Optimize Your Paddle Game!

I am admittedly new to the game of Paddle.  How I wish I’d known about Paddle and had been able to play for years!  I am absolutely intrigued by any game that allows me to play off the fence – and engage that high level of strategy vs. braun…What a great game!

While paddle tennis shares some of the same muscle issues as tennis (Click here to get further insights via TMBW’s Optimize Your Tennis post), paddle dynamics including

• the heavier ball and
• the more paddle racket

create a similar yet different impact on your body – particularly, your elbow.

Here’s a few of the ways that compromised muscle mechanics will cause problems for your Paddle game:

• If your shoulders are rolled forward,
  • your stroke will be compromised and
  • your stroke strength will be more reliant on your triceps and elbow muscles causing tennis elbow problems
• If your pecs and biceps are too tight – or even too strong –
  • your shoulders will be elevated and pronated and your back muscles will become weakened causing you to lose stroke strength
• If you tend to walk – or even stand – on the edge of your foot,
  • you’ll lose speed and balance on the court particularly as you lunge to the side for the get
• If your foot tends to be turned outward,
  • your hips will be compacted, and
  • your hams and glutes will be robbed of their best strength and speed
• If you tend to shrug your shoulders,
  • you’ll lose range of motion and
  • rob the power of your overhead smash