Are you bored with your current workout routine? Looking for a novel and exciting way to exercise? Take a look at pickleball! This fast-paced and entertaining sport has taken the fitness world by storm, but many people are still curious: is pickleball a good exercise? You might be surprised by the answer.
In this article, we’ll look at whether pickleball is a good exercise. Also, we’ll look at the physical benefits of pickleball in this article.
Whether you’re a fitness fanatic or simply looking for a fun way to stay active, get ready to learn why pickleball might be the perfect exercise for you!
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a sport that combines elements of ping-pong, tennis, and badminton. It is played on a small court (20’ x 44’) with a net (36 inches high at the sideline, and 34 inches at the center), a paddle, and a plastic ball with holes. Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles, with two or four players on each side of the net.
The basic rules of pickleball are:
- Each point begins with a serve. The server stands behind the baseline and hits the ball underhand and below the waist to the diagonal service area on the other side. The serve must clear the net and land beyond the non-volley zone (also called the kitchen), which is a 7-foot area on both sides of the net.
- The server gets only one attempt unless the ball touches the net and lands in play (called a let). The server alternates between right and left service areas after each point.
- Each point continues until a fault. A fault is when a player or team fails to return the ball legally over the net and within bounds or commits a violation of any rule.
- Some common faults are: hitting the ball out of bounds, hitting the ball into the net, missing the ball completely, touching any part of your body or clothing to any part of your opponent’s court or net system (including posts), volleying (hitting out of air) while standing in or touching any part of your non-volley zone line or court surface within it.
- You cannot volley while standing in or touching any part of your non-volley zone line or court surface within it. A volley is when you hit the ball out of air before it bounces on your side.
- You can only volley when you are outside your non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from smashing balls at close range over their opponents’ heads.
- You must let balls bounce once before returning them after each serve and return-of-serve shot (called double-bounce rule). This means that both teams must play their first shot off bounce after each serve. After that, they can either volley or play off bounce until someone makes a fault.
- You score points only when you are serving. The game is usually played to 11 points, but can also be played to 15 or 21 points depending on preference. You must win by two points more than your opponent(s).
- The score is announced before each serve by saying three numbers: server’s score first, receiver’s score second, and which server number is serving (1 for first server; 2 for second server).
Is Pickleball a Good Workout?
Indeed, pickleball is a great exercise that works the entire body. It is a fast-paced activity with plenty of movement, making it an excellent method to raise your heart rate and enhance your cardiovascular endurance.
Pickleball demands fast reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and agility, all of which can help you enhance your general coordination and balance.
“Pickleball gives you a good aerobic workout without as much stress and strain on joints and muscles, as mentioned above.” Stated in MUSCHealth.
Furthermore, the repeated nature of striking the ball and moving about the court can aid in the development of muscular strength and endurance in your legs, arms, and core. This can lead to greater strength and endurance in other physical activities.
Pickleball is also a low-impact activity, which means it’s easier on your joints than high-impact sports like jogging or basketball. This makes it an excellent workout alternative for folks who have joint problems or prefer to avoid high-impact exercises.
Health Benefits of Pickleball
Pickleball is good exercise because it offers many health benefits. According to the USA Pickleball Association, pickleball can help you:
- Lowering blood pressure – Pickleball lowers blood pressure by strengthening the heart and making it pump more blood with less effort. This reduces the pressure on the arteries and prevents damage to them. Lower blood pressure also reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems.
- Boosting cardiovascular health – Pickleball boosts cardiovascular health by increasing the heart rate and improving blood circulation. This helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to different parts of the body and removes waste products. Cardiovascular health is important for preventing diseases such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension.
- Reducing stress – Pickleball reduces stress by releasing endorphins, which are natural chemicals that create a feeling of happiness and well-being. Stress can have negative effects on mental and physical health, such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, headaches, digestive problems and inflammation. Playing pickleball can help lower stress levels and improve mood.
- Helping maintain weight goals – Pickleball helps maintain weight goals by burning calories and increasing metabolism. Weight management is essential for preventing obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and some cancers. Playing pickleball can help individuals lose weight or keep it at a healthy level by providing a fun and enjoyable way of exercising.
- Improving balance and agility – Pickleball improves balance and agility by requiring players to move in different directions and planes of motion. This challenges the vestibular and somatosensory systems that help maintain equilibrium and body awareness. Balance and agility are important for preventing falls, injuries and loss of mobility as we age.
- Enhancing hand-eye coordination – Pickleball enhances hand-eye coordination by demanding players to track the ball with their eyes and hit it with their paddles. This involves a complex interaction between the visual, motor and cognitive systems that control eye movements, muscle actions and spatial perception. Hand-eye coordination is essential for many daily activities such as driving, typing and cooking.
- Increasing muscle strength – Pickleball increases muscle strength by activating all the major muscle groups in the body. The forearms, biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, core, hips, thighs and calves all work together to move the body and swing the paddle. Muscle strength is vital for maintaining posture, stability and function throughout life.
- Curbing depression – Pickleball curbs depression by providing a positive outlet for stress relief, social interaction, and physical activity. Depression is a common mental health disorder that affects mood, energy, motivation, and self-esteem. Playing pickleball can help boost mood by stimulating the release of serotonin, dopamine and endorphins – neurotransmitters that regulate emotions, pleasure, and pain.
- Promoting social interaction – Pickleball promotes social interaction by fostering a sense of community, friendship, and fun among players. Social interaction is crucial for human well-being as it provides support, belongingness, and meaning. Playing pickleball can help reduce loneliness, isolation, and social anxiety by creating opportunities to meet new people, share experiences, and have fun.
FAQs
Yes, pickleball can be an effective workout for weight loss as it provides a full-body workout that burns calories and improves cardiovascular endurance. However, weight loss depends on a combination of factors, including your diet and lifestyle habits.
Yes, pickleball can help to improve your overall fitness level as it provides a challenging workout that can be tailored to your fitness level. It can help to improve your cardiovascular endurance, coordination, balance, and muscle strength.
No, you don’t need to be in excellent shape to play pickleball. The sport can be adapted to your fitness level, and it is a great way to start improving your health and fitness. It can be played at various levels, from recreational to competitive.
Yes, pickleball can be a great exercise for children as it helps to improve hand-eye coordination, balance, and agility. It can also help to develop social skills and teamwork. However, children should always be supervised while playing to ensure their safety.
Conclusion
To summarise, pickleball is an excellent exercise that provides a variety of physical benefits. It’s a high-intensity activity that may help you develop your cardiovascular endurance, coordination, balance, and muscle strength.
Furthermore, it is a low-impact activity that is gentler on your joints than high-impact sports, making it an excellent exercise option for people who have joint pain or who prefer to avoid high-impact activities.
Pickleball is an interesting and demanding sport that can be played by individuals of all ages and skill levels, whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just looking for a fun way to remain active.
Why not give it a shot? Take a paddle and a ball, travel to your neighborhood court, and learn about the numerous advantages that pickleball has to offer.