8 Pickleball Drills for Beginners and Intermediate Players: A Coach's 4-Week Practice Plan
Train smarter with eight progressive drills for groundstrokes, volleys and dinks—plus a realistic four-week plan that helps you use those shots during actual games.
If you want to get better at pickleball, learn how to practice with purpose. Many players spend hours playing games yet repeat the same mistakes. At Hawaii Pickleball Academy® in Honolulu, I start by understanding each player's strengths, coordination, mobility and natural playing style. Not everyone should learn exactly the same shot in exactly the same way.
Here are eight progressive drills for beginners and intermediate players, along with a practical four-week training plan. The goal is not to copy someone else's technique; it's to develop repeatable shots you can confidently use during games.
Start by Understanding Your Strengths
In a first lesson, I hit groundstrokes, volleys and dinks with a player. I notice what already works and what feels uncomfortable. Someone with quick reactions may develop strong volleys rapidly; another player may naturally prefer groundstrokes or a patient soft game. We can strengthen an existing advantage or address a weakness with good potential for improvement.
I don't force an aggressive player to become passive or demand that someone who prefers controlled shots suddenly play fast. Effective training develops the player's own strengths while adding the skills needed to win more points.
1. Groundstroke Drill: Find a Repeatable Contact Point
Begin with a partner feeding slow forehands to the same comfortable location. Concentrate on making contact in front of your body, allowing room between your body and paddle, and completing a controlled follow-through. Repeat on the backhand side. I frequently see players struggle because they crowd the ball or present an inconsistent paddle angle.
The paddle face influences launch angle and control. A slightly closed face with an appropriate low-to-high swing can help generate topspin, but topspin isn't mandatory. Some players are more effective with a simple, dependable shot that clears the net. Find the stroke you can reproduce before adding speed.
2. Moving Groundstroke Drill: Add Footwork
Once a player is comfortable hitting one forehand or backhand, I move the feeds from side to side. I might ask for three consecutive forehands while the player moves laterally, then add short feeds that require movement forward. Finally, I alternate feeds to the forehand and backhand so the player must recognize the shot and create space for contact.
Watch whether your shoulders turn, your body stays balanced and your weight moves appropriately toward the shot. On a two-handed backhand, the non-dominant hand can help guide and drive the stroke. Keep the feeds manageable until movement and contact become more reliable.
3. Volley Drill: Prepare Your Paddle Before the Ball Arrives
I often explain volleys by asking players to imagine catching a ball. You don't wait for the ball to reach your hand before preparing; you put your hand where the ball will travel. Do the same with your paddle. Start with slow, predictable feeds near your hip or chest, where you can make comfortable contact.
Sometimes I begin a controlled feed with the student inside the kitchen, then move them back behind the non-volley-zone line as they improve. Remember: during actual points, volleying while touching the kitchen is a fault. For forehand volleys, keeping the elbow slightly in front of the torso can simplify contact. Grip position should also suit the player, although a grip that favors one side may make the other side harder to defend.
For certain players, a subtle forward pressure through the index finger improves the sensation of a firm, compact volley. The point is not to make a huge swing, but to make clean contact with an efficient paddle movement.
4. Reaction Volley Drill: Add Speed and Shot Combinations
Once a player can control a straightforward volley, I increase feed frequency and pace, then vary height and distance from the body. I adjust the difficulty according to mobility and comfort; a player with limited movement shouldn't be given the same feeds as someone with very fast reactions.
Next, we combine shots. A student might hit a speed-up at me and prepare for my volley return. Or they might hit a dink, react to my speed-up and block the next ball. The same volley is being practiced, but the situation becomes more realistic and more demanding.
5. Stationary Dinking Drill: Feel the Ball
Good dinking begins with positioning the paddle correctly before contact. Start with easy, stationary dinks across the kitchen. Place the paddle beneath the ball and guide it gently upward. I often teach players to use their legs for a controlled lift rather than relying only on arms or wrists.
Excessive wrist action can create inconsistency when learning, even though experienced players may use it to vary spin and angles. Stay balanced and relatively square to the net, with the paddle in front of the body. If the ball arrives close to your feet, moving the foot on that side back a little can create room for the paddle. Choking up can improve feel for some players, but reduces reach and leverage.
6. Target Dinking Drill: Learn to Choose the Direction
After you can repeat a soft dink, begin aiming for particular areas of the opponent's kitchen. I ask players to understand how a small paddle-face adjustment changes direction. Start with comfortable targets, then move the feeds farther away so footwork becomes part of the challenge.
