Stretch & Recover: Post-Play Mobility You’ll Actually Do

Quick, Effective Recovery Work You’ll Look Forward To

Let’s be honest, the odds of you doing a full post-pickleball recovery routine are somewhere between “maybe later” and “I’d rather just have a cold drink.” We get it. So instead of giving you some 45-minute yoga sequence or telling you to buy a foam roller the size of a fire hydrant, we’re keeping it real.

This is about small, smart moves you’ll actually do—and that’ll actually make tomorrow’s games feel a whole lot better.

The Three-Minute Rule:
Forget perfection. After you play, carve out just three minutes before you peel off your court shoes. Hit the basics:

• Calves: Step one foot back, press the heel down. Hold for 20 seconds each side.

• Hips: Step into a lunge, drop your back knee if you want, and gently shift forward. 20 seconds each side.

• Shoulders: Grab your paddle with both hands behind your back, lift slightly, and open up that chest. 20 seconds.

You just bought yourself less soreness for the price of a few deep breaths.

If You’ve Got Five More Minutes:
Add some gentle rotations (standing, feet planted, slow torso turns) and a forward fold (aka “bend over and let gravity do the work”). This keeps your lower back and hamstrings from filing a formal complaint the next morning.

Hydration Counts Too:
Technically not a “stretch,” but your muscles are basically shriveled-up raisins after an hour of dinking and sprinting. Water matters. Bonus points if you throw some electrolytes in there instead of just chugging half a bottle of warm water from your car cupholder.

Recovery You’ll Thank Yourself For:
Look, nobody’s asking you to turn into a wellness influencer. But a little mobility work after you play? That’s the secret sauce to showing up for your next match without feeling like you just fell down a flight of stairs.

Three minutes. Maybe five. That’s it.
You deserve to feel good after you play—not just while you’re winning points.