can make do with the following:

• A net! It doesn’t have to be a real net. Anything that stretches across the “court” and is at least 33 inches tall works as a net.
• Marking tools! Use tape or chalk to draw the lines of your court. Be sure to measure properly. Lay out the non-volley zone and service areas, then work on adding targets if necessary.
• Plenty of space! Clear out an area equal to at least half of a pickleball court. That’s 10 feet wide and 44 feet deep.

1. The Kitchen Line Trade-Off

This drill requires four players, so grab some friends! It’s a fun and semi-competitive way to work on your dinking game without the pressure of a full pickleball match.

Here’s how it works:

1. Split into teams of two. One pair should stand at their respective baselines; the other duo should take up spots at the non-volley line.
2. Start dinking! Now, work on that dink shot. The two kitchen line players will take the same shot — the kitchen line dink — back and forth. Your goal is to score a point through a fault.
3. Trade places. Once there’s a fault on either side, swap places. Those baseline players move forward, and the kitchen line players move back.

This drill also works for doubles teams. If you can only find one friend to practice with, eliminate the baseline players and follow the same format.

Why Focus on the Same Shot?

This drill may seem like a one-trick pony, but it’s all about training your muscles to learn the basics of the dink shot. It is, after all, the most important shot in the game! It’s a strategic play with plenty of room for growth. Even the pros are constantly polishing their dinking skills.

If you’re having trouble mastering that dink shot, remember what you learned during the toss and catch drill. A dink shot involves hitting the ball softly; you’re absorbing most of its energy and pushing it back. It’s more of an energy transfer than a proper, solid hit.

And don’t be afraid to mess up! Dinking takes time and practice. Pickleball players train for hours to master the skill, so don’t feel bad if your first few dinks miss the mark.

2. The Back-and-Forth

Looking for something simpler?

Our next drill only needs two players. You can stand anywhere; the most important part of the exercise is your paddle grip. This is a test of your reaction time and hitting skills!

To do the back-and-forth, follow these simple steps:

1. Assume positions. Each player stands in their respective service court. If you’re practicing cross-court shots, use a full court setup. Otherwise, you can practice straight shots on a half court.
2. Prepare your paddle. One player should prepare to hit forehand shots; the other, backhand shots.
3. Start the drill! Hit the ball back and forth. We suggest starting outside of the non-volley zone. Follow the rules of the game, allowing at least one ball bounce before the return.
4. Switch off. When there’s a fault, take a moment to reset. Swap hitting styles, too. If you’re the forehand hitter, start using backhand shots. If you’re hiding backhand shots, start forehand hitting.

(As an aside, this can also be done solo. Forehand and backhand shots are great fodder for a wall drill, but it won’t be as much fun alone!)

How to Mix It Up

Have you mastered your forehand and backhand shots?

It’s time to mix things up and try different tactics. Add distance or focus on volleying when hitting shots.

There are countless ways to modify this simple exercise. (That’s what makes it one of the best pickleball drills!) At Pickle Goddesses, some of our favorite variations include:

• The Dink: Turn it into a dink-off! Practice those forehand and backhand dinks with the same exercise.
• The Moving Target: Like a serve-to-target drill, this intermediate exercise tests your hand-eye coordination. Slowly move back and forth across the court as you return shots. Your partner should do the same. Swap pickleball shots as you move and pay close attention to how the ball reacts to different hits.
• The Volley-Off: Practice volleying and refine your reaction time. This is the perfect way to start working towards the perfect third-shot drop.

Keep Learning and Growing

These are just a few pickleball drills for beginners; there are many, many more! We’ve barely scratched the surface.

Pickle Goddesses is devoted to empowering women through America’s fastest-growing sport. We’re a team of women who love pickleball, and we can’t wait for you to join us! Learn even more about pickleball and improve your skills by browsing the blog. You’ll find more drills for beginners (and all skill levels), equipment recommendations, and news.

We also encourage you to share this post if it helped you improve your pickleball game!