Elevate Your Pickleball Game with Off-Court Exercises

Elevate Your Pickleball Game with Off-Court Exercises

Part 1: Total Gym Strength Exercises to Improve Your Pickleball Game

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Pickleball is taking the fitness world by storm, blending elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong into a fun and fast-paced sport. But to truly excel on the court and stay injury-free, it’s crucial to incorporate specific exercises into your off-court training routine. These targeted moves will not only enhance your performance, but also will safeguard your muscles and joints from common pickleball injuries.

Injury Prevention: The Key to Longevity in Pickleball

Injury prevention is vital for pickleball players, especially given the sport’s demands on agility, quick directional changes, and repetitive motions. Strengthening your muscles and joints helps reduce the risk of injuries such as sprains, strains, and tendinitis. Incorporating equipment like the Total Gym into your training regimen can enhance your strength and flexibility, providing a low-impact, full-body workout that prepares you for the game.

A well-rounded fitness routine focusing on flexibility, strength, and endurance ensures that your body can handle the intensity of the game while maintaining optimal function.

Top Total Gym Strength Exercises to Elevate Your Pickleball Game

This workout focuses on pickleball specific strength movements on your Total Gym to enhance your overall game and ‘smash’ the competition!

Directions: Perform each exercise for 15 reps, 2-3 sets.  Aim to perform these exercises 2-3 days a week in conjunction with your pickleball court time.

(GB = Glide Board)

1. Dynamic Warm-Ups (on floor prior to workout & on court prior to playtime)
   • Why: Dynamic warm-ups prepare your body for the physical demands of pickleball by increasing blood flow, enhancing mobility, and activating the muscles you’ll use during play.
   • How: Perform exercises like leg swings, arm circles, high knees, toe touches and lunges with a twist. Spend at least 5-10 minutes warming up before diving into more intense exercises or hitting the court.
   • Anywhere Exercises: Bodyweight exercises to perform prior to workouts, practices, or game.

2. Lateral Lunges
   • Why: Pickleball requires quick lateral movements. Lateral lunges strengthen the hip abductors, adductors, and glutes while improving your stability and agility.
   • Set Up: Low incline
   • How: Stand at the bottom base facing one side. Keeping both feet parallel, place one foot on the GB and extend the leg.  Begin to perform a single leg squat (aka: lateral lunge) with the supporting leg (leg on floor) aiming to keep the knee in the same direction as the toes.  
   • Advance: Add external resistance (hand weights, kettlebell, bands)

3. Plank with Shoulder Taps
   • Why: A strong core is essential for balance and power in your shots. Planks with shoulder taps enhance core stability and strengthen your shoulders.
   • Set Up: Modified- Medium-high incline, closed GB, knees down.
   • How: Start in an incline plank position (arms extended and hands directly under shoulders) facing the vertical column with the GB closed. Maintaining a plank position, tap your left shoulder with your right hand, then your right shoulder with your left hand.
   • Advanced: low incline, open GB, single leg, add a push-up

4. Jumps: Squats & Single-Leg
   • Why: This exercise targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower body joints (hips, knees, ankles) which is crucial for explosive movements and preventing lower body injuries.
   • Set Up: Medium-high incline, attach squat stand
   • How: Lie supine on the GB with feet on Squat Stand. Perform a few bilateral squats first, then add a small plyometric hop and land softly coming back into the squat. Once your body feels ready, progress to a single leg jump, again, landing softly with knees and toes pointing in same direction each rep!
   • Option: Stay on 1 leg or alternate landing legs.

5. Chest Flies
   • Why: A strong upper body improves your ability to execute powerful shots and volleys.
   • Set Up: Incline based on your strength level, attach cables
   • How: Sit on the GB facing away from the vertical column with cables in each hand and legs extended or straddled down. Press the cables straight out from chest, then slowly retract to the start position to repeat.

6. Surfer Row
   • Why: Strengthening your back and shoulders enhances your ability to make strong and controlled shots.
   • Set Up: Incline based on your strength level, attach cables
   • How: Sit/ kneel on the GB facing the vertical columns with the handles in each hand. Start by extending the arms towards the vertical column. Initiate the motion by pressing into the cables and simultaneously extending the spine by leading the with the nose, chin, then chest as the arms sweep back towards the hips. Allow the spine to articulate into the extension. Reverse the motion by articulating through the spine and sweeping the arms forward to the start position to repeat.

7. Torso Rotations
   • Why: Powerful shots in pickleball come from strong rotational movements. This exercise enhances your rotational power and coordination.
   • Set Up: Incline based on your strength level, attach cables
   • How: Sit/ kneel sideways on the GB while holding 1cable with both hands. (Either cable can be used, your preference). Rotate the torso away from the vertical column, aiming to hip level, retract, and repeat the rotation aiming to shoulder level. Alternate this hi-lo motion. Repeat on both sides.

Be sure to check out the video demonstration to learn how these strength moves for pickleball are performed on your Total Gym.

Stay tuned for Part 2: Pilates for Pickleball!  These Pilates exercises will help strengthen the smaller muscles surrounding your joints so that you can excel with strength and power!

Train hard and dominate the pickleball court!

Maria

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