The value of rest for your pickleball game
Last Edited
Jul 14 2025
Category
Instruction
Playing pickleball is arguably one of the most fun things on the planet.
That is evident by the millions of people who do it every day.
But this article is going to go against the grain. We’re going to talk about not playing pickleball rather than actually playing it.
No matter what it is, too much of a good thing is actually bad. Whether it’s ice cream, a drink, or in this case pickleball, it can hurt more than it helps.
We all need a break no matter how much we want to avoid it. It can literally make people better.
Here's how.
The mental game
Everyone has been in one of those pickleball ruts. Those times when nothing is working. Drops, in the net. Drives, 10 feet deep.
You can’t win a game no matter what you do and it is frustrating. The simple answer is you need a reset.
I recently went through one of these stages and it was terrible. I could not figure out what was going on and there was nothing I could do to fix it. Then I went on a trip and didn’t play for a couple of days and when I got back, everything was magically fixed.
I felt more natural on the court, my game felt dialed in and I gained a lot of confidence back. The truth was I had been drained.
I was playing all the time and started to lose focus and was just going through the motions. The hard part is realizing that when you’re in it.
The mental side of pickleball matters. A LOT. It’s also one of the single hardest aspects to master because some days you’re actually just off and others it’s all upstairs.
No matter what the reason, trust this: Taking a break can be huge for your mental game. It’s like hitting the reset button and lets your get back to where you need to be.
The physical game
Our bodies need rest. I know, you’re in your 20’s and full of Reign Storm, but no matter how young (or old) you are, the body needs a break.
You know that feeling after you’ve had a really long play session -- 3, 4, sometimes 5 hours in, and you just don’t have the same juice you did in hours 1 & 2.
That’s called fatigue. You’re body will literally not function as well as it could if you just took a break.
Now that example is just for one session or maybe a long day on the courts, but the same is true when you play multiple days in a row.
You’re body gets worn down, and guess what? You’re game suffers.
There’s no need to take multiple days or weeks off, but work in one day a week or a few days a month where you take a break.
On top of increased performance, you’re a lot less likely to get hurt when your body is well rested.
Summary
Everyone just wants to play more pickleball. Myself included.
That’s great. I want that for you, but do yourself, your friends and your family a favor and take a break every once in a while.
I know, the FOMO is real. I get it.
The courts will be there tomorrow, heck at this rate there might be more than when you left.
Don’t think about taking days off as a bad thing. You’re not missing out or falling behind.
It’s the exact opposite. You’re preparing for your next session in the best way possible.
With rest.
Frank Hines loves the game of pickleball and sharing that passion with as many people as possible. He found the game over two years ago and hasn't let up since. Follow Frank on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
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