Why Is Pickleball so Popular and How Can You Start Playing
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You may have recently heard of your friends, children, parents, or colleagues beginning to play a game called pickleball. And though pickleball has been around for a long time (since 1965), it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that it really started getting a lot of attention. We chatted with pickleball experts to learn more about the game, what is pickleball, how you play pickleball, and how it can be a healthy addition to your active life.
What is pickleball?
Many speculate the growth in popularity of pickleball is because it’s a sport that is easy to learn (it takes just about 15 minutes), is fun for anyone of all ages, and it’s a social sport that can be safely played outdoors at a distance (which was a great fit for the early pandemic).
Pickleball is a combination of tennis, ping pong, and badminton, explains Erin McHugh, author of Pickleball Is Life. It’s easiest for former tennis players or ping-pong enthusiasts to pick up on the game, but really anyone at any age level or athletic ability can enjoy it, she notes.
The court is a quarter the size of a tennis quart, uses a lighter Wiffle ball, and has a small paddle that is larger than a ping-pong paddle but smaller than a tennis racket. The game can be played in doubles or singles explains Rachel Simon, author of Pickleball for All.
How to play pickleball
Pickleball is played on a 44x20-foot quart (the size of a badminton court) that’s divided by a net. There's a small, non-volley area in the center (about 7 feet in each direction from the net) called “the kitchen.” Each player or team stands on opposite ends of the court and uses a paddle to hit the ball back and forth.
To begin, one team will be chosen to serve and the player standing on the right-hand side of the court will serve underhand across the court. The ball must bounce on the other side of the net within the service box, beyond the kitchen line.
Once it bounces, the opposite team can then return the ball by hitting it back. The ball must bounce on the return, but it can only bounce once per side. Then, players will return the ball back and forth either in the air or after a single bounce without stepping into the designated “kitchen” area.
If there is a double bounce, someone hits the pickleball out of the lined court, the pickleball hits someone, the pickleball hits the net, or another fault, the round stops. The team that did not play the fault receives one point. Teams are required to loudly call “out” if a ball is out. Any shot that hits inside the court or on the lines of the court is considered in.
The score is announced before every service and includes the serving team’s score, the opposing team's scores, and a “1” for the first serve or “2” for the second serve of the team in doubles. For example, if the score is 3 to 0 and it’s the team’s first serve, they’ll call out “3-0-1.”
When it comes to scoring, only the serving team can score a point. If you win a round as the serving team, you then switch sides of the court and the same server will serve in the opposite direction. This continues until you lose. If you don’t win the round, the serve moves to the next player on the serving team. Once the team loses a round, the next service will go to the other team, beginning with the player on the right side of the court.
Note that for the very first round of a doubles game, only one player from the starting team will serve to avoid any advantages.
Typically play continues until one team hits 11 points and has won by 2 points. Some tournaments can go to 15 or 21 points, though.
What are the health benefits of pickleball?
McHugh began playing pickleball when she was 64 years old. In an effort to drop pounds, she made lifestyle changes through a WW program and lost 30 pounds in 16 weeks. But even though she was “thin,” she wanted to truly feel like she was in shape and healthy. She picked up pickleball and has never looked back. Since beginning, she says she is happier, breaths better, is toned, and has improved her core strength.
“I just turned 70, and I’ve never been in better shape in my life,” she said.
Like many other forms of exercise, pickleball is a great way to get your body moving and your heart pumping. But this sport in particular is easier on your body, especially your joints, to play than sports like tennis or racketball, says Derek Ochiai, M.D., a board-certified arthroscopic hip surgeon and sports medicine doctor. Because of this, there’s less of a chance of injuring yourself and even people who have mild arthritis can benefit from the game.
Pickleball is also associated with improved muscle strength and heart health, says Rami Hashish, Ph.D., D.P.T., body performance and injury expert. Pickleball is especially great for people who don’t tolerate HIIT workouts well, but still want a good cardiovascular workout, Dr. Ochiai notes
Plus, it can also help reduce blood pressure and the risk of depression and improve hand-eye coordination, brain functioning, and balance, especially in older adults, Hashish adds. These can help lower the risk of falls and even encourage more independence. The sport can also help improve agility and offer a comfortable exercise outlet for those who may be intimidated by a traditional gym workout, adds Andy Hanley, C.P.T., C.E.S., C.S.C.S., a NASM master instructor.
There isn’t too much research currently available about the health benefits of pickleball long-term. One recent survey of over 3,000 pickleball players in the U.S. found the sport may be effective in helping seniors manage their weight. One study even found pickleball can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and can lower the risk for cardiovascular disease. Hanley points out another small study found middle-aged and older adults who played pickleball three times per week saw improvements in their cardiovascular health, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, lower-body power, and lower-body strength.
And beyond physical health benefits, Simon adds it’s a very social sport that may help with mental health, depression, and grieving.
Are there any concerns with playing pickleball?
There’s very little risk to playing pickleball because you can have different level competitors and decide on the caliber you’d like to play the game, Hanley says. The biggest concern with pickleball like many sports is the risk of injury. Especially with an older crowd, Hashish says there is always the risk of slips, trips, falls, or dives. To avoid this, he suggests wearing proper footwear, staying within your physical limits, and listening to your body.
“Do not push past your limit and put yourself in harm’s way,” he says. “The goal is to play pickleball for a long time and you can't do that if you’re injured.”
Hanley adds that a proper warm-up to prepare your body can be really beneficial in avoiding injuries, lubricating the joints, and increasing the core temperature. He encourages trying some basic stretches and adding some balance training into your routine.
Additionally, Dr. Ochiai encourages knowing where you’re at. If you’re starting from a relatively sedentary place, he suggests starting slowly and as you gain fitness and strength you can do a bit more. Of course, if you have any medical conditions, you may want to chat with your doctor before hitting the court, Hanley suggests.
Where to play pickleball
With its growing popularity, many courts are being built in local community centers or health clubs and tennis courts are being sectioned off to play pickleball as well, McHugh says. She recommends finding a community center or other place that has tennis courts and seeing if they have accommodations for pickleball. There often aren’t any court fees to jump in and play.
What do you need to play pickleball?
As mentioned before, proper footwear is key to staying safe and having a successful game of pickleball. Hanley recommends choosing a shoe that gives support and necessary friction to avoid slips. Additionally, you may want to use some support and strapping on knees and joints for added protection in the beginning.
You’ll also need a good paddle to play, which McHugh says can run as low as $40 to $50. She often shops online or in sporting goods stores, but suggests opting for a graphite paddle that feels comfortable in your hand and has a good grip.
McHugh uses the Electrum paddle “for great pop, power, and control” but says Onix Z5 is very popular and Selkirk has a variety of paddles And for a budget pick, she likes Head paddles for a cheaper option.
Lastly, if you don’t have a local court to play on, Simon says you’ll need to find Wiffle balls and a net that works for you. You can find this equipment at many sporting goods stores, online, or at boutique pickleball stores, but she recommends setting up a badminton net if you have trouble finding one designated for pickleball.
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