The 15-Minute Pickleball Warm-Up Nobody Should Skip

Your first game shouldn't be your warm-up.

You walk onto the court. The group is waiting. You pick up your paddle and play.

Cold.

Coach Brett's advice is simple: warm up at least 15 minutes before you start playing a game.

Fifteen minutes. Not five. Not "I'll loosen up in game one."

Three Habits That Show Up Before the First Point

• Hydrate. Start the session ready, not catching up halfway through.
• Stretch. Get your body moving before you ask it to react.
• Warm up for at least 15 minutes. Hit some balls. Move your feet. Get your hands and eyes working together.

None of it is complicated. All of it gets skipped.

Dress for the Job

One more simple one: wear proper clothing. Dress for success.

You can't move well in clothes that fight you. Pick gear that lets you move, and make it part of the routine.

Why It Matters

A warm-up isn't about looking serious. It's about starting the first point at the same level you'll be playing at the last one.

Without it, game one becomes practice. And your opponents don't give you a free game for that.

A simple 15-minute plan might look like this:

• A few minutes of light movement and stretching
• Some easy dinks and volleys with a partner
• A few serves and returns before you keep score

The Bottom Line

Hydrate. Stretch. Warm up for 15 minutes. Dress to move.

You wouldn't start a drive with the engine off. Don't start a match that way either.

Be ready for point one, not just point ten.

Coach Brett's Pro Tip "Win the first game before you walk onto the court. Warm up."

Next up: Hit, Move, Repeat: The Pickleball Split-Step Habit.