Pickleball Improvement Plan:

Why Injury Prevention is Your Key to Success

Pickleball has taken Mid-Missouri by storm, becoming the fastest-growing sport in our community and across America.

It's easy to understand why—the game offers an irresistible combination of accessibility, social connection, and athletic challenge that appeals to players of all ages and fitness levels.

The Pickleball Phenomenon:

Fun, Social, and Wildly Popular

The smaller court size makes it less physically demanding than tennis, while the paddle and plastic ball are more forgiving than traditional racquet sports.

This approachability has fueled pickleball's explosive growth, with courts filling up across Columbia and new players joining every day.

The sport creates natural social connections, fosters friendly competition, and provides excellent exercise in a format that feels more like play than work.

The Hidden Challenge:

When Accessibility Leads to Injury

However, pickleball's very accessibility creates a significant risk.

Many new players jump onto the court without proper preparation, unaware of the specific physical demands the sport places on the body.

At Evolved Personal Training, we've observed a concerning trend of pickleball-related injuries among enthusiastic but underprepared players.

The most common injuries we see include:

• Ankle sprains from poor balance or improper footwear
• Achilles strains from sudden movements without warm-up
• Elbow pain from tight gripping and repetitive swinging
• Falls from backpedaling or overreaching for shots

These injuries typically don't result from aggressive play but rather from inadequate preparation and insufficient awareness of proper movement techniques.

Even worse, they often sideline players for weeks or months, derailing their fitness goals and diminishing their enjoyment of the sport.

Coach Doug Schwandt

Bringing Professional Expertise to Pickleball Players

To address this growing concern, Evolved Founder Scott Schutte sought out Coach Doug Schwandt, one of Mid-Missouri's most respected pickleball professionals.

With years of experience teaching and competing in pickleball tournaments, Coach Schwandt brings invaluable expertise to our community.

During his interview with Scott, Coach Schwandt emphasized that most pickleball injuries stem from four key factors:

• No warm-up or mobility work before playing
• Weak glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles that fail to provide necessary stability
• No off-court training to build the specific strength needed for pickleball movements
• Poor awareness of physical limitations leading to overreaching or improper movement patterns

Coach Schwandt stressed that pickleball's deceptive accessibility often leads players to underestimate the importance of proper preparation.

His professional assessment aligns perfectly with our philosophy at Evolved: even recreational activities benefit from expert guidance and appropriate training.

The Evolved Pickleball Preparation System:

Training for Longevity and Performance

Based on Coach Schwandt's professional insights, we've developed a comprehensive approach to pickleball preparation that can be implemented with just two focused training sessions per week. This system focuses on three key areas:

1. Mobility & Warm-Up Drills for Pickleball Players

These movements prepare your body for the specific demands of pickleball and should be regularly implemented in your training to optimize your mobility and help you avoid injury:

• Couch Stretch – Opens hip flexors for improved court movement and reduces strain on the lower back
• Tucked Seiza – Enhances ankle and foot mobility to prevent sprains during quick directional changes
• Rocking Tables – Optimizes shoulder and elbow stability to prevent tennis elbow and improve swing comfort

Click here to see a demonstration of each of these movements.

2. Strength & Stability Exercises for Long-Term Pickleball Success

Incorporate these movements into your weekly training to build the foundation needed for improved performance and injury-free play:

• Front Foot Elevated Split Squats – Builds single-leg balance and strength essential for stable court movement
• Bird Dogs – Develops core control and coordination between upper and lower body
• Marching Suitcase Carries – Improves grip endurance and lateral stability during movement
• Lying Leg Curls – Strengthens hamstrings to prevent one of the most common strain injuries

Click here to see a demonstration of each of these movements.

3. Movement Preparation for Safe Pickleball Play

Practice these movement patterns to develop safer habits on the court:

• Light lateral shuffles – Teaches proper side-to-side movement techniques
• Backward shuffle practice – Develops safe alternatives to risky backpedaling

Coach Schwandt emphasizes several additional safety principles that every pickleball player should follow:

• Know your limitations. Don't chase every shot—especially when you're out of position.
• Turn and shuffle—don't backpedal. Most serious falls happen when moving backward.
• Wear court shoes. Running shoes aren't built for lateral movement and increase ankle injury risk.
• If it's wet, don't play. Rain or court moisture creates dangerous conditions.
• Use eye protection. Especially in doubles, fast volleys can cause eye injuries.

The Evolved Advantage for Pickleball Players

At Evolved Personal Training, we help Columbia's active professionals build smart, safe, and effective habits so you can enjoy pickleball pain-free for years to come.

Our approach ensures that you'll receive the individualized attention and expertise needed to make pickleball a sustainable, enjoyable part of your active lifestyle.

As Columbia's premier personal training facility for 15 years, we specialize in creating personalized programs that fit your unique needs, schedule, and goals.

Our private, exclusive training environment provides the perfect setting to implement these professional recommendations with expert guidance.

Ready to elevate your pickleball game while preventing injuries?

Contact Evolved Personal Training today:

• Click the Request More Information Button above OR
• Call us at (573) 289-2806

Coming soon: Advanced Pickleball Training – Performance Strategies for Competitive Players

Evolved Personal Training has been Columbia MO's premier personal training facility for 15 years, helping people just like you achieve leaner, healthier, happier lives through expert guidance and personalized programming.