Pickleball Training: Balance, Footwork and Strength

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Thursday evening, a drill clinic at the club. Eight players in a row, ages 34 to 78, dinking cross-court while the coach calls “split step!” for the tenth time. The players who win the long kitchen battles aren’t always the hardest hitters. They’re the ones who stay balanced, get their feet set early and still have legs in game three. That’s what pickleball training off the court is for: balance, footwork and strength, so you play better and stay on your feet. This page is written for all levels, from your first league to tournament play, with extra attention to older players, who are most of the people on the courts.

General information, not a personal program. If you have a heart condition, osteoporosis, joint replacements or balance problems, check with your doctor or a physical therapist (PT) before starting. Back to the pickleball hub.

What pickleball asks of your body

Pickleball is short bursts: a few quick steps, a lunge for a dink, a hop back for a lob, then a pause between rallies. Two small studies tested players’ jumps before and after a day of competition. Recreational players in an 11-game doubles event reported feeling tired, and adults in a 15-game singles tournament were tested too, but neither group lost jump power; if anything, it went up. The researchers suggest muscular endurance may not be the main thing to train for doubles. What does show up again and again in the injury research is falls, quick changes of direction and lunges. So the training priorities are clear: balance, footwork, leg and hip strength, and a body that can handle sudden moves.

For adults 65 and older, the CDC’s activity guidelines line up with this: at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, muscle-strengthening on at least 2 days, and activities that improve balance. A few hours of pickleball can count toward the first part. The strength and balance work usually has to happen off the court.

Balance training: the anti-fall skill

Falls are behind about two in three pickleball injuries treated in emergency rooms, mostly in players over 60. A 2025 study tried a 10-week program for older players who had fallen while playing or held back for fear of falling. It combined strength, balance, change-of-direction and agility work. The trained group got faster at changing direction (about 0.7 seconds) and lost much of their fear of falling. They were playing about 50% more than the comparison group by the end. Five months later, 25% of the trained group had fallen during play, compared with 44% of the others. It was a small study, but it points the right way. For ankles, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) recommends a balance program of at least three months to help prevent sprains.

• Single-leg stand: next to a counter, stand on one foot for 30 seconds, then switch. Progress to eyes closed or a foam pad only when it’s easy, and always with something to hold.
• Heel-to-toe walk: walk a straight line placing one heel right in front of the other toes.
• Reach-and-return: standing on one leg, reach the other foot forward, to the side and back, like reaching for a dink.
• Stop-and-hold: shuffle three steps sideways, stop, and hold balanced for two seconds. It trains the stop that follows every side step.

Footwork: get there early and stay upright

Good footwork is injury prevention you can see. Coaches teach a few basics that also happen to target the most common falls and strains:

• Split step: a small, balanced hop as your opponent hits, so you land ready to go either way instead of flat-footed.
• Turn and go back for lobs: turn your hips and use a crossover step rather than backpedaling. Backpedaling is how many players end up on the ground, hand out.
• Shuffle, don’t cross, along the kitchen line: short side steps keep you balanced for the next dink.
• Let it go: deciding not to chase an unreachable ball is a skill too.

An agility ladder like the SKLZ Quick Ladder is a simple way to practice quick, light feet: side steps, in-and-outs and slow crossovers at first. Learn the pattern slowly before you speed up. AAOS also recommends lessons: bad technique leads to injuries, and a pro can show you how to swing and move around the court. More drills are in our speed training equipment guide.

Strength for older players (and everyone else)

Two or three short sessions a week, about 20–30 minutes, cover the CDC’s two strength days. Start light, use good form, and stop if anything hurts sharply. Each exercise below targets a common pickleball problem:

• Sit-to-stand or squats (legs and getting low for dinks): stand up from a chair without using your hands, then sit down slowly.
• Side-lying leg raises and mini-band side walks (hips): hip abductor strength was one of the measures in the older-player fall study, and it helps you stop a side step.
• Calf raises (Achilles and calf): both legs, then one, lowering slowly. Pickleball Achilles ruptures cluster in players over 50 and in the first weeks of play.
• Split squats or step-ups (lunging for wide balls).
• Band rows and external rotations (shoulder and rotator cuff): with a light resistance band.
• Wrist and forearm work (elbow): slow wrist curls and extensions with a light weight or band. A tight grip on baseline shots was linked to more arm injuries in one survey, so practice holding the paddle more loosely too.

A beginner band kit like the THERABAND Beginner Kit covers shoulder and forearm work at home. A set of Fit Simplify loop bands handles hip side walks. A foam pad like the Airex Balance Pad Elite adds a challenge to balance drills once standing on the floor feels easy. Our resistance bands guide compares more.

The warm-up before you play

AAOS suggests light calisthenics and stretches, then easy hitting before you go all-out. A simple 5–8 minute routine:

• Two minutes of brisk walking or light jogging around the court.
• Side shuffles, carioca at walking pace, and a few slow lunges.
• Calf raises and ankle circles, then arm circles and shoulder rolls.
• A few minutes of soft dinks before drives, overheads and lobs.

How much to play: build up, space it out

Pickleball is easy to overdo because it’s so much fun. Several studies point the same way. In a national survey of 1,758 players, those who played more often each week had more injuries. Among players at the 2018 US Open Pickleball Championships, more weekly playing hours went with a higher injury risk. In a survey of recreational players, playing on back-to-back days and sessions over two hours were linked to more arm injuries. And in one series of pickleball Achilles ruptures, most happened in the first month of play. A sensible pattern:

• New players: start with an hour or so, a few times a week, and add time gradually over several weeks.
• Everyone: mix in rest days between long sessions, especially if your elbow, shoulder or knees are talking to you.
• Before a tournament: keep playing, but ease off the extra sessions in the last few days so you arrive fresh. See pickleball tournament day.

A sample week

• Monday: strength (20–30 min) + balance (10 min).
• Tuesday: play.
• Wednesday: walk, bike or swim; footwork drills.
• Thursday: strength + balance.
• Friday: rest or easy mobility.
• Weekend: play, with a rest day after.

Juniors and teens can train strength too. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports supervised, technique-first resistance training for kids. For the injuries this work is aimed at, see pickleball injuries; for the days after, pickleball recovery; and for a team-sport take on warm-ups, soccer training.

Pickleball training FAQs

What exercises help with pickleball?

Balance drills (single-leg stands, stop-and-hold shuffles), leg and hip strength (sit-to-stands, side walks with a band, split squats), calf raises for the Achilles, and light band work for the shoulder and forearm. Add footwork drills like the split step and crossover step. Two or three short sessions a week is plenty to start.

Can balance training prevent falls in pickleball?

Early research is encouraging. In a small 2025 study of older players, a 10-week strength, balance and agility program reduced fear of falling, and five months later 25% of trained players had fallen during play versus 44% of those who didn’t train. Bigger studies are still needed.

How many days a week should I play pickleball?

There’s no single answer, but research links more frequent play, long sessions and back-to-back days to more injuries. Build up gradually, especially when you’re new, and give yourself rest days, particularly if something aches.

How should I warm up for pickleball?

AAOS suggests light calisthenics and stretching, then easy hitting before playing hard. Walk or jog for a couple of minutes, do side shuffles, lunges and calf raises, loosen the shoulders, then dink for a few minutes before drives and overheads.

Is strength training safe for older pickleball players?

The CDC recommends muscle-strengthening on at least two days a week for adults 65 and older, plus balance activities. Start light with good form. If you have a heart condition, osteoporosis or joint problems, ask your doctor or a PT to tailor the exercises.