Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., with 24.3 million players in 2025, a 479% increase since 2020 according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. As participation surges, the game becomes more athletic, demanding quick cuts, hard stops, and repeated side-to-side movement.
Cedric Scotto, MS Kinesiology and CEO of Notace Footwear, notes many recreational players underestimate the physical demands of quick cuts and reactive movement, stressing the feet and ankles.
This two-day training plan focuses on lateral movement, deceleration, rotational power, and durability. Each session begins with a warm-up covering foot and ankle preparation, hip and thoracic spine mobility, shoulder activation, and core engagement.
Day 1 emphasizes acceleration, rotational explosiveness, and full-body strength with exercises like broad jumps, half-kneeling rotational med ball shot puts, and goblet forward lunges. Day 2 focuses on lateral movement and deceleration control using skater jumps, side-to-side med ball slams, and split squats.
Both days include optional ten-minute conditioning intervals on a bike, rower, or running intervals to build aerobic capacity.
Scotto emphasizes the importance of warming up consistently, foot health, and stable footwear to reduce injury risk as playing volume increases. Recovery habits, including sleep, hydration, and managing court volume, are also critical for performance and longevity.