Exercises for Pickleball Players: Stay Injury-Free and Play Better

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, but its quick movements and repetitive motions can lead to injuries—especially for players who aren't conditioned for the demands. The right exercises keep you on the court longer and playing better.

Reading time: 9 minutes

The Physical Demands of Pickleball

Pickleball requires:

• Quick lateral movements for court coverage
• Rapid direction changes for reacting to shots
• Shoulder stability for repetitive paddling
• Core rotation for power and control
• Ankle stability on hard court surfaces
• Grip endurance for extended play

Common Pickleball Injuries

Understanding what goes wrong helps you train smarter:

• Pickleball elbow (similar to tennis elbow)
• Shoulder strains from overhead shots
• Ankle sprains from quick pivots
• Knee pain from lateral movements
• Lower back strain from rotation and bending
• Achilles tendinitis from court movement

Shoulder Exercises

External Rotation with Band

Protects rotator cuff:

1. Elbow at side, bent 90°
2. Hold band attached to door or post
3. Rotate forearm outward
4. Keep elbow pinned to side
5. Return with control

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 15 each arm

Internal Rotation with Band

Balance the shoulder:

1. Same setup, facing opposite direction
2. Rotate forearm inward across body
3. Control the return

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 15 each arm

Face Pulls

Upper back and posterior shoulder:

1. Band at face height
2. Pull toward face, elbows high
3. External rotate at end (hands by ears)
4. Squeeze shoulder blades
5. Return with control

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 15

Prone Y-T-W

Scapular stability:

1. Lie face down on bench or floor
2. Y: Arms overhead at 45°, thumbs up, lift
3. T: Arms out to sides, thumbs up, lift
4. W: Elbows bent 90°, lift and squeeze
5. Hold each position 3 seconds

Sets/reps: 2 sets of 10 each position

Elbow and Forearm Exercises

Pickleball elbow is the most common injury.

Wrist Extensor Stretch

1. Extend arm, palm down
2. Use other hand to flex wrist down
3. Keep elbow straight
4. Hold 30 seconds
5. Repeat 3 times each arm

Eccentric Wrist Extension

Gold standard for tennis/pickleball elbow:

1. Hold light weight, forearm on thigh, palm down
2. Use other hand to lift weight up
3. Slowly lower (3-4 seconds) using injured arm only
4. Reset with helper hand

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 15, twice daily

Tyler Twist

With FlexBar or rolled towel:

1. Hold FlexBar vertically
2. Top hand: wrist extended
3. Bottom hand: twist bar while extending wrist
4. Slowly release twist
5. Repeat

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 15

Grip Strengthening

1. Squeeze tennis ball or grip trainer
2. Hold 5 seconds
3. Release
4. Repeat 15-20 times
5. Do 2-3 sets

Lateral Movement Training

Lateral Shuffles

1. Athletic stance, knees bent
2. Shuffle 10 steps right
3. Shuffle 10 steps left
4. Stay low, don't cross feet
5. Push off outside foot

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 20 total steps

Lateral Bounds

Explosive side-to-side power:

1. Stand on right leg
2. Bound to left leg
3. Stick landing 2 seconds
4. Bound back
5. Control each landing

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 8 each direction

Cossack Squats

Lateral mobility and strength:

1. Wide stance, toes slightly out
2. Shift weight to right, bending right knee
3. Left leg straightens, foot flexes up
4. Push back to center
5. Repeat to left

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 10 each side

Split Stance Anti-Rotation

Stability during quick movements:

1. Split stance (one foot forward)
2. Hold band at chest, anchored to side
3. Press arms out, resist rotation
4. Hold 3 seconds
5. Return

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 10 each stance, each direction

Core Exercises

Pallof Press

Anti-rotation for shot control:

1. Stand sideways to band anchor
2. Hold at chest
3. Press arms straight out
4. Resist rotation
5. Return with control

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 10 each side

Rotational Chops

Power for shots:

1. Band or cable anchored high
2. Pull diagonally across body
3. Rotate through core
4. Control return

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 12 each side

Dead Bug

Core stability foundation:

1. Lie on back, arms up, knees 90°
2. Lower opposite arm and leg
3. Keep lower back pressed down
4. Return and switch

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 10 each side

Plank with Shoulder Tap

Dynamic core stability:

