— Importance of Warm Up —
Sport injuries are not uncommon due to the quick, plyometric and repetitive nature of the game. Absence of a proper warm up could contribute to injury, whether it be acute or from overuse.  We can safely say that pickleball is a total body sport and in order to perform all strokes with proficiency, it requires proper timing, sequencing, flexibility and strength throughout the entire kinetic chain (fancy way of saying; the way human body moves).  During a pickleball game, all of the player’s joints from the foot and ankle to the hip, pelvis and trunk and into the shoulder girdle and neck are working together to produce motion, speed and power.  Pickleball involves substantial levels of lateral movement, quick changes in direction, pivoting and rotation.  To prevent injury, the player must demonstrate just the right amount of soft tissue extensibility and elasticity as well as muscle activation prior to playing.
Choose a dynamic warm-up that mimics the exercises you will be doing. For example, if you are about to participate in weight lifting exercises, do the same movements without the weights.
A proper warm up is vital.  First, you should start with a general aerobic warm up to increase their core temperature, generate heat and warm the muscles. This can be done using whole body exercises to increase the heart rate. Now that the athlete feels warm and body temperature has risen, it is time to work the muscles and joints through ranges of motion and movement patterns that progressively loosen the muscles, lubricate the joints and prepare for force production.  The key to an effective warm up is turning on the muscles in the same way they will be used during the game.  This can be performed dynamically, meaning stretching with movement.
An important component of the dynamic warm up is increasing dynamic flexibility and muscle activation without compromising force production that is needed during the game. This means warming up just enough so that you don’t feel fatigued prior to playing. Examples of multi-directional, well controlled and functional movement patterns include posterior or forward lunges with trunk rotation, lateral lunges, inchworms, upright arm circles, cariocas, side shuffles, body weight squats, book openers, leg and arm swings and hip openers. (don’t worry if you don’t know all these fancy made up names for these movements, there are pictures included at the bottom to help you with your warm up 🙂).
Finally, a pickleball-specific warm up should always include all variations of paddle swings as well as specific foot work needed during the game.
The warm up can be completed right on the court and should take about 5 minutes or until you feel you’re adequately warm.  To avoid cooling off the joints and muscles, the warm up should be performed as close as possible to the start of the game.  By the end of the warm up you should feel physically and mentally prepared to play.
— Importance of Cool Down —
Similar to the warm-up, the cool-down, also known as the recovery period, usually consists of exercises at a slower pace and reduced intensity. This allows for your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure to return to normal at a slower pace. The cool-down aids in your body’s recovery after exercise and allows blood to return to your heart from your muscles. This will reduce the chance of your muscles being sore after exercise.
Completing a cool-down is not only beneficial immediately after the completion of exercises but also helps prepare your body for future workouts. By stretching out those muscles and properly cooling down, you will be more prepared to exercise sooner rather than later. If your body does not cool down properly, it will take longer for you to feel up to exercising again. All of the examples of warm-up exercises can also be used as cool-down exercises.
