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Dr . Ernie Medina says pickleball is like the “ Holy Grail ” of physical activity . It ’ s an inexpensive , outdoor sport that raises a person ’ s heart rate , isn ’ t too demanding on the body and requires players of all ages to use their brains to concentrate during a match .
Medina is well-versed on the health benefits of pickleball . He ’ s an assistant professor in the School of Public Health at Loma Linda University in California and has a background in preventive care and lifestyle medicine . He ’ s also an avid pickleball player , a USA Pickleball ambassador and a USA Pickleball board member at-large . He often plays matches with his 85-year-old mother .
Medina offered several helpful tips for staying injury-free , from wearing the proper shoes to keeping hydrated on and off the court .
Warm Up with Dynamic
Stretching
Medina said one tip he recommends for all players regardless of age is to properly warm up before a match by doing dynamic stretching instead of the typical static stretching many people are accustomed to . Static stretching involves holding a position for a short period of time , such as touching your toes . Dynamic stretching , on the other hand , involves doing active movements to stretch muscles and other body parts . For example , Medina said players could march with high knees and do arm circles to get in some dynamic stretching before they take the court . “ I focus on the shoulder , core , legs — pretty much the whole body — but primarily the main parts that you ’ re going to use a lot in pickleball ,” he advised . “ And then of course , if you can do stretching afterward , that ’ s important as well . I would say dynamic warm-ups would be a very important thing .”
Stay Hydrated and in Shape
Drinking enough water is important , but it goes beyond just sipping water during a match . According to Medina , players should stay hydrated even when they ’ re not on the court : “ Hydration overall , as a lifestyle choice , is a good thing .”
In addition to staying hydrated , Medina stresses to his students the importance of doing conditioning exercises off the court , even if that ’ s simply a light calisthenic workout . His mother does a workout routine at her local gym that includes using exercise machines to do leg presses and strengthen her arms and shoulders .
“ To maintain my ability to play and be injury-free , one of the biggest things is training off the court ,” Medina said . “ We ’ re not talking about bodybuilding , but just doing two or three days a week of good overall body strength training .”
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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2023 | MAGAZINE 59