5 Pickleball Drills You Can Do Alone (No Partner Needed)

5 Pickleball Drills You Can Do Alone (No Partner Needed)

You don’t need a hitting partner to get better.

Some of the biggest improvements happen during solo practice, especially if you’re trying to build touch, footwork, or consistency.

Here are the 5 best drills you can do by yourself.

1. Wall Dinking

Stand 5–7 feet from a wall and dink the ball off it repeatedly.

Focus on:

• soft hands

• consistent height

• paddle angle stability

Try: 50 in a row without popping it up.

2. Third-Shot Drop Wall Drill

Back up 10–14 feet and drop the ball into a taped-off “kitchen” zone on the wall/floor.

Targets:

✔ arc

✔ depth

✔ soft landing

Do 20 drops from each side.

3. Shadow Footwork

No ball needed.

Practice:

• split-step

• sidesteps

• forward transition

• retreat steps

• kitchen recovery

Keeping your feet sharp is one of the fastest ways to level up.

4. Paddle Control Tap Drill

Bounce the ball up and down on your paddle.

• forehand only

• backhand only

• alternating

• spin control

• off the edge guard

Goal: 200 taps without losing control.

5. Baseline Target Practice

Set up a bucket, towel, or chalk box on the opposite side of a court and aim for it with controlled drives.

You’ll improve:

• accuracy

• depth control

• paddle face awareness

Final Takeaway

Consistency doesn’t come from playing more games — it comes from practicing the right skills intentionally. These solo drills build the foundation for everything else.