Is Playing Pickleball Good Exercise? The Ultimate Guide

Adults are advised by government standards to engage in 150 hours of light exercise or 75 minutes of intense activity per week.

By including strength training twice a week, you can meet the recommended daily amounts of physical exercise. Sadly, only 23% of all US adults are successfully completing both of these.

There are many different sports that you can participate in. Pickleball (see also ‘How To Get Better At Pickleball‘) is a sport that has lately begun to acquire popularity.

With 4.8 million players nationwide and a 39.3% growth rate over the past two years, pickleball is now quite popular (see also ‘When Is National Pickleball Day? (The Ultimate Guide)‘). Yet, you may wonder if it is a good form of exercise you should be participating in.

We have created this guide so that you can know whether pickleball is a good form of exercise to try out for yourself (see also ‘Pickleball Vs. Paddle Ball‘). 

Is Pickleball A Good Form Of Exercise?

The typical pickleball player should have little trouble fitting 150 minutes of activity into each week. You are already exceeding the national requirements for cardio, even if you are only playing a match of three 20-minute games twice a week.

Within an hour of gaming, players often log 4,000 to 5,000 steps. Most players will participate in pickleball drills and play multiple matches twice a week. Which can result in a lot of jogging around.

The intensity of your playing style is another thing to take into account. Is it casual with lots of hitting focus, or are you sprinting across the court with all your might? This will affect how many calories you burn and how hard you work your muscles.

Does Pickleball Count As Strength Training?

Pickleball players move around while carrying their own weight. Thus, it is classified as light strength training. Strength training is crucial because it prevents the loss of muscle mass that occurs as we get older.

Alternative strength training must still be incorporated into your exercise regimen. This is to fully benefit from it.

Health Benefits Of Playing Pickleball

Pickleball players move in a variety of ways. You’ll move your arms, legs, wrists, and entire bodies while playing a game. You’ll run across the court, while hitting the ball over the net, and squatting to take serves (see also ‘How To Hit A Slice Serve‘).

As a result, there are a lot of health benefits associated with pickleball. 

Pickleball can promote improved hand-eye coordination on a physical level. In addition to this, pickleball is also said to improve agility, coordination, muscle strength, and function, according to research.

It is also said to have the following benefits:

• Improved sleep,
• Reduces stress,
• Combats fatigue,
• Stabilize high blood pressure,
• Burns calories,
• Reduce chance of depression and improved moods,
• Improved brain function (see also ‘Is Pickleball Good For Your Brain?‘).

Are There Any Risks Associated With Playing Pickleball?

Pickleball is a fairly accessible and safe sport. It can be a wonderful pastime for individuals who are healing from injuries.

There are risks, though, as there are with anything. Accidental falls, strains, sprains, and tendonitis are a few common injuries.

The most frequent sort of fall is when someone trips while trying to reach an overhead ball while backpedaling.

Players can reduce this risk, by turning around and rushing toward the back of the court once someone hits a lob. This can help increase the safety of your match play.

Talk to your physician or physical therapist if you do suffer a pickleball injury. So you can heal properly and return to the courts as quickly as possible.

Can Seniors Play Pickleball?

The fact that pickleball is accessible to players of all ages and skill levels is one of its best features. Pickleball is a game that has inspired a new population to get active.

Exercise is essential for healthy aging, along with a healthy diet and regular doctor visits.

Pickleball is a fantastic activity for seniors (see also ‘Can You Play Pickleball At 75 Years Old?‘) because it requires less running than other sports like tennis due to the smaller court. This then lowers the stress on knees and hip joints, for example.

The ball is also soft and light, so even if it is struck really hard, it is less likely to hurt someone.

Also, the pickleball paddle is a low-intensity object that is comfortable on the arm because it has no strings. It is even served underhand.

Former tennis players in particular have taken up pickleball since it still requires a certain amount of strategy. While putting less strain on their muscles, joints, and tendons.

Consistency is the most crucial component of any training program. As pickleball is so easy and doesn’t add a lot of strain on your body, this is why more people are taking it up. 

Which Muscles Are You Using While Playing Pickleball?

Stretching is important before playing pickleball since it involves a variety of different muscles (see also ‘Can Pickleball Help With Building Muscle?‘). These are used the most muscles during a match, according to USAPA.

• Arms,
• Achilles tendon,
• Ankles,
• Groin,
• Lower back,
• Quads,
• Shoulders,
• Calf muscles,
• Hamstrings.

How Many Calories Will You Burn Playing Pickleball?

Pickleball functions as a type of interval training, combining brief bursts of activity with rest periods before resuming play.

Regular running can burn 11 calories each minute. Yet you may be curious about whether you can substitute pickleball for your daily run.

Almost! On average, pickleball burns 8 calories each minute. Pickleball is said to burn around 600 calories in an hour. 

You will play for roughly 50 minutes if you use the USAPA’s general tournament format recommendation. Including playing matches at the best 2 of 3 games to 11 points.

Pickleball sets last an hour each. With two sets, lasting two hours. That translates to burning around 1200 calories a day while having fun.

Could You Lose Weight By Playing Pickleball?

Any weight loss regimen must include exercise in addition to a healthy diet. You can maintain your fitness objectives if you are aware of the number of calories you burn when playing pickleball.

You can lose 1 lb of weight for each and every, 3500 calories that you burn. By doing this, a healthy weight reduction pace will occur at 1-2 lbs per week.

You can achieve this target by burning 500–1000 calories per day. Players who are heavier typically burn more calories compared to those who are lighter.

As a result, you can lose weight by scheduling a few games of pickleball, along with other exercises and a calorie-restricted diet.

Conclusion 

Pickleball is a fun and adaptable cardiovascular activity for people of all fitness levels. Playing is good for your joints and will boost your steps, heart rate, and calorie burn.

Additionally, the game’s addicting qualities and enjoyable social environment will encourage users to stay active often. It absolutely outshines getting on the treadmill or going for a run in terms of the fun factor.

It is a great form of exercise to include into your weekly exercise regime alongside some extra strength training.

We hope you have found this article useful. This guide has shown you that pickleball is a good exercise and the benefits that come from playing a couple of games a week.

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