Being able to drive the ball down the court with speed and accuracy is a huge component to upping your pickleball game. Power forehands are just as instrumental to your ability to win as dinking, but it can be easy to overlook this part of the sport’s strategy, as speed ups at the line can at times feel overwhelming.
Believe it or not, strength training has many benefits to finding success on the pickleball court. Building muscle not only will increase the power behind your shots, but also help improve stamina and resiliency in your body’s movements during a match.
Our resident personal trainer, Brady, has come up with two simple workouts that focus on improving primarily core and upper body strength, which will add a little extra bit of spice to your third shot drives!
Horizontal Cable Wood Chop
The cable wood chop is a classic when it comes to targeting your obliques and abdominal muscles, which are what allow you to turn at the waist. In pickleball, a lot of your shot power is generated by turning your body into a forehand or backhand, so focusing on your core will really help improve your drives.
Wood chops also naturally target your back, shoulders, and legs through the movement of pulling the cable. While you may think that biceps and triceps are the core of your shot strength, don’t underestimate just how involved your back and shoulders are when it comes to the motion of hitting a pickleball. Your legs root you to the ground and are what move you through a shot, so any and all workouts that benefit your legs will also give you more power.
How to Perform a Cable Wood Chop
- Attach a rope grip to the cable machine, and position the cable anchor at about shoulder level.
- Set the machine to your preferred weight so that you are able to get in at least 8 reps per set.
- Position your body perpendicular to the machine so that the cable will move in front of your chest as you pull the cable across.
- Grasp the rope grip and pull the handle forward and across your body in one consistent motion until you’re able to fully extend your arms on the other side of your body.
- Hold this position for a couple of seconds and then slowly perform the movement in reverse to return the cable to its starting position.
- Repeat for a total of 3 sets at 8 reps for each side of your body. We recommend alternating back and forth between each side of your body between each set to ensure balance in your routine.
Rotational Throws
Rotational throws are one of the best workouts for building strength in your core and hip muscles. As we mentioned earlier, rotating through your shots is what gives them that explosive power you see on the pro level.
Using weighted medicine balls in particular for this exercise is doubly beneficial, as it also requires a high level of hand-eye coordination and upper body strength for throwing and catching the ball. Overall, this workout really covers just about every muscle group involved in powerful forehand and backhand swings.
How to Perform Rotational Throws
- Start in a standing position perpendicular to the wall with a medicine ball of an appropriate weight in hand. You’ll want to hit at least 8-10 reps per set, so use a ball that allows you to complete 3 sets of 8. Again, we’re trying to build power and not just muscle mass, so use a ball that allows you to go through the full movement with explosiveness and speed.
- With both feet firmly set and your knees bent in an athletic position, in one continuous motion, throw the ball towards the wall by pivoting your body and moving your arms forward.
- As the ball bounces off the wall, catch it and then in one fluid motion return back to your original athletic position.
- Repeat for a total of 3 sets at 8-10 reps for each side of your body. We recommend alternating back and forth between each side of your body between each set to ensure balance in your routine.
