Quickness is one of the biggest advantages you can have on a pickleball court. It helps you reach wide balls, react at the kitchen line, and recover when a point starts to unravel. At the same time, it is also one of the fastest ways players get hurt when they chase speed without control. In this issue, I want to break down what quickness really means in pickleball, where it helps most, what to watch out for, and how to train and fuel it in a way that keeps you fast and healthy over the long term.

Quickness is often described as speed, but in pickleball that definition misses the point. Very few points are decided by how fast someone can run in a straight line. What actually separates quicker players from everyone else is how fast they can react, accelerate, stop, change direction, and regain balance. When those pieces work together, movement looks effortless. When they do not, injuries tend to follow.

True quickness is a combination of reaction time, first-step acceleration, controlled deceleration, and efficient direction change. Your brain has to recognize a stimulus, your nervous system has to fire the right muscles in the right order, and your joints have to tolerate the load that comes with sudden movement. This entire sequence happens in fractions of a second.

Training only the explosive part without training control is where problems begin.

Quickness shows up most clearly at the kitchen line, where reaction time matters more than raw power. It also plays a role in the split step, which sets up nearly every good movement pattern in pickleball. The first step after the ball bounces often determines whether you arrive balanced or off reach.

Quickness also matters when recovering after a wide shot or resetting after an awkward lunge. In all of these situations, the ability to slow down safely is just as important as the ability to speed up.

Many players try to become quicker by moving harder instead of moving better. Lunging farther, reaching more aggressively, or playing through fatigue may feel productive in the moment, but it places excessive strain on muscles and tendons that are not ready to absorb that load.

When the body cannot decelerate smoothly, force gets dumped into the weakest link, which is often the calf, Achilles tendon, groin, or hamstring.

Calf strains are common because the calf complex absorbs force every time you push off or stop suddenly. Achilles irritation often follows when repeated loading outpaces recovery. Hamstring and groin strains occur when players change direction without adequate hip and core control.

Ankle sprains tend to happen when balance is lost during rushed lateral movement. These injuries are rarely accidents. Most develop from repeated small stresses combined with poor control and fatigue.

The biggest misconception about quickness is that faster always means better. In reality, controlled quickness is what keeps players both effective and healthy. Being able to stop on demand, stay centered over your base, and reset your posture between movements reduces joint stress and improves consistency.

Players who look quick are often the ones wasting the least movement, not the ones moving the most.

Quickness is built, not forced. The players who stay fast over time are the ones who train the right muscles, respect fatigue, and fuel their bodies in a way that supports rapid movement and recovery.

This is where many players go wrong. They chase speed but ignore the foundations that make speed safe and repeatable.

Calves and the Achilles Complex

Your calves are responsible for your first step and your ability to spring off the ground. Every split step, push-off, and sudden stop loads this system. When it is strong and conditioned, movement feels light and responsive. When it is fatigued or undertrained, strain and irritation follow quickly.

This is why calf tightness and Achilles pain are so common in players trying to move faster without preparation.

Glutes and Hip Stabilizers

The glutes control acceleration, deceleration, and direction change. They keep your knees aligned and your center of mass stable during lateral movement. Weak or underactive glutes force smaller muscles to compensate, which increases stress on the groin, hamstrings, and knees.

Strong hips allow you to change direction smoothly instead of collapsing into rushed steps.

Core and Trunk Stabilizers

Quickness depends on how well your upper and lower body communicate. The core transfers force and keeps you balanced when reacting late or reaching wide. Without core stability, movement becomes inefficient and recovery steps slow down.

A stable trunk allows you to react faster because your body does not need extra time to regain control after each movement.

Quickness training should be short, focused, and controlled. Quality matters more than volume. Short burst drills with full recovery between repetitions train the nervous system without overwhelming it. Lateral shuffles, quick first-step drills, and balance-based reaction work are effective when done with good posture and intent.

Deceleration deserves as much attention as acceleration. Practicing how to stop, absorb force, and reset posture reduces injury risk and improves real game speed. If every drill feels rushed or sloppy, the load is too high.

Fatigue slows reaction time and alters mechanics before you consciously notice it. When tired, players take wider steps, lose balance more easily, and rely on reactive lunges instead of controlled movement. This is when strains occur.

Training quickness while fatigued teaches poor patterns and increases injury risk. Quickness work should be done when you are relatively fresh, not at the end of an exhausting session.

Quick movement depends on readily available energy. Carbohydrates fuel rapid muscle contractions and fast nervous system firing. Playing under-fueled leads to slower reactions and sloppy footwork. Adequate protein supports tissue repair so muscles and tendons can tolerate repeated loading.

Hydration and electrolytes help muscles fire efficiently and reduce cramping, especially during longer sessions or hot conditions. You do not need complicated nutrition strategies. Consistent meals, enough carbohydrates around play, and steady hydration throughout the day go a long way.

Quickness improves with consistency, not max effort every day. Two or three focused sessions per week are enough to see progress without overwhelming the body. Players who respect recovery stay faster longer.

Those who chase speed without rest often end up slowed by injury.

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Quickness can feel like a superpower on the court, but it only stays that way when it is built on control, recovery, and consistency. Moving fast is useful, but moving well is what keeps you playing week after week without setbacks.

When you understand where quickness really comes from and how to support it with smart training, proper fuel, and enough rest, speed stops being something you chase and becomes something you maintain. The goal is not just to be quick today, but to stay quick for years.

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.