Pulse Focus Exercises
It is important to have a strong connection to the pulse/quarter note when reading or improvising syncopated rhythms. The best way I have found to create this connection is to count the quarter notes out loud while playing challenging rhythms. The Pulse Focus Exercises have 19 progressively difficult syncopated challenges to test your Pulse connection. They should be practiced at multiple tempos, and are intended to be played with alternating singles.
Once you can play all the exercises in 4/4, try some of the syncopated ideas in other meters (i.e. 3/4, 5/4 and 7/4).
Pulse Focus PDF