As pickleball players, we often spend a tremendous amount of time focusing on skill development. We study strategy. We analyze patterns. We work on mental toughness and emotional control. All of those areas matter, and they deserve attention. But when it comes to improving your pickleball, we sometimes overlook the most fundamental part of the equation: your body itself.
Recently, I reread Move Your DNA by Katy Bowman, a biomechanist whose work has had a profound impact on how I think about movement, longevity, and physical health. Her ideas resonated deeply with me because they mirror something we often discuss in pickleball instruction: the importance of understanding the underlying framework behind performance instead of simply chasing isolated results.
The more I reflected on her work, the more I realized how relevant these ideas are to pickleball players specifically.
Because the truth is simple: your pickleball exists inside your body.
And if your body is not functioning well, it becomes much harder to enjoy the game the way you want to enjoy it.
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The Human Body Was Designed to Move
One of the foundational ideas in Move Your DNA is that the human body evolved primarily for movement.
At the most basic level, our bodies developed to carry us from point A to point B in search of food, water, shelter, and survival. Movement was not optional for our ancestors. It was built into daily living.
Modern life, however, looks very different.
Today, many of us spend large portions of our day sitting. We sit while working. We sit while driving. We sit while relaxing. Even those of us who are active often spend the majority of the remaining hours relatively motionless.
That creates a mismatch between how our bodies evolved and how we actually live.
And according to Bowman’s work, that mismatch may contribute to many of the physical limitations, discomforts, and chronic issues people experience over time.
As pickleball players, we often notice the effects of this mismatch when our movement begins to feel restricted. Maybe balance becomes more difficult. Maybe the knees ache more than they used to. Maybe recovery takes longer. Maybe certain movements simply feel unavailable.
These issues are not always just about age, sometimes they are about a lack of movement diversity.
Exercise and Movement Are Not the Same Thing
Many people assume that exercise automatically solves the movement problem. But movement and exercise are not necessarily interchangeable.
You can participate in a demanding workout and still fail to expose your body to the variety of movement it needs.
For example, someone can ride a bicycle for many miles and certainly receive cardiovascular benefits from doing so. But the movement patterns involved in biking are relatively repetitive. The joints move through limited ranges. The body remains in similar positions for extended periods of time.
That does not make biking bad. It simply means it is incomplete by itself. Katy Bowman introduces the phrase “nutritious movement,” and I believe that phrase is incredibly useful.
Just as the body needs a variety of nutrients from food, the body also needs a variety of movement inputs in order to function well over time.
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- Walking
- Balancing
- Reaching
- Rotating
- Squatting
- Changing direction
- Moving across uneven terrain
- Using joints through broader ranges of motion.
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All of these different forms of movement contribute to a healthier, more adaptable body. When we reduce movement to only a few repetitive patterns, portions of the system begin to weaken or disengage. And eventually, those limitations show up somewhere.
Why This Matters for Pickleball Players
Pickleball itself is certainly a beneficial movement that’s far healthier than living a completely sedentary lifestyle.
But if pickleball becomes your only meaningful movement, there may still be important gaps.
Think about the repetitive nature of many movements on the court. We accelerate, stop, shuffle, reach, and reset in familiar ways over and over again. Those patterns can become highly specialized.
The body, however, benefits from broader movement experiences outside of sport-specific activity.
One of the simplest and most effective things many of us can do is walk more intentionally.
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- Outdoor walking
- Purposeful walking
- Walking instead of driving when possible
- Walking across different surfaces and environments
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When I attended the PPA event in Atlanta recently, I stayed far enough away from the venue that I had the option to walk there each day. Most days, I chose to do exactly that. The walk took roughly thirty-five minutes, and although it would have been easier to drive or take transportation, I consistently felt better when I walked.
Movement Supports the Brain Too
If movement is one of the primary functions the human body evolved to perform, then it makes sense that the brain is deeply connected to it.
When you walk outdoors, your body and brain coordinate constantly. Your visual systems scan the environment. Your balance systems make subtle adjustments. Your nervous system processes terrain, rhythm, direction, and orientation.
These systems become less engaged when we spend most of our lives indoors and stationary.
For pickleball players, this matters tremendously.
Better movement often supports better awareness. Better awareness supports better balance. Better balance supports better reactions and more efficient movement on the court thus maintaining the integrity of the entire system.
Rediscovering Movement Patterns We Have Lost
Recently, I saw videos of adults learning how to jump again. These were basic jumping mechanics that many people no longer felt comfortable performing.
That caused me to reflect on my own movement as well. Could I jump well? Maybe reasonably well.
But certainly not as naturally or efficiently as I might have years ago.
And that realization matters because many of us assume our limitations are permanent when, in reality, they may simply reflect years of disuse.
Sometimes what we need is not repair, but rediscovery. That may involve relearning how to walk more effectively, it may involve improving balance.
It may involve restoring mobility or coordination patterns that have gradually faded over time. There is no shame in that process.
In fact, there is wisdom in recognizing where growth is still possible.
Be More Intentional About How You Move
Ask yourself simple questions:
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- Could I walk somewhere instead of driving?
- Could I spend less time stationary during the day?
- Could I expose my body to more natural movement patterns?
- Could I work with a qualified physical therapist or movement professional if something feels mechanically off?
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The body functions as an interconnected chain. Problems that appear in the knees or back often begin elsewhere. Sometimes the issue starts with the feet, posture, balance, or walking mechanics.
And if you enjoyed these ideas, be sure to listen to the full episode of Pickleball Therapy—the podcast dedicated to your pickleball mind—and subscribe for future insights designed to help you play and live more intentionally.
Links Mentioned In The Podcast
→ Explore these ideas further on this book- Move Your DNA by Katy Bowman
→ Join us at a Better Pickleball camp or send us an email- [email protected]
→ Find Pickleball Therapy: The Book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Walmart
→ Get answers to your pickleball questions
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Let’s stay grounded, keep learning, and enjoy the journey of becoming better players.
—Tony Roig
Tony Roig
Hola. Hello. Konichiwa. After 40 years playing tennis, I am now a full-time pickleball player and professional. As a 5.0 rated Senior Pro Pickleball Player and an IPTPA-certified Master Teaching Professional, my focus is on helping players like you learn to play their best pickleball. In 2016, shortly after starting to play pickleball, my friend Tom and I jumped into the highest division at the first US Open in Naples, Florida. That morning it became clear just how much there is to learn in this seemingly simple sport – a lifetime of learning if you so choose. Since 2018, I have been on a mission to share my knowledge of pickleball so other players can enjoy the game at a higher level and attain their pickleball objectives. When not studying or playing pickleball, I like to travel with my other half, Jill.