If you are active on any social media platform, by now, you must have seen a new racket sport taking the world of the internet by storm. With new trends rolling out every week, pickleball tends to stand out and for good reason. With elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis rolled into one, pickleball not only promises a good time at the court but also a hit workout. 

So, if you’re looking for a new sport to try that also comes with countless cardio benefits, then pickleball should be your pick. But how to incorporate this fairly new game into your regular workout routine? Fret not, we’ve got , to tell you how to reimagine your cardio session with a new and exciting pickleball sensation.

Pickleball is an effective form of cardiovascular activity. It is a new fitness trend and an excellent choice of sport in the era of getting bored quickly. With pickleball at the rescue, people are experimenting, enjoying and trying this new sport. 

According to Kaur, “Traditionally, people hate doing cardio, as it ends up making them feel exhausted. So introducing them to something new that’s not very intense, like pickleball, which can be played among their social circle and and you don't need special training to play it.”

“As a fitness coach, I think anything that makes people move, pain-free, and makes them enjoy doing it rather than taking it as a punishment (which I know a lot of people feel like), is a great cardio option. Whereas high-intensity training routines can’t be done by many people. On the other hand, pickleball can be played by anyone, providing a good source of movement each day. So the fact that it’s joint-friendly, not very intense and needs no prior professional training to learn makes it a good and effective choice as a cardio,” added Kaur.

Pickleball makes you move more, and as the game intensifies, it gets to the point where your heart beats get higher, creating good cardiovascular activity. Pickleball is known to increase oxygen flow in your bloodstream, improving circulation. Moreover, it also helps your heart get pumped, making your heart healthy. 

Kaur explained how pickleball works towards enhancing endurance and said, “Any movement which you do consistently over time will end up giving you more stamina and endurance. I have clients who have noticed the changes in their endurance and stamina within the first 10-12 days of playing pickleball regularly. Now they enjoy 30 minutes in the court, as earlier even climbing to the 2nd floor used to make them breathless.” 

So, if you are planning to start playing pickleball, don't wait for the next weekend, start it today, and you are going to love it, as it will end up releasing happy hormones in the body. 

Coach Simran tells how pickleball is an overall workout in itself, focusing on toning the body and engaging in full-body movement. 

“While playing pickleball, you need your legs working, your quads, hamstrings, glutes, every muscle is involved, then of course, your core for that stability and arms and shoulders for all those smashes! And interestingly, it's not just physical muscles that get involved. It helps in improving our mind-muscle connection, too. People end up with better coordination, better focus and better reflexes. It helps make people more agile, resulting in stronger bones.”

“Absolutely, that’s the beauty of this game. There is no eligibility criterion. It’s open and safe for people who are dealing with joint pain or are older but want to do something that keeps their body active and is not boring,” explained coach Kaur.

Pickleball courts are not very spacious which helps with less aggressive jumps and running, making it safe for all age groups. The paddle(racket) is light in weight, easy to carry and play with without putting extra pressure on your arms, shoulders, elbows and wrist. 

Pickleball, like any other sport, is good for health, but it needs to be played with a gradual increase to avoid sore muscles or sudden injuries. Coach Kaur advises, “To start with, you don't have to be very rigid with the routine, start with two sessions a week.” 

Pickleball is a great new source of cardiovascular activity. However, to keep your strength training at bay is not an option. “Strength training sessions are a must, no matter which form of cardio you do,” advised Kaur. 

With Pickleball, as you keep playing, you gradually increase your stamina and endurance and then based on your routine and time, you can increase your pickleball sessions in a week. But start slow, and focus on a gradual increase in the intensity! And as a coach, I would say, take your warmups and cool down before and after the game very seriously, they will help you play in the safe zone. Do things that you enjoy, because it’s the only way to stay consistent and get sustainable results!