There are so many reasons pickleball is one of the fastest growing and most popular sports in the United States. It’s fun, social, easy to learn, and an exercise that can be shared by people across a wide spectrum of ages, abilities, and fitness levels. Whether you’re just discovering pickleball, looking to improve your game, or making sure your body is prepared for the demands of the game, here’s what you need to know.

What is Pickleball?

Although pickleball may seem relatively new, the game originated in the 1960s as an amalgamation of tennis, badminton, racquetball and table tennis. It’s a racquet sport that’s similar to tennis but uses a smaller court, hard paddles similar to table tennis, and a ball that’s slightly bigger and far less bouncy than a tennis ball. Game play resembles table tennis (see basic rules summary from USA Pickleball). The result is a game that’s quick and dynamic, but not as explosive or technically demanding as tennis. This leads to a friendly, welcoming, and social environment that appeals to a big range of players.  

Health and Fitness Benefits of Pickleball

Some of pickleball’s health and fitness benefits are obvious, while others may surprise you:

• Cardiovascular health: You’ll work up a sweat and get out of breath, so a sustained session that consists of a warmup, some brisk play for a couple of games, and nice cooldown can be great cardiovascular exercise.
• Full-body engagement: One of the greatest things about racquet sports is the engagement of the upper and lower body, as well as the twisting movement through the torso. These coordinated full-body movements create strength, mobility, and flexibility for activities of everyday life. 
• Lateral movement: People don’t spend a lot of time moving quickly side-to-side in daily life, but you do in pickleball and other racquet sports. These movements develop muscles in the hips, thighs, buttocks, and lower back that are often weak in adults. This is especially important for people who primarily run, cycle, or swim for aerobic exercise, because those exercises – while excellent for aerobic endurance – rarely (if ever) involve powerful lateral movements.
• Improved coordination and responsiveness: Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve played an organized sport with a ball, stick, or racquet. You’ve probably lost some of the hand-eye coordination and body control you had when you were younger. Pickleball is a great way to reestablish those neural pathways for greater balance, coordination, and body awareness.

Getting Started With Pickleball

Pickleball is an amazingly easy game to pick up and get started with, which is one of the biggest reasons it’s become so popular. You don’t need advanced fitness or technical skills, great speed or power or coordination. Most people get the hang of the basics in about 15 minutes and are playing proficiently within a few sessions. Here are some tips to help you start with the best experience:

• Try a Learn To Play Pickleball Program: Our friendly and professional instructors will teach you everything you need to know to have fun, stay safe, and start developing your skills.
• Focus on fundamentals first: Start in an environment with other players of similar skills. Jumping into an advanced group can be frustrating and may not provide the time and guidance to establish good skills and habits.
• Purchase court shoes: Pickleball doesn’t require a lot of equipment, and you can often get started without purchasing your own racquet or balls, but you do want to be careful about your footwear. Traditional shoes for running on pavement or trails often provide a lot of cushioning but not a lot of stability for rapid side-to-side movements and quick starts and stops. Court shoes are designed for better protection, stabilization, and traction for the specific demands of pickleball. 
• Wear protective eyewear: Sport glasses shatterproof polycarbonate lenses are a wise choice, even indoors, because pickleballs are plastic and it’s possible you’ll be struck by a deflected ball. During doubles play, miscommunication between partners can also result in accidental strikes from errant paddles.  

Preparing Your Body For Pickleball 

Although pickleball is easy to pick up and is generally a low-risk sport suitable for people of all ages and ability levels, new activities challenge your body in novel ways. To enjoy your experience with pickleball as much as possible, and to stay safe while playing your new favorite sport, keep the following in mind:

• Warm up before playing: Warming up your body before any exercise is a good idea, but particularly for pickleball, it’s important to loosen up your hips and legs with lateral movements, warm up your hamstrings and calves, and get your shoulders moving with gentle arm swings.
• Learn to move without backpedaling: Running backwards on the court is a leading cause of falls leading to injuries. Instead, practice turning 180 degrees to run forward or turning to the side and shuffling sideways to get to a ball that’s gone over your head.
• Work on increasing mobility in the gym: Strength training and/or mobility classes (e.g., yoga, pilates) in the gym are great ways to get better at taking big steps to the front or the side, or reaching far out from your body to get to a ball. Key strength exercises to consider include: Lunges (forward and lateral variations), Banded Monster Walks, Single-Arm Landmine Press, Goblet Squat, Banded Shoulder External Rotations.

Improving Your Pickleball Game

Don’t be surprised if you fall in love with the game of pickleball and want to play more often and improve your skills. When that happens, here are some great next steps to take:

• Join a pickleball league: It’s social, competitive, and a ton of fun! There are pickleball leagues almost everywhere, and you can also find clubs through USA Pickleball’s website.
• Work with a coach or instructor: In addition to Learn to Play programs, you can schedule individual skill sessions with coaches and instructors to work on your specific strengths and weaknesses.
• Work on speed and agility drills: Your quickness on the court is often the key to placing the ball where your opponents can’t get to it. Agility drills for pickleball often focus on rapid footwork so you can move quickly, maintain great balance, and position yourself for success.

The Bottom Line

The meteoric popularity of pickleball is the most transformative development in racquet sports in our lifetime. It’s a sport you can pick up at any point in your life and play for the rest of your life. And it’s an exercise that can help you stay limber, agile, and powerful in ways that apply directly to everyday life.