Fitness for Pickleball

 

Now that you are pulling your shoulders back daily, standing taller, breathing better and have improved postural alignment (March fitness blog), let’s continue along the same line. You need to strengthen the muscles that hold your head up and the muscles that keep your shoulders pulled back. Otherwise you might wind up looking like the hunchback of Notre Dame. Try assuming this kind of hunched posture, then swing the Pickleball paddle forehand, backhand and overhead. How powerful do you feel only using your arm instead of your whole body?

Here are a few exercises to improve the strength of your trapezius (mid back) muscles and deep neck muscles to keep your head above your shoulders.

 

First exercise: REVERSE FLY

Hold a face towel in both hands slightly wider than shoulder width while sitting or standing. Place your arms out in front of your body just a bit lower than shoulder height. Pull the towel while breathing out and count to 10. Rest then repeat. Do this exercise 5 times. The action is coming from the mid back muscles not your neck. Avoid letting your wrists or elbows bend.

 

 

 

Second exercise: PECKING

Sitting or standing with a straight back jut your face forward then slowly pull it back, hold for a count of 3 then repeat a total of 10 times. Slightly turn your head to the left, repeat exercise 10 times then turn head to the right and repeat exercise

10 times.

 

 

 

 

Once your shoulders and head are back and in place go quickly to the mirror and introduce yourself to the new you.

 

TIP: I have picked random reps for each exercise. If the exercises are difficult do fewer reps. If the exercises are too easy do more reps. Always inhale relaxed and exhale with abs pulled in.