The 5-Minute Warm-Up That Can Add an Hour to Your Game
Quick drills that keep you playing longer and stronger
Rant alert! Today our courts were quite busy and whenever someone new showed up, they patiently waited their turn. Chit chatting, watching, etc, and when they went on the court, they spent 5 valuable minutes dinking, hitting drives and warming up. Here’s what gets in my craw…they could have been warming up while they waited. 5 dinks, 5 drives and they’d be good to go…more court time for all. OK, rant over, to turn this into something productive, here’s an easy 5 minute warm up.
This will prime your body, protect your joints, and keep you playing strong long after everyone else is fading. Here’s the smart sequence to try before your next match:
1. Hip Circles (60 seconds)
Think of this as oiling the gears. Stand tall, plant your feet, and make slow, controlled circles with your hips. This loosens the joints that drive almost every move in pickleball, from lunging for a dink to rotating through a serve.
2. Side-to-Side Line Hops (60 seconds)
Find a court line and hop lightly over it, side to side. Stay quick on your toes, keep your knees soft, and let your ankles wake up. This builds spring and agility—exactly what you need for those fast kitchen exchanges.
3. Butt Kicks (45 seconds)
Jog in place, flicking your heels up toward your glutes. It looks simple, but it’s magic for activating your hamstrings and improving stride mechanics. You’ll feel your legs loosen and your circulation kick up a notch.
4. Shuttle Runs (60 seconds)
Set two markers about 15–20 feet apart and sprint back and forth at about 70% effort. This mimics the stop-and-go rhythm of real play, gets your heart rate up, and sharpens your change-of-direction skills.
5. Jumping Jacks (45 seconds)
Finish with a classic. Jumping jacks open your shoulders, fire your core, and drive your whole body into game-ready mode. End on this and you’ll walk onto the court already moving at full speed.
That’s it. Five minutes, five moves, zero excuses. Do this warm-up and you’ll notice it right away—better mobility, quicker reactions, and stamina that outlasts the players who skipped it. It’s like giving yourself an extra hour of game time, without even touching the scoreboard.
