Pickleball warm-up: four moves before the first game

Pickleball looks easy until the first fast exchange at the kitchen line. The game is full of quick starts, sudden stops and side steps. A few minutes of warm-up gets your body moving in those directions before the score matters.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, through its OrthoInfo site, suggests light calisthenics and stretches before you play, then easy hitting before you go all out. Here's a simple way to do both. It's general information from Monarch Bay Chiropractic, the Dana Point practice of Dr. Scott Kirchner, D.C.

The four-move warm-up (about 5 minutes)

Move slowly and stay in a comfortable range. Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel numbness, tingling or dizziness. If you're pregnant, recovering from an injury or managing a health condition, check with your doctor first.

1. Brisk walk and side shuffles (about 2 minutes). Walk briskly around the court once or twice. Then shuffle sideways along the baseline with small, quick steps and soft knees. Go down and back two or three times, leading with each side.
2. Leg swings (about 1 minute). Hold the fence or the net post. Swing one leg gently forward and back ten times, then side to side ten times. Switch legs. Keep the swings small at first.
3. Calf raises and ankle circles (about 1 minute). Hold the fence. Rise slowly onto your toes, pause, and lower slowly, ten to fifteen times. Then lift one foot and draw ten slow circles each way. Switch feet.
4. Shoulder circles and trunk turns with your paddle (about 1 minute). Make ten shoulder circles forward and ten backward. Then hold your paddle in both hands at chest height and turn gently side to side, ten times each way.

Then finish with a few minutes of easy dinking at half speed before anyone starts keeping score.

First games: start easy

• Play your first game at an easy pace. Build up to your hardest shots.
• Early on, let the deep lobs go. There's plenty of time to chase them later in the session.
• Take breaks between games. Sit down, catch your breath and sip some water.
• Bring water. OrthoInfo notes that dehydration can cause weakness and slower reaction times.

Shoes matter

OrthoInfo suggests shoes designed for pickleball or tennis, for support and good traction on the court. Pickleball asks for a lot of side-to-side movement, so look for court shoes with good lateral (side-to-side) support.

Cool mornings

Winter mornings can start chilly. Keep a layer on until you feel warm, and give yourself a couple of extra minutes of warm-up before the first game.

Make it a group habit

Warm-ups are easier when everyone does them. A few ideas:

• Arrive ten minutes early so the warm-up doesn't eat into game time.
• Invite your foursome to join you. Side shuffles along the baseline are a fun way to say hello.
• Use the dinking warm-up as a rally. See how many easy, soft shots your group can keep going in a row.

After you play: a two-minute cool-down

Move slowly and stay in a comfortable range. Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel numbness, tingling or dizziness. If you're pregnant, recovering from an injury or managing a health condition, check with your doctor first.

1. Walk a lap around the courts (1 minute). Let your breathing settle.
2. Calf stretch (20 to 30 seconds per side). Hands on the fence, one foot back, heel down.
3. Seated figure-4 (20 to 30 seconds per side). Sit on a bench, cross one ankle over the opposite knee and sit tall.

Quick answers

How long should a pickleball warm-up take?

About five minutes for these four moves, plus a few minutes of easy dinking at half speed.

What's a simple pickleball warm-up?

A brisk walk and side shuffles, leg swings, calf raises with ankle circles, and shoulder circles with gentle trunk turns.

What shoes should I wear for pickleball?

OrthoInfo, from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, suggests shoes designed for pickleball or tennis, for support and court traction.

Should I drink water during pickleball?

Yes. Bring water and sip between games. OrthoInfo notes that dehydration can cause weakness and slower reaction times.

What should I do after playing pickleball?

Walk a lap around the courts, then try a gentle calf stretch and a seated figure-4 stretch, keeping each one slow and comfortable.

Have fun out there

Questions? Call us at (949) 661-9777. Share this with someone who'd find it useful. Heading to the beach instead? Try our five-minute warm-up before you paddle out.

General information, not medical advice. Please talk with your own doctor about your situation.

Sources

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Pickleball Injury Prevention Tips. https://www.orthoinfo.org/globalassets/pdfs/pickleball-injury-prevention-tips.pdf