21 Pickleball Drills For Advanced Players: Take Your Game To The Next Level - Pickleball Adventure (2024)

Pickleball Drills for Advanced Players

One of thebest waysto improve your pickleball game is by practicing pickleball drills for advanced players.

Advanced playersneed to focus on developing their skills in order to take their game to thenext level.

This means practicing drills that are challenging, yet still manageable.

Some of the most effective drills foradvanced playersincludewall drillsand doubles drills, each of which targets different aspects of the game.

By incorporating these drills into their practice routines,advanced playerscan continue to improve their skills and take their game to thenext level.

Here are some of thebest pickleball drillsforadvanced players. These drills will also work forintermediate players.

Serving Drills

Serving Drill #1

• Drill Type:Serve drilling game
• Drill Name:Fireball (credit: PrimeTime Pickleball)
• Number of Players:2
• Skill Level:4.0+
• Skill Focus:serve pace/speed, rally control

I’m not a 4.0+ player – not yet anyhow but I’m probably considered a solid 3.5 player with decentpickleball skills.

That being said, I’ve done this drill and it did help me become abetter player.

Here’s a quick overview but have a look at the video just below for more information.

The Fireball drill is a bit trickier than it seems.

Both you and your drilling partner need to have solid ball control, a good serve, andreturn of servefor this drill to be effective.

The first drilling partner (the server) stands behind the baseline on the rightside of the court.

The receiving partner stands cross-court, up by thenon-volley zone line(kitchen line).

The objective of the fireball drill is for the server to hit ahard driveserve with as much pace as possible, directly at their opponent who is standing up by thekitchen line(nvz line) so that the receiving partner misses the serve.

The receiving partner returns the ball to the back of the court and tries to keep their opponent (the server) at the back of the court and away from the non-volley zone (nvz line).

Use rally scoring and keep the game going until one player gets 11 points.

The same player continues serving throughout the drilling game. Once the game has been won, switch roles so the receiver is now the server.

Serving Drill #2

The Terminator drillallows for the simulation of a high, weak ball so the receiving player can practice driving the ball across the net as if they were hitting athird shot drop.

One player starts at the non-volley zone and the other player starts at the baseline.

The player at the non-volley zone hits a high, weak ball to the receiving partner and the receiving partner drives the ball across the net towards the server.

The receiving partner should drive the ball, low above the net and try to work their way to the non-volley zone.

The serving partner tries to keep the receiver as far back in the court as possible.

This drill should be done onhalf of the court like in skinny singles, directly across from each other, orcross court– even side to even side or odd side to odd side.

Rally scoring can be used.

Serving Drill #3

• Drill Name:Survivor (credit: PrimeTime Pickleball)
• Drill Type:Serve drilling game
• Number of Players:2
• Skill Level:4.0+
• Skill Focus:attacking, offensive play

For the Survivor Drill, one player stands at the baseline and the receiving player stands at the non-volley zone.

The player at the baseline hits a lob to the player at the non-volley zone and that player smashes the ball back to the serving player.

The goal of the player at the non-volley zone is to continue to smash the ball over the net and force the receiving player to make an error or keep them back at the baseline.

The goal of the player at the baseline is to return the ball and continue to stay in the game while moving up toward the non-volley zone.

This drill should be done onhalf of the court like in skinny singles, directly across from each other, orcross court– even side to even side or odd side to odd side.

Rally scoring can be used.

Serving Drill #4

• Drill Name:Mid-Court Crisis (credit: PrimeTime Pickleball)
• Drill Type:Serve drilling game
• Number of Players:2
• Skill Level:4.0+
• Skill Focus:attacking, offensive play

For the Mid-Court Crisis Drill, one player starts in the non-volley zone and one in the transition zone.

The player in the transition zone will hit an attackable, high ball that lands in the non-volley zone.

This simulates a highthird shot dropwhich should be attacked by the player at the non-volley zone.

This player should hit with topspin and pace and towards the feet at the player in the transition.

This will help the player in the transition zone work on their defense and neutralize the ball.

The player in the transition zone should reset the ball and neutralize the point.

This drill should be done onhalf of the court like in skinny singles, directly across from each other, orcross court– even side to even side or odd side to odd side.

Rally scoring can be used.

Third Shot DropDrills (Drop Shots)

• Drill Name:Back & forthdrop shots
• Drill Type:drop shots,third shot drop
• Number of Players:2
• Skill Level:2.5 – 4.0+
• Skill Focus:ball placement, ball control

One of themost important skillsan advanced player needs to perfect is the drop shot or in particular, thethird shot drop.

