Pickle Ball is a FUN Way to Exercise!

Pickleball Paddle

Pickle ball is FUN!

 

Here I am, reporting to you live (and relatively unscathed; less sore by far than I thought I’d be!) after two days’ (and four hours’ total) experience as a new pickle ball player.

 

Because I took tennis lessons, my learning curve for pickle ball wasn’t a big challenge.

 

But being 67 and relatively sedentary most of the time for the past several years, I figured  that inflexibility,  stamina and soreness would be my chief challenges.

 

I was surprised and pleased to discover that I’m not in as bad shape physically as I thought I was, or as I  appear to be.

 

My stamina isn’t an issue at all  and my flexibility isn’t an overwhelming issue. since I don’t ever expect to get so competitive while playing that I’ll be swooping and diving like a hawk for nearly-impossible pickle balls that fall outside my orbit. (Some folks do this: I would if I were younger, but I’m not!)

 

I’m there to exercise and have fun, not to end up in the hospital with a broken bone!

 

I played for an hour during my first outing, and for three hours yesterday.

 

I quit after an hour the first time because I could really feel how hard my lower back had worked out, and I didn’t want to over-do and end up miserable.  (Taking one ibuprofen and soaking in a hot tub for 20 minutes took care of it.)

 

During the second outing, I played for all but about 30 minutes of the three hours I was there. Enough people showed up later that we had to take turns on the courts, but there were three open courts, so I only had to wait twice, for 10-15 minutes each time, before I got into a new game.

 

A spot on a court opened where I would be playing with three very-accomplished men, so I tried to decline, telling them that this was only my second time playing and I didn’t want to slow them down, but they very kindly insisted that I join them.

 

They quickly surmised that I was at least “intermediate” as far as skill level (thank you, tennis!), and “Mad Dog” gave me some valuable insights and pointers, which I used to good effect right away. Themen were all very complimentary and assured me I’d be a real contender in no time.

 

Pickle ball is very active in the same way tennis is. The paddle/racket is smaller–a little bigger than a ping pong paddle–so remembering that took some getting used to; there’s less room for error.

 

Scoring isn’t intuitive. There are eleven points to a game as long as there are two points between the winning and losing teams. I’m still trying to figure out scoring, so I won’t try to explain it here…

 

Although I sweated, I never over-heated. And although I ran all over the court, I never ran so much at any one one time that I felt winded.

 

I twisted, bent, knelt, reached, and swung (served and returned the pickle ball) a lot so the “exercise factor” is a very real thing with pickle ball!

 

Pickle ball is probably one of the most complete forms of exercise there is, but your core muscles get most of the workout, I think,  which is fabulous for older folks, because a strong core help us avoid falling, tripping and other hazards.

 

Pickle ball is good aerobically, too; it gets your heart rate up and elevates your breathing a little.  But it isn’t what I’d call overly strenuous.  It gives your tendons, knees and skeletal structure a sincere workout but it never felt to me as if I was overdoing it or risking injuries or pulled muscles.

 

I’ve already paid $100 to the Parks & Recreation Department to gain access to the court. It costs another dollar per week to help pay for pickle balls, but that’s no dealer breaker for me…

 

I’m enjoying it every bit as much as I enjoyed tennis, and it can be played indoors or out, so it’s perfect for life in the Pacific Northwest.

 

It’ll be replacing bike riding in the winter, for sure, and I can intersperse it with bike riding spring, summer and fall.

 

If you haven’t tried it, I highly encourage you to do so!

 

Guess I’d better hit the hay again. I’ve written two blog posts in the last two hours (the other one is at HireMe.WordWhisperer.net), and I’m beginning to fade now. This “burning the midnight oil” ain’t all it’s cracked up to be!

 

 

 

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Kris Smith

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