How to Bulletproof Your Hips for Pickleball
The practical guide to hip health that’ll outlast your paddle
Let’s talk hips. Knees and elbows seem to get all the attention in pickleball, but hey let’s not neglect our hips. They support every lunge, pivot, and dink shot you make on the court—and they can start to complain loudly if you don’t show them some love.
Pickleball is sneaky on your hips. It doesn’t look as intense as tennis, but it’s full of short bursts, awkward reaches, and sudden direction changes. Add in hard courts and repeat play, and you’ve got a recipe for cranky joints, tight muscles, and even injury if you’re not careful.
But the good news? With just a few smart habits, you can bulletproof your hips—keep them strong, mobile, and ready for action.
1. Open Up Those Tight Hips
Most of us (especially if we sit a lot during the day) have tight hip flexors and weak glutes. That combo limits movement and puts more stress on your lower back and knees.
Try this 2-minute warmup before you hit the court:
World’s Greatest Stretch: Lunge forward, twist toward the front leg, reach your arm up. Great for hip flexors, hamstrings, and spine.
Deep Squat Hold: Sit into a deep squat (heels down), elbows pressing your knees apart. Rock gently. Feels weird at first. Feels amazing after.
Leg Swings: Front-to-back and side-to-side. Loosen things up dynamically.
These simple moves activate your hips and wake up the muscles you’ll be counting on.
2. Strengthen What Matters
You don’t need to be a gym rat, but building strength around your hips is key for performance and injury prevention.
Some go-to exercises:
Glute Bridges: Lie on your back, knees bent, lift hips by squeezing your glutes.
Lateral Band Walks: Put a loop band around your legs and sidestep like you’re sneaking up on someone.
Step-Ups: Onto a bench or sturdy box. Great for hip drive and balance.
Single-Leg Deadlifts: For control, balance, and hamstring/hip connection.
Do 2–3 sets, 2–3 times per week, and you’ll notice the difference on court—quicker reactions, more control, and less post-play soreness.
3. Move in All Directions
Pickleball isn’t just forward and back—it’s lateral, diagonal, and reactive. Your hips need to handle it all.
Mix in movements like:
Cossack squats (side-to-side deep squats)
Skater hops (jump side to side, land softly)
Agility drills (cones or court lines, shuffle and pivot)
Training your hips to move in all directions builds resilience—and that’s what bulletproofing is all about.
4. Recover Like You Mean It
Sore hips after play? Don’t ignore them. Foam roll your glutes and quads. Do a gentle pigeon stretch. Get on the floor and let your hips breathe.
And if you’ve got a massage gun, now’s the time.
Bottom line: Your hips are the silent MVP of your pickleball game. Treat them right, and they’ll keep you quick, powerful, and pain-free well into your third-shot-drop years.
