Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world—and for good reason. It’s fun, social, and a great way to stay active. But depending on your personal fitness goals, playing pickleball alone might not give you everything you need from a workout.

Let’s break down the different aspects of fitness and see how pickleball measures up—and where you might need to supplement.

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Cardiovascular fitness

Pickleball does provide a cardiovascular workout, especially for beginners or those getting back into exercise. If you're not used to regular physical activity, just playing a few games can get your heart rate up and your body moving.

However, if you're already fit and exercise consistently, you might find that pickleball alone doesn't push your cardiovascular limits. In that case, additional cardio—like running, swimming, or cycling—may help improve endurance, burn more calories, and support heart health.

Strength training

Pickleball primarily works your upper body—arms, shoulders, and core—as well as your lower body through quick footwork, lunging, and lateral movement.

That said, it isn’t a comprehensive strength training workout. To build balanced, full-body strength and stability, you’ll benefit from adding resistance training to your routine. Focus on exercises that target both upper and lower body muscles, especially those not heavily engaged during pickleball.

Flexibility and mobility

You’ll definitely move around a lot during a game—pivoting, lunging, reaching—but pickleball alone won’t dramatically improve your flexibility or joint mobility.

To really enhance flexibility and reduce injury risk, include stretching routines, yoga, or dedicated mobility training into your weekly schedule. These are best guided by fitness professionals or done in a structured gym setting.

Balance and coordination

Pickleball is excellent for improving balance and coordination—especially hand-eye coordination. Navigating the non-volley zone, adjusting your stance for each shot, and reacting quickly to your opponent all require body control.

If better coordination and balance are your primary goals, pickleball is a great choice. Still, balance exercises (like single-leg stands or balance board work) can further sharpen these skills.

Injury prevention

While playing pickleball helps keep you active, it’s not specifically designed to prevent injuries. Overuse injuries and muscle imbalances can happen if you rely solely on the sport for exercise.

Adding strength training, flexibility work, and proper recovery time is key to staying injury-free. Make sure to take rest days, cross-train, and listen to your body.

Adding variety to your routine

Even if pickleball is your go-to workout, incorporating variety will help you enjoy the game more, improve your fitness, and avoid overuse. Cross-training not only challenges different muscle groups, but also keeps your routine fresh and fun.

Activities like walking, jogging, swimming, yoga, weight lifting, and stretching can all complement your pickleball sessions and help with recovery, strength, and overall fitness.

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Want to boost your pickleball performance? Try these additions

If you’re looking to level up your pickleball game, here are some targeted workouts you can add to your routine:

Agility and footwork

Pickleball requires quick movements and sharp changes in direction. Boost your agility by adding drills like:

• Shuttle runs
  Cone drills
  Ladder drills

These exercises improve speed, footwork, and reaction time—perfect for getting to the ball faster.

Plyometric training

Improve your explosive power and on-court responsiveness with plyometrics:

• Jump squats
  Burpees
  Lateral jumps
  Clap push-ups

These workouts challenge your cardio system while building strength and speed.

Core strength

A strong core is essential for balance, stability, and power in pickleball. Incorporate exercises like:

• Planks
  Russian twists
  Crunches
  Stability ball workouts

Your abs, obliques, and lower back will thank you—and your shots will be stronger and more controlled.

Endurance workouts

If you find yourself out of breath mid-match, it’s time to work on your cardio outside the court. Try:

• Brisk walks
  Jogging or running
  Swimming
  Cycling

These help build your aerobic capacity, ensuring you can play longer without fatigue.

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The bottom line

Pickleball is a fun, social, and active sport that offers plenty of fitness benefits. But on its own, it may not be a complete workout. By adding strength training, cardio, flexibility work, and recovery into your routine, you can round out your fitness, avoid injury, and perform your best on the court.

So enjoy your time playing pickleball—but don’t be afraid to mix it up. Your body (and your game) will be better for it.