Most movements made on the pickleball court are done laterally, making it important to build a strong base to support this type of motion.
In this Selkirk Pickleball TV episode, Certified Teaching Pro and NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist Dustin Davis shares key exercises to support lateral movement.
Why Lateral Movement Matters in Pickleball
Lateral movement—or the ability to move quickly and efficiently side to side—is key in pickleball. This ‘frontal plane’ movement is crucial when you’re up at the kitchen line, volleying back and forth with your opponent. Derrickson stresses that the secret to powerful lateral movement is the strength and stability of one-legged stances, which are foundational for quick, controlled movements.
Exercise 1: Lateral lunges
Begin in a standing position with your feet about hip-width apart. Lunge laterally to the right, stacking your knee over your toe.
Focus on getting as low to the ground as comfortably as possible. Push your hips back behind you and keep your chest up. Do not round your chest toward the ground.
Squeeze your quad as you hold the position for five seconds. Then push through your heel and squeeze your glute to bring yourself back to standing.
Then, complete five lateral lunges in a row. On the fifth lunge, hold at the bottom for four seconds. Repeat this pattern down to a one-second hold before switching to the left leg.
This exercise will build your quads and glutes to help with the lateral lunges you’ll need to make while dinking at the kitchen line.
Exercise 2: Oblique twists
Grab a yoga ball and position yourself so that your back is on the ball, with your legs and glutes supporting you.
Place your palms together and stretch your arms over your chest. Squeeze your core as you push your arms diagonally to the right. Slowly rotate to point diagonally to the left.
Aim to complete 10 repetitions on each side. This exercise will strengthen and lean out your core to help protect your back.
Exercise 3: Bicep drags
Grab a light set of dumbbells and stand with your feet firmly planted on the ground. With your palms facing upward slowly drag the dumbbells up toward your shoulder.
Keep your elbows firm to your body as you squeeze your biceps to raise the dumbbells. Hold at the top for five seconds before completing five repetitions. On the fifth repetition, hold for four seconds. Continue this pattern until you reach a one-second hold.
This exercise will strengthen your arms so you can keep your paddle out in front of your body with ease.
Exercise 4: Resistance shoulder raise
Grab a light resistance band and place it under your left foot so that the side in your right hand is slightly longer than the side in the left.
Squeeze your shoulder to slowly raise your right arm out to your side. Raise your hand to shoulder height, being careful to keep your shoulders neutral and away from your ear.
If you feel any tension in your neck, make an adjustment. Either loosen the tension in your resistance band or ensure your motion is moving outward to the side and not upward toward the sky.
Complete 10 repetitions on the right side before moving to the left side. This exercise will strengthen your shoulders for powerful overhead shots and volleys.
Exercise Progression for Lateral Movement
To help pickleball players enhance their kitchen line performance, Performance Coach Connor Derrickson presents a progression of exercises focusing on lateral movement and balance.
1. Lateral Heightens with a Stick
The first exercise is the lateral heighten with a stick. The move involves standing on one leg, hopping laterally to land on the other leg, and holding the position to ‘stick’ the landing. This exercise is about control—jumping from side to side while maintaining balance. It’s crucial to absorb the force of the jump with your hips, not your knees, to prevent injury and engage the right muscles.
2. Continuous Lateral Heightens
Once you’ve mastered the stick, it’s time to move on to continuous lateral heightens. This next step cuts down on the time you spend on the ground and involves moving back and forth more rapidly, simulating the quick changes of direction needed during a game. This exercise works on both absorbing force and redirecting it, just as you would when reacting to a ball in a game.
3. Medicine Ball Lateral Heightens
The third progression introduces a medicine ball to add load to the exercise. Starting with the ball on one hip, you jump laterally, shifting the ball to the other side of your body as you land. This progression not only increases the difficulty but also incorporates the upper body, simulating the motion of swinging a paddle while maintaining balance and force absorption through the glutes.
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