If you are wondering how many calories burned playing pickleball, you are not alone! As the paddle-based sport continues to grow rapidly, many folks are left wondering if they are sacrificing a workout for a good time.
With so many factors dictating calorie burn, it’s impossible to answer the query in a specific way. However, there are a few generalizations regarding pickleball and calorie burn.
Welcome to our weekly wrap-up of pickleball happenings around the globe.
Pickleball Gets Preppy
As the sport of pickleball continues its mainstream ascent, more retailers are jumping into the game. This past week J. Crew got in on the action by launching a collab with Recess, a pickleball paddle, and an accessory brand. At the time of this writing, many of the stylish paddles are sold out. Coming soon: Pickleball balls by Vineyard Vines? An indoor pickleball court while you wait at the DMV? (Hmmmm…I actually like the idea of the latter!)
Up Next: Selkirk Labs 003
Labeled as “the Ultimate Paddle for Power, Control, and Spin,” Selkirik is positioning its Labs 003 project as the dream paddle. Has the leading paddle manufacturer created a unicorn paddle? Only time will tell, but with the thickest core available (20mm) and promising more power/control than any previous Selkirk paddle, we’re excited to get our hands on one for a test drive. Expect to pay north of $300 when the paddle is released. But can you put a price on perfection?
Find of the Week
The find of the week goes to these yellow plastic paddles. I’ve seen some pretty cheap pickleball equipment with these might take the cake. While I am pleased to see equipment available at all price points, and recognize that everyone needs to start somewhere, I have no doubt that you would be better off with a $12 wood paddle. But hey, whatever gets the kids playing!
My Pickleball Journey
While only able to play once this week, I had a strong showing, winning most of my games–but more importantly, really enjoying myself. My goal was to play the game the “right” way, relying on deep shots, dinks and speed changes. Many of my shots were praised by other players. I walked away feeling validated that my game is improving, making me feel warm and fuzzy.
Some people play pickleball for exercise. Others enjoy the social nature of the sport. However, there are players solely seeking the thrill of victory and the coveted pickleball trophy!
In reality, many people play for all three reasons cited above. But you would be surprised how a simple trophy will motivate people to play.
Here are five reasons why you should get a pickleball trophy.
After a couple of months of attending open plays at two local facilities, I wanted to add more regularity to my pickleball play–and get a bit more competitive, so I entered my first mixed doubles pickleball league.
Even though the program is a 30-minute drive from home and runs until 10:30pm (past my usual bedtime!), it was well worth it. I’ve met some good people, had some great matches, and am learning more about America’s fastest-growing sport with each passing day.
The league kicked off with a random pairing of players. Each week, five players are grouped, and the people you play with rotate based on your standings. As the weeks unfold, you get matched with pickleballers who are closest to your skill level, determined by wins, losses, points for and points against.
Here’s a breakdown of my pickleball league experience.
I have had many people ask me, “is pickleball an Olympic sport?” Not yet, my friends.
However, with the popularity of pickleball on the rise, many avid players and fans believe the sport will one day make it to the Olympics. While there is no official word from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Pickleball does seem to have what it takes to be an Olympic sport.
There were pickleball balls everywhere.
Different colors.
A random number of holes punched through each ball.
Some had circles and some had squares and some had triangles.
If you’re wondering what the heck is happening here, it was my very first pickleball nightmare.
I showed up to play with a group at my local tennis center. But there were more people than courts. I stood around awkwardly, debating if I should just leave.
I had my first “low intermediate” pickleball open play session. Is it ridiculous that I was a wee bit nervous before I arrived? With one lesson and one beginner open play behind me, it felt a bit early to be stepping up, but it seems like tennis players can make a relatively easy transition.
My biggest fear surrounded scoring. Will I know what to do? Will I disrupt the game’s flow for people who are really into it? Can I hang with this next level of play?