Improve your game…Pickleball.
It swept the nation quickly, it appears that it is here to stay, and it has its own building in Cedar Rapids. Can you guess what it is? PICKLEBALL! Honestly, when I first heard about it, I thought that it was going to be just a fad, but man- o- man was I wrong. Why am I writing about Pickle ball? Because The Pickle Palace just opened in Cedar Rapids! And, here are some tips to keep you healthy off and on the court.
You are moving on your feet a lot. Side to side, forward, and backwards. It is so important to keep your feet and ankles strong and happy, and in return your knees will be feeling so good. Simple trick: Roll out your feet before and after playing, and throw in some ankle circles before playing so those tiny muscles get a wake up call.
Knees! When you are moving, you aren’t taking the time to make sure that your knees are going over your toes correctly. Simple trick: Squats and lunges to strengthen your legs and all the muscles around your knee. Make sure that those knees are going over your toes.
Your core, spine and back. Pickleball is all about rotation. Your spine needs to be able to rotate, side bend, flex and extend to help you reach all the shots, and it all comes from the the core. Building a strong front and back of the body are critical. It will keep your back happy too. Simple trick: Bird dog. Start on all fours. Extend one leg out straight off the floor and send the opposite arm out long over head. Hold for a few counts and breathe. This will help fire up the front and back of the body to keep your spine safe and entire core strong. (Remember that your core goes way beyond your six pack!)
Finally, shoulders. Duh! Just like baseball, tennis and most ball sports, you need to strengthen your rotator cuff and all the muscles around your shoulders (just like your knees.) Again, this will help keep your back happy and help you get all those overhead shots in all directions. Simple trick: grab some weights, stand or kneel, and bring the arms out to your sides with palms facing up, and bicep curl.
If you find these tips useful, are coming back from an injury or just want to strengthen your game visit us, The Studio on Third, neighbors to the Pickle Palace to find out how Pilates can carry your game to the next level!
P.S. The proper footwear never hurts either. Check out Iowa Running Company for some Pickleball shoes. (You can find them under the cross trainer category)