1. Push-up position
2. Tap left shoulder with right hand
3. Don't rotate hips
4. Alternate sides

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 10 each side

Lower Body Strength

Goblet Squats

Foundation strength:

1. Hold weight at chest
2. Squat down, keeping chest up
3. Knees track over toes
4. Drive through heels

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 12-15

Step-Ups

Single-leg strength:

1. Step onto sturdy box or bench
2. Drive through heel to stand
3. Step down with control
4. Complete all reps one side, then switch

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 10 each leg

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

Balance and posterior chain:

1. Stand on one leg
2. Hinge forward, back leg rises
3. Keep back flat
4. Return to standing

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 8 each leg

Ankle Stability

Single-Leg Balance

Progressions:

• Level 1: Eyes open, 30 seconds
• Level 2: Eyes closed
• Level 3: On pillow or foam pad
• Level 4: While moving paddle

Calf Raises

1. Stand on edge of step
2. Lower heels below step
3. Rise to toes
4. Slow descent

Sets/reps: 3 sets of 15-20

4-Way Ankle Band Work

With band around foot:

1. Pull up (dorsiflexion)
2. Push down (plantarflexion)
3. Turn in (inversion)
4. Turn out (eversion)

Sets/reps: 2 sets of 15 each direction

Pre-Play Warm-Up

10 minutes before playing:

1. Light jog/march (2 minutes)
2. Leg swings (10 each leg, forward/back and side/side)
3. Walking lunges with rotation (10 each leg)
4. Arm circles (10 forward, 10 backward, increasing size)
5. Shoulder rotations (10 each arm)
6. Lateral shuffles (20 steps each direction)
7. High knees (20 steps)
8. Practice swings (light, gradually increasing)

Never skip the warm-up—it's your best injury prevention.

Post-Play Cool-Down

10 minutes after playing:

Shoulder Stretches

• Cross-body stretch: 30 seconds each
• Doorway stretch: 30 seconds each side

Forearm Stretches

• Wrist flexor stretch: 30 seconds each
• Wrist extensor stretch: 30 seconds each

Lower Body Stretches

• Quad stretch: 30 seconds each
• Hip flexor stretch: 30 seconds each
• Calf stretch: 30 seconds each
• Figure-4 stretch: 30 seconds each

Light Walking

• 2-3 minutes to bring heart rate down

Sample Weekly Program

Day 1: Upper Body Focus

• External/internal rotation: 3 × 15 each
• Face pulls: 3 × 15
• Prone Y-T-W: 2 × 10 each
• Eccentric wrist work: 3 × 15
• Pallof press: 3 × 10 each

Day 2: Play + Recovery

• Pre-play warm-up
• Pickleball
• Post-play cool-down

Day 3: Lower Body Focus

• Goblet squats: 3 × 12
• Step-ups: 3 × 10 each
• Single-leg RDL: 3 × 8 each
• Lateral bounds: 3 × 8 each
• Calf raises: 3 × 15
• Ankle stability: 5 minutes

Day 4: Play + Recovery

• Pre-play warm-up
• Pickleball
• Post-play cool-down

Day 5: Core and Mobility

• Rotational chops: 3 × 12 each
• Dead bug: 3 × 10 each
• Plank variations: 3 × 30 seconds
• Hip mobility routine
• Shoulder mobility work

Tips for Injury Prevention

1. Don't skip warm-ups - cold muscles and tendons get injured
2. Build up gradually - don't go from zero to 5 days/week
3. Listen to pain - minor issues become major if ignored
4. Use proper equipment - right paddle grip size matters
5. Stay hydrated - especially in outdoor play
6. Strengthen before you need to - prevention beats treatment

When to See a Professional

Seek evaluation for:

• Elbow pain that doesn't improve with rest and exercises
• Shoulder pain during or after play
• Ankle instability or repeated sprains
• Knee pain that limits movement
• Any sharp or sudden pain

Key Takeaways

1. Protect your elbow - eccentric exercises are key
2. Build shoulder stability - rotator cuff work is essential
3. Train lateral movement - the game demands it
4. Don't skip ankle stability - court surfaces are unforgiving
5. Warm up every time - no exceptions
6. Cool down and stretch - recovery matters

Pickleball should be fun for years, not months. Train smart, warm up properly, and address small issues before they become big ones.