Pickleball is taking over the fitness world! If you don’t already know, Pickleball is an indoor/outdoor racquet sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and it’s become so popular that you will soon be seeing it broadcast on ESPN and CBS Sports! What makes it so appealing is that it’s a fun, social game that’s easy for beginners to learn and challenging enough for seasoned veterans. It’s a sport that appeals to young and old in part because the court is small enough that you don’t need to move all over and it encourages players to socialize.

And, while Pickleball is accessible to everyone, the top players make sure to incorporate strength and endurance training regularly to stay competitive. For the casual user who catches “Pickleball Fever”, a fitness routine focused on functional fitness training will prepare you for your weekly play time. Functional fitness is a strength training approach that incorporates real-life, daily living movements like squatting, pushing, pulling, rotating, lifting and bending.

Here are three functional fitness movements to incorporate into your weekly routine to improve your game:

Lunges

Forward lunges, back lunges, side lunges – do them all! Lunges will improve lower body stability and allow you to move around and change direction more efficiently.

Farmer Walk

A strong grip and forearm strength are important for success in any racquet sport. Doing farmer or suitcase walks will help improve grip, core stability, and upper body stability.

Internal Shoulder Rotations

This exercise helps strengthen the rotator cuff, increases stability of the shoulder joint and improves range of motion. When done consistently, it will reduce your risk of injuries.

I can almost guarantee that if you spend time each week working to increase your strength, improve your endurance and flexibility, you’ll be able to play your best and reduce the risk of injury for as long as you want to play!