Pickleball

[leslie49]

Anyone else here play pickleball?  I'm addicted to it even more than I'm addicted to Fitbit!  I play almost every day of the week and get a good 7,000 steps in during my 2-3 hours.  I'm trying to come home and walk outside for maybe 30 minutes when I'm done playing.  If that doesn't get me to 15,000 steps, I walk in front of the tv.  Pickleball is so much fun that it makes it easy to get those 7,000 steps.

[Langdales]

What's pickle ball?

[DarleneM]

I have never heard of Pickleball - interesting and it sounds like it's VERY active!  I'm glad you found something you like to do that keeps you active and lots of "steps".  

[Mary]

http://www.usapa.org/

I had to look it up.  Looks like a combination of tennis and ping pong?

7000 steps in 2-3 hours isn't much, really.  I hope you're sitting a lot in between matches!  I would get 7000 in a leisurely walk in about half that time, just for comparison.  But FUN is a lot more important than time, too.  I would love to find something addictive I felt like spending 2-3 hours at that logged steps, too.    

[leslie49]

Pickleball is tons of fun.  It is a combination of badminton, table tennis and regular tennis.  It's on a badminton sized court.  The net is a couple inches lower than a tennis net.  The paddle is like a large table tennis paddle.  The ball is like a whiffle ball.  I always play doubles -- so two on each side of the court.  Maybe that's why it's only 7,000 steps.  You're not running around a big court by yourself.  The venue that I get the most steps is one where there are large areas behind each end so I'm always running far to get the ball I missed!  It's evidently the fastest growing sport in North America.  A place in Florida has 100 pickleball courts.  Many people from here (Victoria, BC) go to Arizona during the winter to play pickleball down there.  You can go to Youtube and search for it and there are lots of videos of it.   It's too bad such a fun sport has such a stupid name!  LOL

[Mary]

I'm in AZ and have never heard of it but it sounds very fun.  I will keep my eyes open for it.  There is a large tennis complex just down the street.  Maybe they will add courts someday.  I just googled up locations in my city and there are dozens, but it looks like virtually all are in 55+ communities.  Something to look forward to!  

[leslie49]

Yes pickleball is mostly a 55+ game.  I found it when I retired 3 years ago.  All the recreation centers have it here but always during the day so it's hard for working people to play.  We have a few young people who are going to school who can play and others who have more flexibility in their work.  But it's mostly retired people.  I love having something that is such good exercise that I just love doing.  Off right now for two hours of pickleball -- bunny costumes optional 🙂  Happy Easter all.

[aring633]

My 60yo parents started playing pickleball about six months ago. Life-long tennis players, they've had knee replacements and other issues that made running around an entire tennis court difficult. Pickleball is perfect for them because you only have half the area to cover and it forces you to get low to the ball and work the glutes and thighs. There are no pickball courts here (So Cal), so they play on a tennis court. They love it so much they are building a pickleball court in their backyard.

[leslie49]

Very cool that your parents are avid pickleball players -- and especially cool that they have built a court in their back yard.  Pickleball was invented near Seattle, WA, and lots of people in Seattle have pickleball courts in their back yards.  Smaller than tennis courts so easier to fit.

People from here go to places in So Cal to play pickleball.  Around Palm Springs mostly I think.  It's the fastest growing sport in North America so if it's not near your parents yet, it will be soon! 

[JanaJ]

Hi there!

I play pickleball too and wondered how to count the activity since it is not in the list. Do you just go by the number of steps? It seems like it should count more since you move around so much Maybe it will make the activity list someday. It is a really fun game!

[dbarnes58]

My fitbit doesn't seem to be tracking my steps in pickleball correctly. Do I have to set it up for that or ...???? Thanks. Deb

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@leslie49 wrote:

Anyone else here play pickleball?  I'm addicted to it even more than I'm addicted to Fitbit!  I play almost every day of the week and get a good 7,000 steps in during my 2-3 hours.  I'm trying to come home and walk outside for maybe 30 minutes when I'm done playing.  If that doesn't get me to 15,000 steps, I walk in front of the tv.  Pickleball is so much fun that it makes it easy to get those 7,000 steps.

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[JanaJ]

I let the steps get counted and then use Paddleball as a substitute - although I think it is inaccurate. 

[Karas]

We used to play something similar in school. Padda tennis I believe it was called. Whatever helps keep you active is good in my book.

[Amaliao]

I play pickle ball and would like to see it added to the activities choices.

[gonumber11]

hey Mary,

I also am a pickleball addict (from Santa Barbara) - regarding that big tennis complex - you can easily convert one tennis court into 4 pickleball courts using portable nets and duct tape for lines - that's how we started

[raihawk]

I play also in a little town in Florida. I get about 10000 steps in 2-3 hours of play mostly because I'm a newbie and chase the ball a lot. I play 3-4 times a week and also bowl on a senior's league.

[Whmayer]

Let's get Pickleball added to the exercise choices!  It's the fastest growing sport in the country due to the Baby Boomers!

[raihawk]

I agree, how do we get it added is the question.

[Whmayer]

According to Fitbit we have to post on the community board which I did and then their fold consult it and it may happen. We need votes!

William H. Mayer


William H. Mayer
301.661.2112

[raihawk]

I went on and searched and found an entry to vote. Thanks!