A 5-Minute Pickleball Warm-Up to Help You Move Better and Hurt Less

How often do you show up to pickleball, chat for a minute, take two practice swings, maybe bounce on your toes once, and then jump straight into competitive points? We see you. And listen, we get it. Pickleball is fun. You want to play. You did not come to the court to do a 30-minute workout before the workout.

But if your warm-up is basically “walk from the parking lot to the court,” your body may not be thrilled. Pickleball asks you to move quickly, react suddenly, rotate, reach, lunge, stop, start, and swing repeatedly. Your muscles, joints, tendons, and nervous system need a little heads-up before you ask them to perform.

The good news? Your warm-up does not have to be complicated. At Outshine Physical Therapy & Fitness in Asheville, we like warm-ups that are simple, realistic, and actually connected to the sport you are about to play. Here is a 5-minute pickleball warm-up that can help you move better, feel more prepared, and reduce your risk of those “why does that hurt now?” moments.

Why Warm Up Before Pickleball?

A good warm-up should do more than make you sweat. It should prepare your body for the specific movements you are about to do.

For pickleball, that means:

• Quick side-to-side movement

• Short bursts forward

• Rotation through the hips and trunk

• Reaching and swinging

• Getting low

• Pushing off the calves and feet

• Stopping under control

• Reacting quickly

Pickleball is not just standing there with a paddle. It is a fast reaction sport. A proper warm-up helps your brain and body communicate better before the game starts. That matters for coordination, balance, joint control, and power.

The Problem With Static Stretching Before Pickleball

Static stretching is when you hold a stretch for a longer period of time, like holding a hamstring stretch or calf stretch for 30–60 seconds. Static stretching is not bad. It can be useful at the right time. But right before pickleball, most players benefit more from a dynamic warm-up.

Dynamic warm-ups use active movement to prepare your body for play. Instead of just pulling on a muscle and hoping for the best, you are rehearsing the positions, ranges of motion, and coordination you need on the court.

Think of it like this:

Static stretching asks, “Can this muscle lengthen?”

Dynamic warming up asks, “Can this body move, react, and control itself?”

For pickleball, we want the second one.

The 5-Minute Pickleball Warm-Up

You can do this on the side of the court before you play.

You will need:

• Your paddle

• A small resistance band if you have one

No fancy setup. No complicated routine. Just a few minutes to get your body ready.

1. Paddle Pass-Arounds

Time: 45–60 seconds

Grab your paddle and pass it around your body in a big circle, like you are moving it around your waist.

Do a few circles one direction, then switch directions.

Keep your movement smooth and relaxed. Try not to death-grip the paddle.

Why it helps

This wakes up your shoulders, trunk, hands, grip, and coordination.

Pickleball is not just an arm sport. Your trunk, shoulders, and hands all need to work together so you can swing, reach, and react well.

Paddle pass-arounds are a simple way to get the upper body involved right away without needing to do anything complicated.

Make it easier

Use smaller circles and move slowly.

Make it harder

Make the circles bigger or move the paddle around your body while standing in a light athletic stance.

2. Calf Raises + Toe Rocks

Time: 45–60 seconds

Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart.

Do 10–15 slow calf raises:

• Rise up onto the balls of your feet.

• Pause for a second.

• Slowly lower back down.

Then do 10–15 toe rocks:

• Shift your weight back slightly.

• Lift your toes up while keeping your heels down.

• Lower your toes back to the ground.

Why it helps

Your calves and feet do a lot in pickleball.

They help you push off, stop, shuffle, and react. If your calves are cold and stiff, quick movements can feel harder, and your Achilles may not appreciate the surprise.

This move helps prepare your lower legs for the constant small pushes that happen during play.

Make it easier

Hold onto the fence or your paddle for balance.

Make it harder

Do the calf raises on one leg, or slow down the lowering phase.

3. Resisted Side Steps or Monster Walks

Time: 45–60 seconds

Place a resistance band around your ankles, shins, or above your knees.

For resisted side steps:

• Get into a small athletic stance.

• Keep your knees soft.

• Step sideways with control.

• Bring the other foot in without letting the band snap back.

• Take several steps one direction, then return.

For monster walks:

• Stay in a slight squat.

• Step forward and slightly out to the side.

• Keep tension on the band.

• Take small controlled steps forward, then backward.

Why it helps

Pickleball is full of side-to-side movement.

Your hips and glutes help control your knees, pelvis, and footwork when you shuffle, lunge, stop, or change direction.

If your hips are not helping enough, your knees, ankles, or low back may end up doing extra work.

This drill helps wake up the lateral hips so your body is more prepared for the movement pickleball actually requires.

Common mistake

Going too low or taking huge steps.

You do not need to turn this into a max-effort strength workout. This is a warm-up. Keep it controlled and smooth.

Make it easier

Use a lighter band or place the band above your knees.

Make it harder

Use a stronger band or stay lower in your athletic stance.

4. Hip Openers with Rotation

Time: 45–60 seconds

Stand tall.

Step one foot forward into a small lunge position. Keep it comfortable, this does not need to be deep.

Rotate your trunk gently toward the front leg, then return to center.

Alternate sides for 45–60 seconds.

Think:

• Step

• Rotate

• Return

• Switch

Why it helps

Pickleball requires rotation. Your hips, trunk, and upper back all need to contribute when you reach, swing, turn, and recover. If you do not rotate well through your hips and trunk, your low back, shoulder, or elbow may end up doing extra work. This move prepares the body for reaching, swinging, and changing direction.

Make it easier

Use a smaller step and smaller rotation.

