The 11 Best Stretches For Pickleball Players

Even in a casual game, pickleball is still full of unpredictable movements like lunges and side hops. That’s why YouFit Gyms director Raphael Konforti says it’s good to warm up with stretches for pickleball before you play. Here’s how to get started.

Lateral Lunge To Knee Raise

Konforti suggests this dynamic stretch.

- Take a wide step to the right.

- Bend at the hips and knee.

- Drive through right foot to stand.

- As right leg comes off ground, lift knee.

- Hold for 1 second.

- Repeat 15x in each direction.

Reverse Lunge With Twist

Konforti says you can do this move to warm up the core.

- Step right leg behind you.

- Bend knee 90-degrees, hover over ground.

- Twist upper body toward left leg.

- Drive up through left leg to stand.

- Alternate legs for a total of 30 reps.

Side Shuffles

Konforti recommends this motion to mimic the lateral movements of the game.

- Start in an athletic stance, knees bent.

- Take quick side steps to shuffle 10 yards to your right.

- Stay low.

- Focus on keeping your feet smooth above the ground.

- Shuffle back.

Hamstring Stretch

Dan Levine, a pickleball pro with Crush Yard, says this stretch can prevent hamstring pulls.

- Lie on back with one leg bent, other straight up in air.

- Place a resistance band around extended foot.

- Gently pull foot toward face.

- Do 10 reps per side.

Cross-Body Stretch

StretchLab’s Kelsey Decker, NSCA-CPT suggests a shoulder stretch to improve your swing.

- Bring one arm across chest.

- Support your elbow with opposite hand.

- Hold for 30 seconds.

- Repeat on other side.

Adductor Stretch

An inner thigh stretch gets you ready to take wide steps when you chase the ball, says Decker.

- Kneel on ground.

- Step one leg long out to the side.

- Hold.

- For a deeper stretch, sit back on heels.

- Repeat on both sides.

Chest Opener

Try this stretch from Decker before heading to the court.

- Stand in a doorway.

- Bring one arm up to a 90-degree angle.

- Keep forearm on door.

- Rotate body away from door.

- Feel stretch in side of chest.

- Hold for 30 seconds.

- Repeat on other side.

World’s Greatest Stretch

Trainer Ryan Kennedy recommends this to loosen up your arms, back, and legs.

- Step one leg forward.

- Place hands on inside of front foot.

- Shift hips forward.

- Take hand next to front foot, reach up to sky.

- Hold 1 second.

- Do 5-10 reps per side.

Figure-4 Stretch

Conditioning specialist Dr. Matt Tanneberg, CSCS suggests stretching your piriformis muscle.

- Sit down or lie on back.

- Knees bent, place right ankle on left thigh.

- Reach through legs to grab left shin.

- Gently pull for a stretch.

- Hold 30 seconds per side.

Calf Stretch

Tanneberg also recommends stretching your calves so you’ll feel more agile on the court.

- Face a wall or curb.

- Place foot against wall so toe points up.

- Gently lean forward to stretch calf, or reach down to lift toes.

- Repeat on the other side.

Side Bend

Trainer Jake Dickson says this move preps your spine for the twisting motions you do in pickleball.

- Stand straight.

- Lean to right, right hand on hip.

- Extend left hand up and over head.

- Repeat 5 times, alternating sides.