Even better: Most people who play simply talk about the fun they have while doing it. This may be helpful for those who tend to train on their own instead of in cycling groups. She adds that the pace of the game also provides advantages for cardiorespiratory health, stamina, and even mental outlook because it’s such a social activity. “Stabilizer muscles used in lateral movement on the pickleball court can also improve coordination, and strengthen muscles that support important joint structures.” “For cyclists and runners, adds lateral movement, which is an important part of a well-rounded workout routine because it helps develop strength, agility, and balance," Melin says. What are the benefits of pickleball for cyclists? Use These 6 Low-Impact Exercises to Cross-Train.That doesn’t mean pickleball is lacking in benefits, though, especially for those using it as a cross-training activity, Melin tells Bicycling. Typically played as doubles (though you can play as a single), the activity is hugely popular among older adults in particular because it’s highly social and less physically demanding than tennis, to the point where it’s considered low-impact, according to Jennie Melin, C.P.T., a certified pickleball coach at Life Time, a fitness center which now has nearly 300 pickleball courts, with plans to expand to more 600 by the end of next year. You continue that back-and-forth volley until someone gets to 11 or 15 points and wins by at least two points. The rules and scoring are similar to tennis: Only the team or person that serves can score points and they keep serving until a fault, in which the serve goes to the other team or person. It’s also a game that welcomes anyone, requiring less skill than some other racket sports. The court is much smaller, which means minimal running, and the ball is lighter, requiring less strength to hit over the net. Unlike tennis, with its need for sprinting, power, and endurance, pickleball is more like a blend of badminton and Ping-Pong.
CROSS EASY WRITER REVIEW HOW TO
Here’s how to make it your go-to form of cross-training.
CROSS EASY WRITER REVIEW FULL
If you’re interested in picking up pickleball and getting in on the good times, we have your full guide to using it in support of your cycling. The fun part might be why pickleball is booming in popularity and one of America’s fastest-growing sports. “Another option is a sport where you’re moving in different ways, including pivoting and stretching, and pickleball is a great example of that. “The way to balance a sport like cycling is to choose something with impact, like running, because it provides a specific type of stress on the bones that you don’t get while riding," Moseley tells Bicycling. And the best cross-training activities are those that differ from the movements you make spinning your wheels as much as possible, says Bruce Moseley, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Baylor College of Medicine. That’s why cross-training is so important to offset the repetition of riding. Every high-demand sport, including cycling, runs the risk of overtraining the same muscles, tendons, and joints that you use over and over.