Best Pickleball Workouts You Can Do at Home (Full 30-Minute Plan)
Why Most Pickleball Exercise Lists Fall Short
When you search for “pickleball workouts” or “pickleball exercises,” most lists recycle squats, lunges, and planks. Helpful, sure—but incomplete. Pickleball isn’t about muscle alone. It’s about endurance, agility, and reaction time—the skills that keep you sharp from the first point to the last.
That’s why the best pickleball workouts don’t just build strength. They train how you move—so you can reach the ball faster, stay balanced under pressure, and recover for the next shot without wearing down.
The pickleball workouts below cover both:
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Strength & stability to keep you powerful and injury-free
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Agility, endurance & reaction time to help you play faster, smarter, and longer
And if you’d rather skip the piecemeal approach? I’ll show you a way to train all of this in one 30-minute workout you can do at home.
Strength & Power Exercises for Pickleball
1. Goblet Squat
Why it helps: Builds leg power for explosive movement out of your ready position and improves stability for low shots.
How to do it:
- Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to squat down.
- Drive through your heels to return to standing.
Reps: 3 sets of 10–12
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core
Modification: Sit to a bench to make it easier; hold heavier weight to make it harder.
2. Split Squat
Why it helps: Improves balance and leg strength for reaching low balls without bending from the waist.
How to do it:
- Stand with one foot forward and the other back, both feet about hip-width apart.
- Bend both knees to lower your back knee toward the ground.
- Push through your front foot to return to standing.
Reps: 3 sets of 8–10 each side
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core stabilizers
Modification: Start without weights for balance; elevate the back foot to increase difficulty.
3. Dumbbell Chest Press
Why it helps: Strengthens chest, shoulders, and triceps for more power and control in volleys and smashes.
How to do it:
- Lie on a bench or the floor with a dumbbell in each hand, elbows bent at 90 degrees.
- Press the weights straight up until your arms are extended.
- Lower them back slowly.
Reps: 3 sets of 10–12
Muscles worked: Chest, shoulders, triceps
Modification: Use one dumbbell at a time to add a core stability challenge.
Agility & Reaction Time Exercises for Pickleball
4. Lateral Shuffle
Why it helps: Improves side-to-side speed and court coverage.
How to do it:
- Start in an athletic stance, knees slightly bent.
- Push off one foot to shuffle laterally to the side.
- Repeat quickly in both directions.
Time: 4 sets of 15–20 seconds
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, calves, hip abductors
Modification: Use resistance bands above the knees for extra challenge.
5. Split-Step Pivot
Why it helps: Builds the quick, balanced reactions needed for sudden changes in ball direction.
How to do it:
- Start in a split-step stance.
- Pivot on one foot while turning your hips toward an imaginary ball.
- Return to center and repeat.
Reps: 3 sets of 8–10 each side
Muscles worked: Quads, calves, core, obliques
Modification: Add light weights in your hands for extra upper-body engagement.
6. Medicine Ball Rotational Throw
Why it helps: Adds rotational power to your forehand and backhand.
How to do it:
- Hold a light medicine ball at hip height.
- Rotate your torso and throw the ball against a wall or to a partner.
- Catch or retrieve the ball and repeat.
Reps: 3 sets of 8–10 each side
Muscles worked: Core, obliques, shoulders, hips
Modification: Perform without a throw, just rotating under control.
Stability & Injury Prevention Exercises for Pickleball
7. Pallof Press
Why it helps: Strengthens core stability, helping you stay balanced during rotation and reach.
How to do it:
- Anchor a resistance band at chest height.
- Stand perpendicular to the anchor and hold the band in both hands at your chest.
- Press your hands straight out in front of you, resisting the pull of the band.
- Return to start.
Reps: 3 sets of 12 each side
Muscles worked: Core, shoulders
Modification: Increase band tension for added challenge.
8. Single-Leg Deadlift
Why it helps: Improves balance and strengthens the hamstrings and glutes for faster recovery between shots.
How to do it:
- Hold a dumbbell in one hand.
- Stand on the opposite leg, keeping a slight bend in the knee.
- Hinge at the hips, lowering the weight toward the ground while extending the free leg behind you.
- Return to standing.
Reps: 3 sets of 8–10 each leg
Muscles worked: Hamstrings, glutes, core, ankle stabilizers
Modification: Hold onto a wall or chair for balance; use two weights for extra challenge.
How to Fit These Pickleball Workouts Into Your Week
- Beginner: 2 sessions/week, full list of exercises, rest between sets.
- Intermediate/Advanced: 3–4 sessions/week, combine with on-court play.
- Warm-Up Tip: Always start with 5–10 minutes of light cardio and dynamic stretches before doing strength or agility work.
Or… Train It All in One 30-Minute Pickleball Workout with HupSix
You could do each of these exercises separately, three times a week. Or—you could train endurance, agility, reaction time, strength, and coordination in a single, music-driven 30-minute session.
That’s exactly what HupSix delivers.
Every workout is led by a master trainer and broken into six progressive rounds:
- Learn the move
- Practice with audio clicks
- Go full-out to original rock music
The gear keeps you moving the whole time:
- Two handles attached to a bungee
- 20 lb steel shot-filled anchor bag
- Ball-bearing swivel for tangle-free motion
- Non-slip mat for stability
- Protective socks for pivots and turns
It’s compact, portable, and Made in the USA.
Doing all 8 exercises: multiple workouts per week, multiple pieces of equipment, and a lot of planning.
HupSix: one compact setup, one guided workout, all the benefits in 30 minutes.
Try It Risk-Free
We’re confident you’ll feel the difference on the court. If it’s not one of the most fun, engaging, and effective workouts you’ve ever done, send it back within 30 days for a full refund. You also have 12 months for a prorated return.
Get the Gear and see how much better your next pickleball game feels.
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