Doing pickleball warmup exercises is important to playing a great game. It helps loosen tight muscles and warms up your body so you can play your best throughout the match, but pre-game exercises also support your post-game recovery.
Best Pickleball Warmup Exercises
Warming up before any sport is important to prepare your body to reach its maximum range of motion. The following warmup exercises are the best before a pickleball match.
1. Arm Stretches
With pickleball, your arms get the most shock from each strike of the paddle, and having a good range of motion is necessary to perform well. Stretching offers many benefits that can improve your gameplay, and these arm stretches will help the most:
- Bring your right arm in front of your chest, wrap your left arm around it and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat with your left arm. This stretch works through your deltoid muscle, which is the muscle on top of your shoulder.
- Bring your right arm behind your head and grab your right elbow with your left hand, stretching your tricep. Hold for 10 seconds, then repeat with your left arm.
- Bring both arms back behind you and clasp your hands together. Hold this position for 10 seconds. This creates a great chest and deltoid stretch.
2. Leg Stretches
Don’t forget to focus on your legs when doing pickleball warmup exercises, because your legs are the main power source behind any game. Here are a few leg stretches that will help your range of motion:
- Hold onto something for support with your right hand while bringing your left leg up behind you. Grasp your ankle with your left hand, and pull your leg up until you feel a nice stretch in your thigh. Hold this for 10 seconds and repeat on your other leg.
- Sit on the ground with one leg extended. Bend forward, reaching for the toes of your extended leg. You will feel a good stretch in your hamstring. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat on your other leg.
- Step forward with your right leg and lean into it with your chest, holding yourself up with your hand on your right knee. Keeping your left leg long, you will feel a nice stretch along your calf. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat on the other leg.
Best Post-game Recovery Exercises
Your post-game exercises are just as important as your pickleball warmup exercises. The best way to achieve a good cooldown is by first doing some low-impact exercises, such as:
- Jumping jacks
- Squats
- Arm circles
- Lunges
Next, repeat the stretches you did for the warmup: stretch your arms, legs, neck and back – whatever feels good to you. Also, don’t forget to ice and massage those tender muscles to reduce any swelling that might occur.
Benefits of Pickleball Warmup Exercises
Pickleball warmup exercises and post-game care will help enhance your overall gameplay, increase your range of motion and prevent injuries after a strenuous match. Are you now ready to get your game on? First, find the best gear for the game at Pickleball Insiders and check out how we can improve your pickleball gameplay strategy.
