These must-know pickleball exercises will help you reduce injuries and improve your game.
Whether you picked up pickleball for exercise or simply as a way to meet new friends, there’s no denying that pickleball is a great way to stay fit.
Not only that, but it’s a sport that’s accessible to a diverse range of players (which might explain why it’s the fastest growing sport in the United States!).
Because of this, one of the wonderful things about pickleball is that it is played by many different ages, fitness levels and athletic abilities.
For many pickleball players, it’s the first sport they’ve ever played!
Pickleball is not a dangerous game in isolation but without the proper technique and preparation, it can lead to a few injuries.
As a seasoned pickler, I know the last thing you want is to be forced to take time off the court.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide to the six best types of pickleball exercises to work on and off the court.
There are several options for each, so you can mix and match the ones that suit you best – but try to mix them up as best you can.
Try these pickleball exercises to make sure your body is in prime condition to play and receives the TLC it needs after each pickleball match.
We’ve also included some fun drills – many of which you can do at home – to help you refine your game and improve your skill level faster.
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6 types of pickleball exercises
Whether pickleball is your main physical activity, part of a wider exercise program or a fun way to improve your cardiorespiratory fitness, every player should be doing specific pickleball exercises.
You shouldn’t just be doing specific pickleball exercises – you should also ensure that you are doing a mix of exercise types.
There are six types of pickleball exercises that every player should do:
- Pickleball warm-up exercises
- Gameplay drills
- Pickleball strengthening exercises
- Balance exercises
- Mobility and agility exercises for pickleball
- Cool-down and pickleball stretching exercises
We’ve grouped our favorite pickleball exercises for each category under the relevant headings below.
Feel free to bookmark this page so that you can refer back to it when you need some inspiration!
Disclaimer: The below is provided for education/entertainment purposes. It should not be treated as medical advice and you should consult with your medical practitioner before attempting any new exercises.
#1 Pickleball Warm-Up Exercises
As any coach, personal trainer or gym teacher will tell you, warming up before exercising is vital.
When you’re playing pickleball your body uses a wide range of motions, so a dynamic warm-up is best.
Areas to warm up especially are hips, knees, waist and shoulders.
Try these pickleball exercises to warm up. 10 minutes should be enough to raise your heart rate and increase your muscle temperature.
If any of these are too challenging, you can slow down and reduce the impact.
- Marching: March on the spot for 30 seconds, keep your knees high and swing your arms as you do so.
- Running: Run the length of two pickleball courts twice. If you want to challenge yourself, consider adding a backward run. If running is not possible, you can take some quick steps.
- Standing hip rotations: Standing still, raise your right knee until your left foot is parallel to the floor, move it out to the side and then back. Repeat on the right foot.
- Low sidesteps: Get as low as you can and sidestep the length of two courts twice.
- High knees with a twist: Lift up your right knee and twist the left side of your body so your left elbow touches close to your knee. Walk forward and then repeat with the other side x 4
- Arm swings: Stand with your arms stretched out horizontally, cross them at the front and bring them back as far as possible. Repeat 5 times
- Arm circles: Stand straight and stretch your arms out to your side. Rotate your arms clockwise and anticlockwise to create imaginary circles. Repeat 5 times.
- Rotating lunges: Lunge across the length of two pickleball courts with alternating legs. As you reach the ground, hold your hands together in a prayer position and rotate your body to either side. Repeat 4 times.
#2 Pickleball drills for improved gameplay
These pickleball exercises mimic gameplay and can help you prepare whether you’re playing a tournament or recreationally.
Sport is all about muscle memory so try these and see your skills improve.
- Wall drills: For beginners, this is the best way to try out forehand and backhand techniques and you don’t even need a partner! Gradually increase your power as you hit a ball against the wall.
- Dinking for points: For this drill, you will play pickleball as normal but you can only hit one side of the pickleball court.
- Crosscourt dinking: The same as the previous drill but slightly more challenging as the half of your partner’s court opposite you would be considered out.
- Triangle dinking: The aim of this drill is for players to hit the ball to 3 different points on the court in a logical sequence. Practice one pattern and then switch it. This helps players practice ball control.
- Back-and-forth drill: Both players will start at the kitchen line. One player will dink the ball over the net for the other to return. The player who returned the ball will take a step backwards, leading the first player to hit the shot deeper. Continue in this way until the player has reached the baseline.
- Skinny singles: Finish off your practice by playing pickleball as normal but only use one side of the court. This is pretty tiring but great cardio.
