Best Pickleball Exercises to Improve Strength & Gameplay

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s Topline Participation Report (1). Not only did participation double in 2022, but it has increased by 158.6% over the past three years. 

That makes it important for trainers to know what pickleball is and why people play it. This can help you better develop workout programs with pickleball players in mind. We provide several exercises to help with this. But first, let’s talk about how pickleball is played.

What Pickleball Is

USA Pickleball calls pickleball a combination of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong (2). Players use a pickleball paddle to send the ball back and forth over a net in the middle of the court. The goal is to keep sending the ball back to your opponents every time it is returned. You can play one-on-one or in pairs. 

Each round, called a rally, begins with one player serving the ball over the net, to the other side of the pickleball court. The ball has to travel diagonally across the court, going to the service box or rectangular section that is furthest away from the server.

Unlike in tennis, this serve must be underhand. (Tennis uses both forehand and backhand serves.) There’s also a two-bounce rule. This rule states that the ball must bounce once on the other side of the net before the returner hits it back, then it must bounce one more time on the serving side before the serving team can hit it again.

After that, pickleball players can hit the ball without it having to bounce first, referred to as volleying. The only exception is that you can’t volley the ball when you are inside the non-volley zone. Also known as the kitchen, this zone refers to the 7-foot area on each side of the net.

The rally ends when there is a fault. Examples of faults include the ball bouncing more than once, going out of bounds, or being hit into the net. 

If the serving team wins the rally, they get a point. The first team to reach 11 points with a 2-point lead over their opponents win the game. Although, if playing in a tournament, the game may go to 15 or 21 points. In this case, the winner must still win with a 2-point lead.

There are other rules in regard to player positioning, when partners must switch sides of the court, and more. But this at least gives you a basic understanding of what a pickleball game looks like.

Benefits of Playing Pickleball

There are several reasons why people choose to play this racquet sport. One is that it’s a good way to get and stay in shape. If someone is looking to maintain or improve their fitness levels, playing pickleball will do it. 

If your client wants to lose weight, pickleball can help with this too. USA Pickleball shares that in a game lasting one to two hours, players will often burn between 600 and 1,000 calories (3). (If they have an Apple Watch with the watchOS 7 update, they can add pickleball as a workout option and it will count their calories for them.)

Pickleball is also an option for people who used to enjoy tennis but can’t play anymore. The courts are smaller—20 feet by 44 feet versus 36 feet by 78 feet—requiring less movement from the pickleball player and less intense hits to get the ball over the net. Plus, a pickleball net is two inches lower in the center than a tennis net. The paddles are lighter as well.

Many people simply enjoy the sport because it’s fun and a way to be social. They can get together with friends at a local pickleball court and catch up while getting some exercise. 

Why Training Is Important for Pickleball Players

Although pickleball is often engaged in for fun, training can be helpful. If someone wants to play but doesn’t currently exercise, doing cardio is a good way to get their body ready for the increase in physical activity. Since a typical match lasts 30 to 75 minutes, aerobic workouts also help them build the endurance needed to get through the entire game.

Strength training is important too. Increase your upper body strength, and it becomes easier to hit the ball. Increase strength in your core and you have more power when rotating your torso during serves and volleys.

Another reason for pickleball players to train is injury prevention. An article published in the journal Missouri Medicine reveals that while there is limited research on this topic, the most common pickleball injuries are likely those seen with other racquet sports (4). This includes sprains and strains to the upper and lower extremities, in addition to injury to the trunk and lower back.

Strengthening these areas can help players reduce their injury risk. The muscles and connective tissues become better able to withstand the stress created by basic pickleball movements. 

For people who like to play competitively, training can help them get ready for a pickleball tournament. USA Pickleball Association holds many tournaments throughout the year, in addition to tournaments that may be held by a local pickleball club.

9 Best Pickleball Exercises for Building Strength

Because pickleball utilizes the entire body, the player’s workout should do the same. Include exercises that work their upper body, lower body, and core. Ideally, some of these exercises should mimic the same types of movements the player will make on the court. Here are nine of the best exercises to include in your fitness client’s workout.

Upper Body Exercises 

• Arm circles

• Bent over rows

• Push-ups

Lower Body Exercises 

• Glute bridges

• Lunges (forward, reverse, and lateral)

• Squats

Core Exercises

• Core twists

• Farmers carry

• Planks

Improving Clients’ Pickleball Play with Drills

If your client is interested in improving their game, you may even include a pickleball drill or two into their exercise program. 

For beginner exercisers, wall drills are a good option. To start, have your client hit a ball against the wall. Then, with each hit, ask them to increase their power.

Another option is dinking drills. Dinking is a term used to describe executing a shot so the ball lands just over the net, which can help slow down the game. 

These drills involve playing pickleball as normal. However, the client can only hit one side of the court (dinking for points) or only the opposite side of the court that is furthest away from them (crosscourt dinking).

When to Modify These Exercises

Some exercises may need to be adjusted if your client has a pain condition or some type of movement limitation. 

If they have knee pain, for example, you want to stay away from deep lunges and squats. You’d also want to add exercises that help strengthen the knees, like knee bends and straight leg raises.

Or, maybe instead of their knee bothering them, it’s their shoulder. In this case, avoiding any movement that requires the arms to go above shoulder height is recommended. 

You can learn more ways to help clients with pain and movement limitations in ISSA’s Corrective Exercise Specialist certification course. This course also covers how to prevent injury and correct muscle imbalances.

References

1. SIFA. (n.d.). 2023 Sports, Fitness, and Leisure Activities Topline Participation Report. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://sfia.users.membersuite.com/shop/store/f147b189-00ce-c703-0f83-0b450aa46a95/detail 

2. What is pickleball?: What you need to know about pickleball. USA Pickleball. (2023, February 9). Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/ 

3. Apple Watchos 7 adds pickleball as a workout. USA Pickleball. (2020, September 18). Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://usapickleball.org/news/apple-watch-7-adds-pickleball-workout/ 

4. Greiner N. (2019). Pickleball: Injury Considerations in an Increasingly Popular Sport. Missouri Medicine, 116(6), 488–491.