Pickleball pro reveals secrets to proper preparation and recovery
Last Edited
May 06 2025
Category
Instruction
Competing at the highest level demands intense practice, but it's also crucial to understand the importance of off-court habits.
When I was growing up playing tennis, I had really poor recovery habits and that led to me having to sit out for 1 year when I was in middle school and 9 months in high school.
That's an amount of time where you can be forgotten on the PPA Tour, so it's important for pickleball pros to prioritize health and fitness so they can stay on the court.
Read next: 3 simple off-court habits that will improve your pickleball game
In my experience there are three key factors that contribute significantly to athletic longevity. They are:
1: Off-court fitness training
2: Proper recovery after matches
3: Adequate sleep
Off-court fitness training
Given the increasing athleticism and physicality of pickleball over the past year, dedicating time to strength and endurance training in the gym is essential. Any
additional power behind a shot or increased quickness in a first step can make a big difference when it is 10-10 in the third game.
Keys to proper recovery
Effective recovery encompasses both immediate post-match routines and general
maintenance. I've found that stretching after matches is a tremendous help for recovery. Since my muscles are still warm it reduces muscle soreness, promotes faster recovery, and improves flexibility.
I especially noticed soreness starting to go down after I began implementing this. When competing for multiple consecutive days, this becomes even more important.
I also incorporate ice baths into my recovery routine, which provide both mental and physical benefits. Physically, they help reduce inflammation, decrease soreness and speed up recovery by pumping blood back into the extremities. Mentally, enduring the discomfort provides a great boost and a sense of accomplishment.
Adequate sleep boosts performance
Adequate sleep is a cornerstone of athletic performance and recovery. It
repairs muscle tissue, replenishes energy stores and consolidates learning, all of which are crucial for sports.
In pickleball where hand-eye coordination is at such a premium, we can feel this in
firefights as well as the rest of our game. Poor sleep can lead to decreased hand-eye reaction time, impaired focus and decision-making, reduced endurance and increase risk of injury.
When I know I am lacking sleep I will also add a little extra time to my warm up to help combat any risk of injury.
Many pros have started using wearable sleep-tracking devices. After I used one for several months, I was able to feel when my recovery was lacking and be more in tune with that so I could take the proper steps to prevent those issues.
I am big on data, so the more we can learn to optimize our performance the better.
Connor Garnett is a PPA Tour pro and also teaches camps and clinics. Find more instructional content on his YouTube channel.
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