Is Pickleball the Easiest Sport | YES and NO (2024)

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Is Pickleball the Easiest Sport | YES and NO? ›

Learning the ropes: Tennis vs.

High-level pickleball can be quite competitive and physically demanding, dispelling the notion that it's purely an easy sport. Pickleball's ease of entry, simple rules, low physical demands, and social nature make it an accessible and enjoyable sport for many.

Pickleball is relatively easy to learn for beginners. The sport's simplicity, smaller court size, and slower-paced gameplay make it accessible to players of all ages and skill levels.

According to the Sport and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. in the last three years. Only biking and running have higher participation rates.

Now keep in mind that pickleball can't be played on your own. You'll at least need one other person to play singles pickleball, but the most common way to play pickleball is doubles.

Pickleball is often explained as a hybrid of tennis, badminton and ping pong. It is played on a badminton-sized court with a net, but involves less running than tennis. The sport, which can be enjoyed as doubles (two players per team) or singles, is played with a hard paddle and perforated plastic balls.

“Despite the way the name sounds, it really requires a general overall level of fitness. If you're not fit, don't play, because you're gonna get injured,” said de Jong. For those who don't know, pickleball is a sort of mash-up of tennis, badminton, and table tennis.

Bone fractures related to pickleball have increased 200% over the last 20 years. As pickleball's popularity has skyrocketed, so have the number of serious injuries among players.

Pickleball is like a combination of ping pong, tennis and badminton. The paddles used are similar to an oversized version of those used in ping pong, while the court has the same stripes as a tennis court but is the size of a badminton court.

Unlike tennis, for example, pickleball can be learned and played at a reasonable level quickly by almost anyone. You will see people of all ages, all physiognomy, and all athletic ability out on the courts having fun playing. Some of the attractions of pickleball, but not unique to it, are the social aspects.

What is the average age of people who play pickleball? ›

Players aged 55 and up were the largest age bracket of pickleball players in 2021, comprising 19.8% of total participants. Players aged 18 to 34 were the second largest age bracket, making up 18.5% of total participants. The average age of pickleball players was 38.1 years in 2021.

A 3.0 player can hit a medium-paced forehead and backhand, can serve with depth and accuracy, can control a dink rally, can hit a medium-paced third-shot drop, and can hit a medium-paced volley with direction as well as understanding the fundamentals of the game, positioning and has played in tournaments.

Within a year of starting pickleball, he had entered and won a 5.0 tournament. But that was at the amateur level. Making the jump to the pro level is a different story, entirely, and for Holderman and so many others trying to make the transition to playing at the sport's highest level, it's a struggle.

While you don't need to be fit to start playing pickleball, engaging in the sport regularly can lead to noticeable improvements in your physical health: Cardiovascular Health: Regular play can help increase your heart rate and improve cardiovascular endurance.