Later I vary feed speed and spin so the bounce is less predictable. Only when the player is comfortable do we explore sharper angles and more aggressive dinks. Speed and complexity should be earned through consistency.
7. Transition Drill: Connect the Soft Game
To make dinking useful in matches, I add transition shots. Start farther back, play a controlled transition ball and move toward the kitchen before continuing with dinks. This teaches players to connect individual strokes rather than treating each one as an isolated exercise.
I watch how they move, where their paddle sits between contacts and whether they rush the next shot. Once they are successful, I increase the difficulty through ball speed, placement and combinations.
8. Skinny Singles: Test Skills Under Pressure
Skinny singles and live point play are some of my favorite ways to assess improvement. The court is narrowed so players can focus on constructing points while using the shot we practiced. I watch whether they actually attempt that shot, finish the stroke without rushing, move in the right direction and use effective weight transfer.
If a player is comfortable, I'll challenge them with harder combinations or have them play directly against me. Success during a stationary drill is useful, but real progress shows up when you can execute the shot during a competitive point.
A Four-Week Pickleball Practice Plan
For players who want to improve, I generally recommend at least two focused sessions each week when possible. Around 10 hours of purposeful training can provide a useful foundation for progress, but everyone improves at a different pace. This sample plan uses eight 75-minute sessions across four weeks, with recreational practice between lessons.
| Week | Focus | How to practice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Assessment & technique | Choose a priority shot. Start with comfortable, controlled feeds. |
| 2 | Consistency & movement | Repeat the shot, then add lateral and forward footwork. |
| 3 | Shot combinations | Connect your priority shot with volleys, dinks or transitions. |
| 4 | Pressure & point play | Use skinny singles and live games to test the shot. |
This is not a fixed formula. An aggressive player may spend more time refining attacking shots with control. A patient player may benefit most from dinking, resets and placement. We should only add strategy that depends on shot placement when the player can actually execute the required shot.
The Best Way to Practice Between Lessons
Go play with your regular group, but choose one shot from your lesson and deliberately try it during those games. If we practiced drives, look for appropriate chances to hit drives. If we practiced resets, try to reset the balls coming at you when the situation calls for it. Your objective is to use the new skill, not to protect your win-loss record.
Don't worry too much about mistakes. Learning a shot may temporarily make your game less consistent. Some doubles partners won't enjoy that, so communicate before playing: 'I'm working on my drives today, so I may make more mistakes while I practice.' Choose practice games where everyone understands the goal and respects one another.
If you always fall back on the shots you already trust because you're afraid of losing a point, the new technique never gets enough real-game repetitions to become comfortable.
How Do You Know You're Improving?
I look beyond whether the ball lands in during a controlled feed. When we play points, is the student using the shots we practiced? Can they complete the stroke under pressure? Is their movement sensible? Are their balance and weight transfer improving? Most importantly, are they having fun while getting better?
When the answer is yes, I make the drill harder. The goal is continuous, individual progress rather than teaching everyone to hit identical strokes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best pickleball drills for beginners?
Start with stationary groundstrokes, predictable volley feeds and controlled dinking. Build comfortable contact and consistency before adding movement, speed and combinations.
How often should I practice pickleball?
Two focused sessions per week can create useful momentum, especially when you practice the specific shots during your normal games. The right frequency depends on your goals and abilities.
Do I need topspin to get better?
No. Topspin is one useful option, not a requirement for every player. A consistent, well-placed shot that works for your game can be more effective than a complicated shot you can't reliably execute.
Should I play games or do drills?
Do both. Drills develop the skill; games teach you to use it under pressure. Without game application, it's hard to know whether the improvement will last.
Keep Practicing and Enjoy the Process
There isn't one perfect pickleball technique or playing style for everyone. Identify your strengths, build reliable strokes, gradually increase the challenge and practice those strokes during your real games. Be willing to make mistakes as you improve.
At Hawaii Pickleball Academy® in Honolulu, we help beginners and intermediate players develop a more personalized approach to getting better. Explore our private pickleball lessons, group lessons and Player Development Series.
Keep practicing, enjoy the process, and keep getting better. — Honza Hroch, Head Coach, Hawaii Pickleball Academy®
Want a practice plan built around your game?
At Hawaii Pickleball Academy® in Honolulu, we assess the shots you already hit well and build your training around your individual strengths. Train with a coach or join a structured development program.
