You show up to the courts feeling pretty good. You grab your paddle, say hello to your friends, bounce on your toes a few times — and then someone yells “ready?” and you’re off.
Sound familiar?
Here’s the thing. That “quick bounce and go” approach might feel fine in the moment. But it’s one of the biggest contributors to pickleball injury I see in players over 50. And it’s completely preventable.
What if the reason your body feels beat up after you play — the tight hips, the cranky knee, the aching shoulder — has nothing to do with how you play and everything to do with what happened before you ever stepped on the court?
Why Skipping Your Warm-Up Is Costing You More Than You Think
Research shows that our bodies are coldest in the morning. And when are most of you playing? In the morning. You’re essentially asking your muscles and joints to perform at game speed when they’re still in first gear.
I’ve coached athletes for over 30 years — ski racers, golfers, and now pickleball players. The players I work with who stay consistent and injury-free? They warm up. Every single time. It’s not glamorous. But it works.
Here’s the reframe: warming up isn’t about getting “loose.” It’s about raising your body temperature so your muscles and tendons are actually ready to move the way you’re about to ask them to move. When you skip that step, you’re not just risking injury in the moment — you’re slowly accumulating damage that eventually sidelines you for weeks.
And I don’t know about you, but I would rather be playing than watching from the sidelines.
The 10-Move Pickleball Warm-Up Routine (Done in About 5 Minutes)
This is a dynamic warm-up — meaning you’re stretching in motion, not holding static poses. That’s an important distinction. Static stretching on a cold body can actually work against you. Dynamic stretching wakes your body up and gets it ready to play.
Here’s everything you need, from top to bottom.
Move 1: Raise Your Body Temperature First — The Box Drill
Before you stretch anything, you need to get your body temperature up. The easiest option? Walk briskly on your way to the courts.
If you have a little open space, try what I call the box drill. Get in your ready position. Move laterally, split step at the corner. Run forward, split step at the top. Move laterally again, split step. Then “open the door” — turn and run, then move laterally all the way back. Repeat.
It sounds more complicated than it is. Once you do it a few times, your body will find the rhythm.
No space? No problem. Find any line on the court. Step right foot, then left foot, over the line — forward and back. As your body warms up, pick up the pace. Then try switching your lead foot. Want a real challenge? Add a verbal “stop” cue, hit a little split step, reset, and lead with the other foot. In no time, your temperature is up and you’re ready to move into stretching.
Move 2: Neck Stretches
Start at the top. Stand tall, shoulders back, and gently drop one ear toward your shoulder. Just move up and over, slowly. Hold for a moment, switch sides. About 20 to 30 seconds here is plenty.
Move 3: Arm Circles (Shoulder Warm-Up)
Extend one arm, pointer finger out, and start making small circles. Feel your shoulder — and your shoulder blades — beginning to move. As you loosen up, let the circles get bigger. Then switch directions. Switch arms.
You don’t get to a certain age without a few aches in the shoulder area. Stretching should feel slightly uncomfortable at most. If it’s painful, back off.
Move 4: Wrist and Forearm Stretches
Think Diana Ross. 🕺 Hold your hand up, fingers spread — like you’re saying “stop.” Gently pull back on your fingers with your other hand. Feel that stretch along the underside of your forearm? Good. Now make a fist and curl it down in the opposite direction. Back and forth — stop to curl, curl to stop. Your forearm flexors take a real beating during dinking and driving, so give them some love before you play.
Move 5: Swimmer Stretch (Upper Back)
Bring both arms across your body like you’re hugging yourself, then sweep them back behind you, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Then open up your chest as you bring your arms forward again. Pinch the blades, open the chest. This one feels amazing, especially if you’ve been hunched over a computer or a steering wheel before your game.
Move 6: Torso Rotation
Feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Arms hanging naturally at your sides. Start twisting gently side to side, keeping your eyes on a fixed point in front of you (helpful if you have any vertigo). Let the momentum of your arms carry you into a bigger and bigger rotation. Torso rotation tends to decrease as we age — and it’s a major source of power and speed in pickleball. This one is worth doing every single time.
Move 7: Hamstring Stretch (Two Versions)
Version 1: Clasp your hands behind your back, pull your shoulder blades together, and hinge forward from your hips — pushing your butt back and out. Stop when your body is parallel to the ground (no lower). Squeeze your glutes and come back up. Do several reps.
Version 2: Stand with one heel on the ground, toe pointed up. Reach your fingers as high as you can, then slowly bring them down and out in front of you — stretching as far away from your body as possible. Come back up and repeat. This one also challenges your balance, which is essential on the pickleball court. Switch feet.
Move 8: Inner Thigh Stretch
Get your feet wide — wider than you think you need. Shift your weight to one side, sitting back into the hip, keeping your knee behind your toe. Feel the stretch in the inner thigh. Shift to the other side. Don’t let that knee travel out past your toe — that’s the most common mistake I see here. You don’t need a big range of motion for this to be effective.
Move 9: Calf and Achilles Stretch
Calves: Place your hands on a fence or post, walk your feet back, heels on the ground. Pedal your feet back and forth gently. You’ll feel this in your calves immediately.
Achilles: Same fence or post. Take a short stance. The back leg is the one you’re stretching. Bend the knee of the back leg toward the ground while keeping the heel down. Just a gentle flex and release. Tendons lose flexibility faster than muscles as we age — this step is non-negotiable if you want to protect yourself from pickleball injury over the long term.
Move 10: Ankle Circles
Weight in one foot, rise up on the toe of the other. Circle the ankle — one direction, then the other. Start holding the fence if you need balance support. When you’re ready, try it standing free on one foot. This one doubles as a balance drill, and balance is something we actively have to work on after 50.
The Bonus Move: The Body Check
Here’s the one nobody talks about — and it might be the most important of all.
Before you walk on the court, take 30 seconds to check in with your body. What feels tight today? Is it your hamstrings? Your shoulder? Your hip? Give that area an extra round of whatever stretch targets it.
I know that sounds simple. But that extra 30 seconds could be the difference between playing pickleball all summer and sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else play. And I would always rather be playing.
What’s Next for Your Game?
Staying injury-free is just one piece of the puzzle. Inside the free Better Pickleball guide, I walk you through what to focus on next — based on where you actually are in your game. Because confidence comes from clarity, and when you know what you’re working on, that’s where real improvement starts.
[Grab the free guide here] — it’ll show you exactly what your next step is.
And tell me in the comments: do you already warm up before you play? Or is this something you’ve been skipping? I want to know — and if you’re willing to give this routine a try, let me know how it goes. 👇
CJ Johnson
Hey there — I’m a professional three-sport athlete and coach who has spent my entire adult life earning a living from playing and coaching sports. Since I started coaching more than three decades ago, one thing has remained the same: My commitment to see students not as they are but as what they can become and to move heaven and earth to help them realize their untapped potential. You should know that when it comes to helping pickleball players over 50 live their best lives on and off the courts, I'm an expert. Good pickleball is not just technique; it's the mind and body working holistically. That's why I'm also a personal trainer and weight management specialist. When I’m chillin', you'll find me watching Star Trek with my husband John and our two fur babies, Shirley and Ralph. (Yes, Happy Days)