BENEFITS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING FOR ADULT PICKLEBALL PLAYERS
BACKGROUND
Pickleball is now the fastest growing sport in the US. While it initially focused mainly on older adults, a recent survey from the Association of Pickleball Players reports that the average age of players is now 34.8 years with over 70% of players between 18 and 44 years. The sport has also become far more competitive with local, state and national tournaments occurring regularly across the country (USA Pickleball).
This expansion has been accompanied by rising Pickleball-related injuries even for adult players.
For example, a recent NIH survey has reported injuries being "common" among adult Pickleball players, with 89% experiencing at least one all-complaint injury annually, including two in five sustaining injuries that limit play and one in three continuing to play despite pain.
Increasingly, resistance training to increase strength and power, is the recommended approach for reducing injury and fall risk for Pickleball players.
BRIEF HISTORY OF RESISTANCE TRAINING FOR ADULTS
The importance of strength for adults has been recognized for centuries. As early as 3600BC Chinese emperors actually required all adult subjects to exercise daily.
However, as recently as the 1930s fears based on misinformation/myths about the dangers of strength training came to the fore. This dissuaded some individuals from lifting weights and also discouraged scientists from researching this field..
Since that time however, thousands of strength training studies have been published over dozens of research areas (Kraemer et al., 2017) with tens of thousands of participants and a wide variety of training modes - including the kind of resistance bands provided by MPR Pickleball.
The vast majority of those studies found (and new studies continue to find) that an appropriately designed strength training program is safe and beneficial for healthy adults.
Building on this research, since the 1970s the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) have issued and regularly updated a series of "Guidelines" and "Position Stands" on resistance training for adults, further establishing this mode of exercise as safe and beneficial to health and wellness.
Additionally the ACSM recently published a highly relevant paper entitled "The Coming of Age of Resistance Exercise as a Primary Form of Exercise for Health", its basic message was that the importance of Resistance training had been underestimated until recently.
In addition to its now well documented effects on strength, muscle mass and functional fitness, resistance training is also associated with beneficial effects on lifestyle, daily activities including balance and fall risk. This mode of training is increasingly recognized as a form of exercise that may be a necessity for healthy living.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PICKLEBALL
Pickleball involves a lot of stopping, starting, lunging, and quick changes of direction.
Research has shown that the capacity to perform these movements safely and effectively will reduce the risk of falls and fall related injuries - and very much relies on adequate levels of strength and power, particularly for the hips and lower body.
This is something that - as reported by the ACSM and NSCA, above - can best be achieved with a well-designed resistance training program.
As well as strength/power increases, resistance training has also been shown to produce other sports related benefits highly related to Pickleball requirements. These include improvement in motor skills, reduced injury risk, and more effective injury rehabilitation. Additionally, a comprehensive review on Resistance Training for Health and Performance reported improvements in a range of other sports performance factors, also directly relevant to Pickleball. These included vertical jump, speed, balance, coordination, and throwing velocity.
Guided by the research summarized above, resistance training is a major component of MPR Pickleball's comprehensive 3Ps approach to support safe movement and fall prevention in Pickleball.
PREPARATION - PREVENTION – PERCEPTION
Our 3Ps approach is designed to work in tandem with coaches, trainers, and existing programming.
SUMMARY OF 3PS
PREPARATION
Sessions include a focus on strength, balance, physical activity, sleep hygiene, hydration, and lifestyle wellness behavior.
PREVENTION
Sessions include a focus on technique and game related issues. [Typically in coordination with coach or trainer].
PERCEPTION
Sessions include a focus on body awareness behaviors and adequate rest.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
- Pickleball-related falls and fall-related injuries are increasing for adult players.
- Research has found that resistance training is safe for adults and can improve game performance.
- On court safety and performance will benefit from a comprehensive approach built around Preparation, Prevention, and Perception.
- Strength and balance training are the foundations of this approach.
- MPR Pickleball works in tandem with coaches, trainers and/or existing programming.
READY TO BUILD SAFER ATHLETES?
Pilot partnerships for Spring 2026 are now open. Limited to 10 organizations. Apply by February 15 to secure your spot.
Join the high schools, universities, and facilities already using MPR Pickleball to reduce injuries, improve performance, and create a culture of long-term athlete wellness.