The Back & Forth Drop Shot Drill is agreat drillto practice yourthird shot dropalong with otherdifferent strokes.

Here’s a brief overview with a great video below.

One player stands at the baseline (the player practicing their drop shot) and their practice partner stands at the non-volley zone.

Usehalf of the courtfor this drill like you would in a game of skinny singles.

The player at the non-volley zone feeds the ball to the player at the baseline.

The player at the baseline hits a third shot drop into the non-volley zone and the receiving player returns the ball.

For everythird shot dropthat lands in the non-volley zone, they get a point and they keep positioningdrop shotsuntil they make an error by hitting the ball into the net or somewhere outside the non-volley zone.

Once the pickleball player at the baseline makes an error, the players change position so the player who was at the baseline moves to the non-volley zone and the player who was at the non-volley zone moves to the baseline.

The player at the baseline feeds the ball to the player at the non-volley zone, practicing placing athird shot drop.

This pickleball drill continues until one of the players gets to the maximum number of points required to win the drill.

Pick a number that works well for your practice goals and time on the court. 20, 30, 50, 60 points.

Volley Drills

Volley shots are one of themost important shotsto learn.

• Drill Name:Offensive Defensive
• Drill Type:Non-volley zone volley
• Number of Players:2
• Skill Level:4.0+
• Skill Focus:hand-eye coordination, volley, speed

The Offensive – Defensive Drillis a great drill to help all players includingadvanced playersimprove both their offensive and defensive game.

I also do this drill against a wall when I don’t have a partner to practice with.

Both players stand on opposite sides of the net and volley the ball across the net but with speed while ensuring that there’s no stepping into the non-volley zone.

This drill is important and forgood reason.

In most games whereadvanced playersare playing, the game will happen at the non-volley zone most of the time.

Offensive Drills

Advancedpickleball playersknow that offense is just as important as defense, and that’s why practicing offensive drills is crucial to take their game to thenext level.

Here are some of the most effective offensive drills:

Third Shot DropDrill

Thethird shot dropis a crucial shot in pickleball that is used to gain control of the net.

Onegreat drillto practice thethird shot dropis to have a player stand at thenon-volley zone linewhile the other player stands at the baseline.

The player at the baseline serves the ball, and the player at thenon-volley zone linemust hit athird shot dropthat lands in the kitchen.

The players switch positions after each round.

Dinking Drills

Dinking is a key strategy in pickleball that involves hittingsoft shotsthat land in the non-volley zone.

• Drill Name:Triangle Dink Drill
• Drill Type:Dinking
• Number of Players:2
• Skill Level:4.0+
• Skill Focus:ball placement,reaction time,lateral movements,hand-eye coordination, dinking,lateral movements

Thetriangle dink drillis excellent for practicing ball placement.

Each player stands at the non-volley zone on theirside of the net.

The idea is to keep your opponent moving around the non-volley zone by hitting the ball to threedifferent areas of the court, forming a triangle.

If you hittriangle dinksto different spots, theopposing playerwill need to keep moving and they’ll need to anticipate where your shot is going.

That will be difficult if you keep placing the ball indifferent locations.

This drill is great for practicingforehand shotsandbackhand shots.

Your opponent will also be hitting the ball to yourside of the netin a triangle which means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice both.

Figure 8 Dink

• Drill Name:Figure 8 Dink
• Drill Type:Dinking
• Number of Players:2 or 4
• Skill Level:4.0+
• Skill Focus:hand-eye coordination,dink shot, lateral movement,cross-court dinks

The Figure 8 dink drill is agreat drillthat will help players improve theirdink shotwhile practicinglateral movementsand cardio.

It’s a drill that works well for either 2 or 4pickleball players.

For 2 players:

Each player stands on eitherside of the netjust outside thenon-volley zone line.

One player will always dink down the line into the non-volley zone and the other player will always dink cross-court into the non-volley zone.

Players start by standing cross-court (even side to even side or odd side to odd side).

The goal is to always get the ball to land in the non-volley zone.

With one player always hitting down the line, and the other player hitting cross-court, both players are forced to practice their dinking along with theirlateral movements.

For 4 players:

2 players on oneside of the netboth hit down the line and the 2 players on the otherside of the netalways hit cross-court.

Attacking Drills

Attacking is an important part of offensive play in pickleball.Advanced playersneed to have a variety of attacking shots in their arsenal to keep their opponents guessing.

