We’ve all been there. You can dink for days at Tuesday night rec, then the first tournament match starts, someone speeds one up at your hip, and the point’s over before your paddle even moves.

That gap between practice and pressure is why so many players stall around 4.0. The fix usually isn’t more court time. It’s better pickleball drills, the kind that feel like real points. Below are 10 we’d put at the top of any 4.0+ player’s list, plus a few habits that help them stick.

What makes a good pickleball drill at 4.0+

Once you reach 4.0, the players on the other side of the net can keep the ball in play too. Points stop ending on easy misses and start ending on decisions, like the dink you attacked too early or the speed-up you didn’t see coming back.

So every drill here has a target to hit, a score to keep, or a next ball to play. If a drill doesn’t have one of those, it’s a warm-up.

It helps your rating too. DUPR looks at how you score compared to what was expected, not just who won. Save a few points a game with cleaner resets, and that shows up. 

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Drill 1: Deep serve and return targets

Hardly anyone practices serves and returns, yet every single point starts with them.

One person serves while the other returns, then you swap. Put a towel about 3 feet inside the baseline and aim everything past it. On returns, take a few steps toward the kitchen line after you hit, the way you would in a match.

Deep serves keep the receiving team stuck back. Deep returns buy you time to get to the net.

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Drill 2: Third shot drop drill from four spots

Your partner sets up at the kitchen line. You hit drops from the baseline, rotating through four spots: left side straight ahead, right side crosscourt, right side straight ahead, and left side crosscourt.

Only count a drop if it lands in the kitchen or makes your partner hit up. Why four spots? You’ll never get the same third shot twice in a match, so your practice shouldn’t pretend you will.

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Drill 3: Reset drill to earn the kitchen

No man’s land has a reputation for a reason. It’s where most 4.0+ points get lost, and you’re going to end up there anyway, so you might as well get comfortable.

Start in the transition zone with your partner at the kitchen line. You only get to step forward after two good resets in a row. Miss one, and you stay where you are.

Play first to 7 or 11, then switch. It’ll test your patience, which is exactly what it’s for.

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Drill 4: Drop and crash

Most drop drills end the moment the drop lands. Real points don’t.

Hit an aggressive third shot drop, then move up right away. Your partner attacks it, and you play out the point from wherever you are. You’ll probably lose a lot of these at first. That’s kind of the point.

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Drill 5: Crosscourt setup dinking drill

Crosscourt dinking is the drill everyone already does, so make it count. Dink forehand to forehand, then backhand to backhand, and move the ball around: one at your partner’s inside foot, the next at their outside foot.

Think of every dink as a setup. Get someone leaning the wrong way a couple of times, and a pop-up usually follows.

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Drill 6: Dink tug-of-war

This one gets competitive fast. Start a shared score at 5. One of you is trying to get to 10, the other to 0, and every dink into the net gives the other player a point. Speed-ups are allowed only out of the air.

The twist: if you’re one point from winning and lose the next rally, the score goes back to 5. Ask anyone who’s blown a 9-7 lead how much closing out matters.

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Drill 7: Straight-on dinking in tight spaces

Take crosscourt away and dink straight ahead only. Play to 7, and once the rally starts, anything goes: speed-ups, lobs, and hands battles.

In a match, you’ll dink crosscourt more often because it gives you more room. Here, the lack of room is the whole idea. You’ll need softer touch and faster hands, with plenty of attacks coming straight at you.

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Drill 8: Speed-up hands drill

Your partner feeds you a dead dink. You speed it up, and you both play out the point.

Pay attention to what you do right after the speed-up. A lot of players hit it and watch. Better players treat it as a one-two, where the speed-up sets up the point and the next ball finishes it.

The counter usually comes back along the angle you created, so get your paddle there first.

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Drill 9: Down-volley hands drill

Stand kitchen line to kitchen line and volley at about 70% pace. The catch: instead of hitting at each other’s chests, try to hit down at your partner’s feet.

When you hit down, they have to hit up. When they hit up, you get the putaway. If you miss because you went for a low target, that’s a good miss.

Keep a basket of balls nearby, or you’ll spend half the session chasing them.

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Drill 10: Lob, overhead, drive

Lob your partner, let them hit an overhead at you, and play out the point.

When someone’s hammering overheads at you, don’t try to reset them softly. Drive the ball back. It’s a much easier shot to make under pressure, and it gives you a path back to the kitchen line.

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Bonus: If you only have time for one game at the end of a session, play skinny singles, which is singles on half the court. Everything above shows up in it.

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How to get better in pickleball: 5 habits for every drill

Drills build the shots. These habits make sure the shots show up when it counts.

1. Get back to ready. After every shot, bring your paddle back out front and centered. Most players hit and then just watch.

2. Shorten your swing against pace. You don’t need a big backswing to handle a hard drive. Block it and use your opponent’s power.

3. Stay square to the net. When you move along the kitchen line, lead with your outside foot. Crossover steps turn your shoulders and leave you open.

4. If it’s low, keep it slow. A ball below your knees isn’t one to attack. Reset it and wait for a better one.

5. When in doubt, aim at their feet. Hit five in a row there, and most players will pop one up.

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A 60-minute pickleball practice plan

1. Warm-up (10 min): crosscourt setup dinks

2. Serve and return (10 min): deep targets

3. Transition (15 min): drops from four spots and the reset drill

4. Hands (10 min): down-volley hands drill

5. Pressure (15 min): dink tug-of-war or skinny singles

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Two or three sessions a week is plenty. Play real matches on the other days, since that’s where you learn when to use all of this. If you’re not sure where to start, a DUPR Coach can watch you play and point you to the right drills.

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Track your progress with DUPR

Feeling better on court is great. Seeing it in your results is better. Log your matches, especially club and tournament play, and check your DUPR trend over a month or two instead of after every match.

Want more detail? DUPR Impact shows how a score would move your rating before you play. DUPR+ Performance v. Skill Level shows how you’re doing against stronger opponents, which is usually where drill work shows up first. 

Start drilling smarter

You don’t need all 10 of these. Pick two or three that target your weak spots, keep score, and stick with them for a few weeks. Then log your next match in the DUPR app and see what changed. 

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FAQ

What are the best pickleball drills for 4.0 players?

Focus on the transition zone and the kitchen line. Third shot drop drills, reset drills, crosscourt dinking, and hands drills cover the shots that decide most points at the 4.0 level.

How do I get better in pickleball fast?

Cut unforced errors before adding power. Drill with targets and scoring so practice feels like a match, play against players slightly above your level, and log your matches on DUPR to track progress.

How often should I do pickleball drills?

Two or three focused drill sessions of 45 to 60 minutes a week, mixed with match play on other days, works well for most players.

Can drilling raise my DUPR rating?

Drilling doesn’t change your rating directly, since DUPR is based on match results. But drills sharpen the skills that win points, and DUPR rewards scoring more points than expected, even in a loss.

How do I get a DUPR rating?

Download the DUPR app, create a free account, and log your first match. You can also get a Coach-Assigned DUPR Rating from a credentialed DUPR Coach.

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