Make it harder

Pause for a second in the rotated position and focus on balance.

5. Paddle Windshield Wipers

Time: 45–60 seconds

Hold your paddle in front of you with your elbow bent.

Slowly rotate your forearm side to side, like the paddle is a windshield wiper.

Keep the motion controlled. You should feel your wrist, forearm, and elbow gently warming up. Do this on one side, then switch hands.

Why it helps

Your wrist, forearm, elbow, and grip all work hard in pickleball.

This is especially true with repeated volleys, backhands, dinks, and drives.

Paddle windshield wipers help wake up the muscles around the wrist and forearm before you start gripping and swinging harder.

This one is especially helpful if you tend to deal with pickleball elbow, forearm tightness, wrist stiffness, or grip fatigue.

Common mistake

Moving too fast or gripping too hard.

Keep it easy. The goal is to prepare the tissue, not irritate it before you even start playing.

Make it easier

Use a smaller range of motion.

Make it harder

Move more slowly and control the paddle through the full motion.

6. Drop-In Lunge + Recover

Time: 45–60 seconds

Start in your pickleball-ready position:

• Feet under you

• Knees soft

• Chest tall

• Paddle up

Step one foot forward into a small, comfortable lunge like you are reaching for a dink near the kitchen line.

Then push through your front foot and step back to your ready position.

Alternate sides.

Keep the step controlled. You do not need to lunge as deep as possible. Think “quick, balanced, and athletic,” not “max stretch.”

Why it helps

Pickleball is full of quick forward reaches.

You move in for the ball, get low, make the shot, and then need to recover quickly.

This drill helps prepare your hips, knees, ankles, balance, and footwork for that exact movement.

It also teaches your body to get low with control instead of collapsing into your knees, rounding your back, or reaching too far with your arm.

Common mistake

Stepping too far and getting stuck.

In pickleball, you need to be able to recover after the shot. Keep the step short enough that you can push back to your starting position smoothly.

Make it easier

Use a smaller step and keep your lunge shallow.

Make it harder

Add a gentle paddle reach as you step forward, like you are meeting the ball in front of you. Then recover back into your ready position.

Quick Warm-Up Summary

Here is the quick version:

1. Paddle pass-arounds

2. Calf raises + toe rocks

3. Resisted side steps or monster walks

4. Hip openers with rotation

5. Paddle windshield wipers

6. Drop-in lunge + recover

Simple. Realistic. Pickleball-specific.

No 30-minute routine. No fancy equipment. Just enough to prepare your body for the game you are about to play.

What If You Do Not Have a Resistance Band?

No problem. For the resisted side steps or monster walks, you can still do the same movement without a band.

Focus on:

• Staying in a soft athletic stance

• Keeping your knees tracking over your toes

• Moving side to side with control

• Feeling your hips turn on

• Avoiding rushed, sloppy steps

A band makes it better, but the movement still counts without one.

The 30-Second “Am I Ready?” Check

Before you start playing hard, ask yourself:

• Do my feet feel awake?

• Do my calves feel ready to push?

• Do my knees feel steady?

• Do my hips feel ready to move side to side?

• Does my shoulder feel warmed up?

• Do my wrist, forearm, and elbow feel ready to grip and swing?

• Do I feel balanced moving forward and recovering?

If the answer is “not really,” take another minute. That one extra minute might be the difference between playing comfortably and spending the next three days saying, “I think I tweaked something.”

What If You Already Have Pain?

If you already have elbow pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, Achilles pain, or low back pain, warming up may help you feel better temporarily, but it may not solve the full problem.

A warm-up is preparation. It is not a complete rehab plan.

Pain that keeps returning usually means your body needs something more specific, such as:

• Strength work

• Mobility work

• Tendon loading

• Balance training

• Technique adjustments

• Recovery planning

• A better return-to-play strategy

That does not mean you have to stop playing forever. It means you need a plan.

How Often Should You Do This Warm-Up?

Ideally, every time you play.

Especially if:

• You are playing first thing in the morning.

• You are playing after sitting most of the day.

• You are playing in a tournament.

• You are playing multiple games in a row.

• You are returning after an injury.

• You are feeling stiff, tired, or “not quite ready.”

• You tend to deal with calf, Achilles, knee, shoulder, elbow, or back pain.

The more competitive the play, the more important the warm-up.

Want to Play Better? Train Between Games, Too.

A warm-up is a great start, but the real magic happens when you build strength, mobility, and control outside of game time.

Pickleball players benefit from training:

• Calf and Achilles strength

• Hip strength

• Quad and glute strength

• Shoulder and rotator cuff strength

• Grip and forearm capacity

• Core rotation

• Balance and reaction time

• Deceleration and lateral movement

That does not mean you need to train like a professional athlete. But if you want your body to tolerate pickleball well, it helps to build the qualities pickleball demands.

How Outshine Helps Pickleball Players

At Outshine Physical Therapy & Fitness in Asheville, we help active adults stay strong, confident, and ready for the activities they love, including pickleball. Whether you are brand new to the sport, playing weekly with friends, joining leagues, or signing up for tournaments, we can help you understand how your body moves and what it needs.

We can help with:

• Pickleball injury screens

• Shoulder, elbow, knee, Achilles, and back pain

• Return-to-play after injury

• Warm-up and recovery plans

• Strength training for pickleball

• Balance and fall-prevention work

• Sport-specific rehab

• Performance-focused physical therapy

You do not have to wait until pain takes you off the court. If you want to move better, hurt less, and keep playing, we would love to help. Schedule with Outshine Physical Therapy & Fitness in Asheville and let’s build a plan that keeps you playing strong.

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