Oct 5 / Carlos Rodriguez

15 Essential 5.0 Pickleball Drills to Elevate Your Game

At the 5.0 level, every shot matters. These advanced drills come directly from my Paddlespeed program—the scientific principles I use to become a top ten ranked senior pro in the world. 

Each drill builds on the four-step system that creates maximum paddle speed: coil, speed up, transfer, and contact.

Why These Drills Work for 5.0 Players

Playing at the 5.0 level requires more than just basic technique—it means being able to master the high level stuff, like ball placement, how and when to use spin at the right times, and knowing how to use your body to create more power with every swing.

These drills teach you to leverage physics and biomechanics rather than relying on muscle alone. 

Basic Coil Technique Drills

Your coil is the foundation of your swing. It’s how you start your backswing and store up energy. When you coil your backswing the right way, you can unleash the most power as you swing.

1. Coil and Hold

Purpose: Perfecting energy storage for maximum power generation.

Execution:
  • Execute full-body coil: left hand reaches across → shoulders → chest → hips → back foot
  • Hold coiled position for 5 seconds, feeling tension throughout your kinetic chain
  • 10 reps forehand, 10 reps backhand
  • Key: "Coil up tight and you're ready to strike"

2. Move Sideways then Coil

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Purpose: Master coiling while moving to wide balls 
Execution:
  • Take 4 lateral shuffle steps to simulate reaching a passing shot
  • Plant back foot behind ball position and execute full coil
  • Critical: Get that back foot around—if you don't, you're trapped
  • Practice both directions, 10 reps each

Advanced Volley Drills

3. Elephant Trunk (Arm Volley)

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Purpose: Generate paddle head speed using only arm mechanics 
Execution:
  • Coil wrist → forearm → shoulder (no body rotation)
  • Practice the "trunk-like" swinging motion of your arm
  • Focus on sequential acceleration: shoulder stops → elbow → wrist snaps
  • Perfect for balls in your wheelhouse

4. Back and Up (Core Volley)

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Purpose: Master the third way to create volley speed—shifting your core 
Execution:
  • Start in horseman stance (head over hips over ankles)
  • When ball comes directly at you, push your butt back
  • Paddle naturally accelerates forward to counterbalance
  • Key: This technique is crucial for firefights when you can't rotate

5. Ping Pong Drill (Firefight Training)

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Purpose: Learn to close paddle face and win net exchanges 
Execution:
  • With a partner, practice hitting volleys that bounce on your side first
  • Forces you to master paddle face control for getting balls down
  • Advanced concept: In firefights, whoever gets the ball down wins
  • Inspired by Zane Navratil's training methods

Aggressive Net Play Drills

6. Wrist Twist (Below-the-Net Flick Volley)

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Purpose: Attack low balls with disguised power 
Execution:
  • Keep hips square to court for maximum disguise
  • Use closed paddle face despite upward swing path
  • Coil starts with wrist, extends to forearm if time allows
  • Remember: 65% of speed-ups go out—choose your spots wisely

7. Seek and Find (Scorpion Shot)

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Purpose: Master the ultimate defensive weapon - the scorpion shot
Execution:
  • Anticipate opponent's speed-up when they're below net
  • Drop your butt, paddle comes up automatically
  • Contact ball at shoulder height or higher
  • Requires: Eastern grip for proper paddle face angle

Power and Spin Generation Drills

8. Handspin the Globe

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Purpose: Understand spin creation through visualization 
Execution:
  • Imagine the pickleball is a spinning globe
  • Practice "grabbing and spinning" motion with your hand
  • Transfer this feeling to paddle contact
  • Adjust approach angle for different spins (topspin vs. slice)

9. Touch and Explode 

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Purpose: Perfect the moment when stored energy releases 
Execution:
  • Get paddle butt to ball like you're going to "catch" it
  • Let body uncoil while arm naturally lags behind
  • "Touch" the ball position, then explode through contact
  • Principle: Don't hit the ball until you have the ball

Shot-Specific Advanced Drills

10. Over the Top Cross (Roll Drive)

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Purpose: Master the aggressive cross-court drive with heavy topspin 
Execution:
  • Get back foot behind ball for maximum coil
  • Approach ball from below with exaggerated low-to-high path
  • Focus on "brushing up" on the globe while getting to outside edge
Creates both topspin and sidespin for maximum bite

11. Kitchen Speedup (Speedup Off the Bounce)

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Purpose: Attack short balls that bounce near the kitchen 
Execution:
  • Disguise intention by keeping hips square
  • Use arm coil technique rather than body rotation
  • Target opponent's backhand hip (weakest position)
Strategy: Aim for their ankles when they're in no-man's land

12. Hit the Hole (Passing Shots)

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Purpose: Find the gap in doubles positioning
Execution:
  • Target the middle space between opponents
  • Use full coil system for maximum penetration
  • Keep ball low—miss long, never wide or in net
  • Mental game: Create hesitation between opponents

Advanced Serving Drills

13. Spin Cycle (Heavy Topspin Serves)

Write your awesome label here.
Purpose: Develop serves that jump unpredictably 
Execution:
  • Exaggerated low-to-high swing path
  • Paddle face pointed toward ground at start
  • Follow through like "spinning a globe"
  • Ball should jump 3-4 feet on bounce

14. Over the Fence (Power with Control)

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Purpose: Generate maximum topspin for aggressive serves 
Execution:
  • Swing like you're trying to hit over the back fence
  • Keep paddle face closed to prevent actual long shots
  • Paradox: Harder you swing up, more topspin pulls ball down
  • Demonstrates Magnus effect in action

Ultimate Test Drill

15. To the Death (Firefight Mastery)

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Purpose: Combine all volley techniques under pressure 
Execution:
  • Play points using only firefight shots
  • First to 10 points wins
  • Must use all three volley methods: arm, body+arm, core shifting
  • Goal: Master the rapid reset between shots

The Science Behind 5.0 Pickleball Success

Why did I pick these drills to highlight for 5.0 level pickleball play? A couple reasons:
  • Energy Transfer Mastery: These drills teach you to move energy from larger body parts (your core) to smaller ones (your wrist), creating a whip-like effect that can generate paddle speed of 50+ mph.
  • Timing Perfection: The key isn't swinging harder—it's timing the sequential release of energy through your kinetic chain.
  • Disguise and Deception: Advanced players win through concealing their intentions. Many of these drills focus on keeping opponents guessing until the last moment.

Key Principles from the Paddlespeed Course

  • "Slow means fast" - Controlled, relaxed movement generates more speed than forced effort
  • "Revelation over repetition" - Understanding why these techniques work accelerates learning
  • "Coil up tight and you're ready to strike" - No energy storage means no power to release
  • "Don't hit the ball until you have the ball" - Wait for optimal contact position

Taking Your Game to the Next Level

These 15 drills represent a solid core of the advanced pickleball training available in the Paddlespeed course. 

Each drill is based on proven physics principles and has been tested at the highest levels of professional play.

The difference between a 4.5 and 5.0 player can come down to paddle speed generation and the ability to disguise aggressive shots. 

If you’re a 4.0 or 4.5 player looking to reach that next level, I hope you find these useful for your training.

Master these drills consistently, and you'll develop the scientific understanding needed to compete with confidence at the 5.0 level and beyond. 

And while the drills alone can be great, you’ll get a lot more out of them with the lessons that accompany each drill. 

Sign up for the full course to get all 118 drills and 23 lessons right on your phone or computer. 

Remember: great players aren't just practicing more—they're practicing the right things with proper understanding of the biomechanics behind every shot.

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