#3 Pickleball strengthening exercises
Increasing your strength can help you avoid injuries such as ankle sprains, tennis elbow, knee injuries and lower back aches.
After all, it is not pickleball itself that causes injury but a body not equipped to play it!
If you’re not already doing any other form of strength training in the gym then these specific pickleball strengthening exercises will help.
If you are already training for upper body strength, they will help with muscular endurance for your lower body.
These pickleball exercises are all quick and simple so try to do them a few times a week until you feel tired.
- Bodyweight squats
- Curtsy lunges
- Core twists
- Planks and side planks
- Knee push-ups
If any of these feel particularly easy, you may want to consider incorporating some light weights.
#4 Balance exercises
Playing pickleball requires a lot of balance. The last thing you want to do when chasing the ball is to land flat on your face!
This is an example of where some pickleball exercises at home and off the court can result in you reaping the benefits during your game.
Yoga combines the perfect combination of strength, mobility, flexibility and endurance that can translate perfectly for pickleball. Plus it has been shown to have mental health benefits!
Find a local fitness class or try to work these exercises into your day. Find out how to do the poses here.
- Tree pose
- Warrior III
- High lunge
- Chair pose
#5 Mobility & agility exercises for pickleball
Mobility training can help you jump higher, run faster, have a greater range of motion and move without any pain.
Agility exercises help you improve your power, speed, reaction time and hand-eye coordination – all skills that help on the pickleball court!
This means you can play even more pickleball of course!
The most important thing is to work on a variety of multijoint movements using your body weight.
Not only will they help your pickleball game, but such movements will improve your daily life.
As well as taking yoga classes, here are some of the best stretches to improve agility and mobility specifically for pickleball.
- Cat cow pose: Kneel on all fours with your hands shoulder-width apart, round your back and lower your head, and hold for 5 seconds. Next arch your back and push your bum upwards. Try this 5 times to gently mobilize the spine
- Glute bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and your arms by your side. Lift your butt up and down.
- Hip rotations: Standing still, move your hips around in a circular motion keeping the rest of your body still until you feel them start to loosen.
- Ankle raises: Stand next to a wall and place hands there for support. Gently and slowly rock onto your toes, ending on your tiptoes. After this rock back onto your heels lifting your toes off the ground.
- Tall kneeling arm raises: Kneel down, sitting with your feet under your butt, and lift your hips as you rise up and raise your arms over your head. End in a tall kneeling position with arms straight, and your shoulders open, without arching your back.
#6 Pickleball stretching exercises
Post-game stretching and cooling down is probably the most skipped step by any pickleball players.
However, it really makes a difference when it comes to recuperation time.
The routine below is a short selection of stretches aimed to focus on areas that get the most attention during a game.
Hold each movement for 30-40 seconds if you are 60 or over. Those below 60 should try to hold for 60-90 seconds.
- Knee hugs: Standing up tall, bring one knee to your chest and hug it in. Then switch sides. If you need support for balance, you can hold onto a post, wall or tree.
- Hamstring stretch: Standing tall, bend forward at the hips as far as you can. Don’t push it too far – only until you feel the stretch on your hamstrings.
- Quadriceps stretch: Balancing on one leg, lift your heel to your buttocks. Switch to the other leg.
- Alternating hip openers: Standing with your legs wide, bend one knee and push your weight onto the leg while keeping the other leg straight. Switch legs.
- Lunge and twist: For a deep stretch, lunge forward in a straight line with one leg and, while keeping your torso upright, twist your body at the hips over the front leg. Do not twist your hips. Once you have finished stretching one side, switch to the other.
- Supine Low Back Twist: Lying on your back, extend both legs straight. Lift one knee toward your chest and place it across your body. While doing this, stretch the opposite arm away from your body and look toward your extended arm.
In addition to these pickleball stretching exercises, you may want to consider investing in a foam roller or using a tennis ball to massage any tight muscles after playing.
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Getting started with pickleball exercises
If you’re new to exercise speak to a fitness professional before attempting any of the pickleball exercises mentioned.
They will be able to help you create a full exercise regimen designed around the demands of pickleball so that you can reap the benefits of pickleball with minimal risk.
Also, stop if you feel tired or if something hurts! Some of these pickleball exercises may stretch you a little or feel slightly uncomfortable, but they shouldn’t cause pain.
Finally, remember pickleball is fun but also a part of a healthy lifestyle.
So along with our exercise recommendations, make sure to hydrate, eat well, including some carbohydrates if you’ve got a long rally ahead.
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