Key takeaways
- Dynamic activation before play, static stretching after. Per Dr. Kendall Perrine, ND (Purist Natural Medicine, Arroyo Grande), she would rather see five minutes waking up the core and glutes than time spent holding stretches.
- The medial glutes are the priority: they help stabilise the hip and knee during the lateral movements pickleball is made of.
- On cold Central Coast mornings, extend the warm-up and keep layers on until fully warm, because cold tissue is less pliable.
- Start your first games slow and treat game one as part of the warm-up.
- After play: stretch, rehydrate with electrolytes rather than just water, and eat a real meal in the recovery window.
Why do you need a warm-up for pickleball at all?
Because the sport demands sideways explosiveness from a standing start. Muscles and connective tissue handle that well when they are warm and activated, and poorly when you have been sitting in a car. Many of the common injuries (Read more) may trace partly back to cold or under-activated stabilisers.
What should the five minutes look like?
Five minutes before playing, I'd recommend light activation of the core and glutes, especially the medial glutes, since those stabilise the hip and knee during lateral movement. I'd rather someone spend five minutes waking those muscles up with dynamic movement than static stretching alone.
Dr. Kendall Perrine, ND, Purist Natural Medicine (Arroyo Grande, CA)
The routine, worth saving:
- Minute 1, pulse raiser. Brisk walk or light jog around the courts, with arm circles as you go.
- Minutes 2 and 3, glute and core activation. Lateral side-steps along the baseline, adding a band if you have one, 10 monster walks each direction, 10 standing hip openers per side, and a 15-second plank or dead-bug set.
- Minute 4, dynamic legs. Leg swings front-to-back and side-to-side, 10 each, 5 slow bodyweight squats, and a few walking lunges with rotation.
- Minute 5, shadow swings. Dinks, drives, and two or three easy overhead motions before your first real one.
- The first-games rule. Play your first game at 70 per cent. Treat it as the last stage of the warm-up, not the first stage of the tournament.
Why glutes, of all things?
Core and glute strength is usually neglected, and most people underestimate how much those two areas protect the knees, hips and lower back during quick lateral movements.
Dr. Kendall Perrine, ND, Purist Natural Medicine (Arroyo Grande, CA)
Her sharpest version of the point: core and glute strength matter more than the shoe on your foot. The warm-up wakes those muscles; two short strength sessions a week builds them.
What changes on a cold, foggy morning?
A lot of Central Coast pickleball happens at 8am under the marine layer, and cold tissue behaves differently.
Cold muscles and connective tissues are less pliable. On a cold morning, extend your warm-up rather than cut it short, and keep extra layers on, especially over the knees, until you're fully warmed up.
Dr. Kendall Perrine, ND, Purist Natural Medicine (Arroyo Grande, CA)
The practical version: double the routine above when there is fog on the court, and do not shed the sweatpants after game one. More on coastal conditions: Read more
What is the cool-down almost nobody does?
Two minutes of stretching now that muscles are warm, which is where static stretching belongs, then the part most players skip entirely.
Most people don't actually rehydrate with electrolytes, just water. And it's important to refuel with a real balanced meal with healthy protein, fat and carbs in the recovery window. Most people just stop and move on with their day.
Dr. Kendall Perrine, ND, Purist Natural Medicine (Arroyo Grande, CA)
The full recovery protocol is here: Read more
Common questions
Should you stretch before playing pickleball?
Dynamic movement before, static stretching after. Per Dr. Perrine, five minutes of activation beats static stretching alone as pre-play preparation.
What is the most important muscle group to warm up for pickleball?
The glutes, especially the medial glutes, plus the core. They help stabilise the hip and knee during the lateral movement the sport runs on.
How long should a pickleball warm-up be?
Five minutes minimum, and longer on cold mornings, when tissue is less pliable and the risk of strain is higher.
Do you need a warm-up for casual play?
Yes. The intensity of an injury does not scale down with the intensity of your intent, and recreational games produce the same lateral loads.
Learn it once, keep it forever. We teach this routine at every Free intro sessions. What happens when you skip it: Read more
About the contributing expert. Dr. Kendall Perrine, ND, is a naturopathic doctor at Purist Natural Medicine, splitting her time between Arroyo Grande, CA and Dana Point, CA, with a focus on regenerative, non-surgical approaches to joint and soft-tissue pain.
Published by Pickleball Agent, the pickleball hub of the Central Coast. This article is educational and reflects the contributing expert's professional perspective. It is not medical advice, no outcome is implied or guaranteed, and healing timelines differ from person to person; consult your own healthcare provider about your specific situation.