Onegreat drillto practice attacking is to have a player stand at thenon-volley zone linewhile the other player stands at the baseline.

The player at the baseline hits a volley shot into the non-volley zone, and the player at thenon-volley zone linemust hit an attacking shot that lands in the opponent’s court.

The players switch positions after each round.

Another drill is to have two players stand at thenon-volley zone lineand hit volleys back and forth to each other. The goal is to hit the ball with power and accuracy, aiming for the opponent’s feet or toward the sidelines.

Defensive Drills

Advancedpickleball playersneed to have a well-rounded game that includes both offensive and defensive skills.

Defensive drills can help players improve their ability to defend against hard-hitting shots and return them with accuracy and control.

This section will explore three types of defensive drills: lobbing drills, blocking drills, and footwork drills.

Lobbing Drills

Lobbing is an essential defensive skill that can help players return high, looping shots that are difficult to hit. The following drills can help players improve their lobbing skills:

• Baseline Lobbing: In this drill, players stand at the baseline and hit high, looping shots to their partner who is at the net. The partner must return the shots with a high lob that lands in the opposite court.
• Deep Court Lobbing: In this drill, players stand at the baseline and hit deep shots to their partner who is at the net. The partner must return the shots with a high lob that lands in the opposite deep court.
• Forehand and Backhand Lobbing: In this drill, players practice lobbing with both their forehand and backhand by hitting high, looping shots to their partner who is at the net.

Blocking Drills

Blocking is another important defensive skill that can help players return hard shots with accuracy and control. The following drills can help players improve their blocking skills:

• Forehand and Backhand Blocking: In this drill, players stand at the net and practice blocking shots with both their forehand and backhand.
• Angle Blocking: In this drill, players practice blocking shots that are hit at an angle by their partner.
• Speed Blocking: In this drill, players practice blocking shots that are hit with speed by their partner.

Footwork Drills

Good footwork is essential for both offensive and defensive play in pickleball. The following drills can help players improve their footwork:

• Side-to-Side Footwork: In this drill, players practice moving quickly from side to side by hitting shots to their partner who is positioned at different points along the baseline.
• Backpedaling Footwork: In this drill, players practice moving backwards quickly by hitting shots to their partner who is positioned at the net.
• Forward Footwork: In this drill, players practice moving forward quickly by hitting shots to their partner who is positioned at the baseline.

Conditioning Drills

Advancedpickleball playersknow that conditioning is key to staying competitive on the court.

These drills focus on building agility and endurance, helping players to move quickly and efficiently throughout the game.

Agility Drills

Agility drills are designed to improve a player’s ability to change direction quickly and maintain balance while moving at high speeds.

These drills can be done on the court or off, and typically involve cones, ladders, and other agility equipment.

• Side Shuffle Drill: Place cones in a straight line, about 3-4 feet apart. Shuffle sideways between the cones as quickly as possible, maintaining a low center of gravity and good balance.
• Figure 8 Drill: Set up cones in a figure 8 pattern. Move quickly through the cones, changing direction smoothly and maintaining good form.
• Ladder Drill: Use an agility ladder to improve footwork and coordination. Run through the ladder, alternating feet and moving quickly.

Endurance Drills

Pickleball games can be long and grueling, so endurance is key. These drills focus on building cardiovascular fitness, allowing players to maintain their energy levels throughout the game.

• Interval Training: Alternate between periods of high-intensity activity (such as sprinting) and periods of lower-intensity activity (such as jogging). This type of training helps to improve cardiovascular fitness and build endurance.
• Stair Running: Running up and down stairs is agreat wayto build leg strength and improve cardiovascular fitness. Find a set of stairs and run up and down them several times, taking care to maintain good form and avoid injury.
• Long-Distance Running: Running several miles at a steady pace is agreat wayto build endurance and improve cardiovascular fitness. This type of training can be done on a treadmill or outside.

FAQ – Advanced Pickleball Drills

Summary – Pickleball Drills For Advanced Players

One of thebest waysto improve your pickleball game is by practicing pickleball drills for advanced players.

Advanced playersneed to focus on developing their skills in order to take their game to thenext level.

This means practicing drills that are challenging, yet still manageable.

Some of the most effective drills foradvanced playersincludewall drillsand doubles drills, each of which targets different aspects of the game.

By incorporating these drills into their practice routines,advanced playerscan continue to improve their skills and take their game to thenext level.

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• Pickleball Drills for Beginners
• Drills To Do Alone