If you're struggling to stay balanced during fast exchanges or find yourself off-center when trying to reset, the problem might not be your hands. It might be your core.

Most rec players train their shots. Fewer train their trunk. But your core keeps you upright, stable, and able to recover when the ball forces you out of position. It's also one of the most undertrained areas in the sport, despite being crucial for injury prevention and consistent movement.

In this issue:

Whether you're trying to improve your resets or just want to avoid feeling wrecked after long rallies, this issue will give you a stronger foundation. Literally.

Pickleball is all about quick reactions and fast feet, but those movements start from your center. If you're struggling to stay balanced on the run, recover between shots, or finish long rallies without getting tight or sore, weak or underused core muscles are often to blame.

Your core includes your abdominals, obliques, deep spinal stabilizers, and even your glutes. Together, they create a stable base that connects your upper and lower body. If this system isn't firing properly, your arms and legs work overtime to compensate. That leads to slower movement, decreased accuracy, and increased injury risk.

These aren't just technique problems. They're often signs that your stabilizers are undertrained or out of sync.

Most rec players focus on skills like dinks, drives, and spin, or maybe legs and shoulders in the gym. But without core control, every shot is built on a shaky base. And the older you are, or the more hours you spend sitting during the week, the more this shows up.

Even strong athletes can have what trainers call "energy leaks." This disconnect is where power gets lost because the core isn't smoothly connecting motion between upper and lower halves.

Forget crunches. Here's what matters:

1. Anti-Rotation Training Your core's job in pickleball is to resist motion, not just create it. Anti-rotation exercises like Pallof presses, suitcase carries, and bird-dogs build the kind of stability you need during lateral movement and resets.

2. Controlled Rotation Add slow, resisted trunk rotations to simulate the way your torso rotates during swings without overloading your spine. Cable chops and resistance-band rotations work well for this.

3. Static Holds Under Fatigue Planks, side planks, and glute bridges at the end of your session help train your deep stabilizers to stay active when you're tired, just like they need to during long points.

Players who build functional core strength notice:

If you're serious about playing better and feeling better, core work shouldn't be optional. It's your foundation. And like any good foundation, it's supposed to be strong enough that you don't have to think about it. It just supports everything else.

When players think about getting faster on the court, they usually picture foot speed or cardio. But when you watch the best rec players, they don't just move fast. They react fast.

The difference isn't conditioning. It's perception and decision-making. And that can be trained.

In pickleball, you rarely have time for big windups or full-court sprints. You're reacting to short hops, sudden angles, and split-second changes in ball speed or spin. Your first movement is the difference between staying in the point or watching the ball go by.

Fast players aren't just physically quick, they're neurologically efficient.

Many rec players chalk up slow reactions to getting older or "not being athletic." But the bigger culprits are:

These can all be improved, no matter your age or experience level.

You don't need a ball machine or pro coach to get better at reacting. Start with these off-court strategies:

1. Reactive Footwork Drills Use audio or visual cues like random light apps or partner commands to trigger directional steps or lateral shuffles. The goal is to respond fast and reset quickly, just like you would at the kitchen line.

2. Eye-Tracking and Ball Toss Work Simple drills like catching a small ball tossed at random angles help reinforce visual processing and hand-eye coordination. Tracking an object from side to side works the same muscles.

3. Partner-Based Stimulus Drills Have a partner call out "left" or "right" while you stand in an athletic stance. Move immediately in that direction. This builds decision speed and body reactivity.

4. Pre-Match Mental Rehearsal Spend 30 seconds visualizing fast points and imagining quick reactions. Studies show mental rehearsal primes your motor system for faster responses.

Even a 200-millisecond improvement in reaction time can mean the difference between a clean reset and a desperation lunge. You can start seeing improvements quickly, especially if you're not already doing this kind of training.

More importantly, players who train reaction time report:

You don't need more hours on the court. You need to train the engine behind your first move: your brain.

Put It Into Practice

Your core and reaction time work together more than you might think. A stable trunk gives you the platform to react quickly, and faster reactions help you stay balanced when the point gets chaotic.

Start with just 10 minutes of core work twice a week, and add one reaction drill to your warm-up. Small, consistent efforts will show up in your game faster than most skill work.

Before You Go

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Thanks for reading, and see you on the court,

Boris.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read in this newsletter.