Development of a Specific Training Program to Improve Physical Fitness and Performance of Pickleball Athletes in Guangzhou Sports Polytechnic University

Linjian Shi; Chanchai  Siriphan

doi:10.60027/iarj.2026.e294680

Authors

Linjian Shi Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9644-6305
Chanchai Siriphan Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9981-655X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60027/iarj.2026.e294680

Keywords:

Specific Training Program, Pickleball Performance, Physical Fitness, Pickleball Athletes

Abstract

Background and Aim: Although pickleball has rapidly gained popularity among Chinese university students, a significant issue remains the mismatch between current training methods and the sport's specific demands. At present, training still relies heavily on traditional approaches such as long-distance running or static strength exercises, which do not effectively target the development of agility, balance, reaction speed, and core strength that are essential for pickleball. As a result, despite students’ high levels of interest, their skill progression remains slow. The main objective of this research was to develop a specific training program to improve the physical fitness and pickleball performance of athletes at Guangzhou Sports Polytechnic University.

Methodology: This research employed a mixed-method design to develop a specific training program to improve the physical fitness and pickleball performance of athletes. The population was 120 male pickleball athletes and 10 pickleball coaches on a pickleball team. The population was surveyed using questionnaires. The sample for the experiment was 30 athletes from the athletes’ population using the purposive sampling method. All athletes were divided into two groups: an experimental group of 15 participants and a control group of 15 participants, using a systematic method. The experiment would last for a total of 8 weeks, 3 days a week, 1.5 hours a day. Research instruments included an in-depth interview with experts (IOC=0.90), a focus group outline, and the connoisseurship outline. For data analysis, independent sample t-tests were conducted to examine the difference between the experimental and control groups, while repeated measures ANOVA was employed to compare within-group differences across testing phases. Qualitative data from interviews, focus groups, and connoisseurship were analyzed through content analysis.

Results: 1) The experts confirmed that the training program is scientifically structured, practically feasible, and comprehensive, covering physical fitness, technical and tactical training, monitoring, recovery, and injury prevention. 2) The experimental group demonstrated highly significant superiority over the control group in all pickleball performance and physical fitness metrics post-intervention (p<.05). 3) Repeated measures ANOVA confirmed statistically significant overall improvements in all pickleball performance and physical fitness during the training period (p<.05).

Conclusion: The research results confirm that the structured, phased training program was effective in enhancing both technical-tactical performance and physical conditioning over the eight weeks. Therefore, it can be concluded that the experimental results are in accordance with the research hypothesis, with a significant difference at the 0.05 level.

References

Bangsbo, J., Iaia, F. M., & Krustrup, P. (2008). The Yo–Yo intermittent recovery test: A useful tool for evaluation of physical performance in intermittent sports. Sports Medicine, 38(1), 37–51.

Behm, D. G., Young, J. D., Whitten, J. H. D., Reid, J. C., Quigley, P. J., Low, J., Li, Y., Lima, C. D., Hodgson, D. D., Chaouachi, A., Prieske, O., & Granacher, U. (2017). Effectiveness of traditional strength vs. power training on muscle strength, power, and speed with youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 8, Article 423.

Buchheit, M., & Laursen, P. B. (2013). High-intensity interval training: Solutions to the programming puzzle. Sports Medicine, 43(5), 313–338.

Carnot, P. (2004). The art of pickleball (4th ed.). Carnot Editions.

Castagna, C., Impellizzeri, F. M., Cecchini, E., Rampinini, E., & Alvarez, J. C. B. (2008). Effects of intermittent-endurance fitness on match performance in young male soccer players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(2), 331–340.

Cook, G., Burton, L., & Hoogenboom, B. (2006). Pre-participation screening: The use of fundamental movements as an assessment of function—Part 1. North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 1(2), 62–72.

Gonzalez, F. (2019). The science of pickleball: Techniques, tactics, and training for all levels. Pickleball Press.

Guangzhou Sports Polytechnic University. (2023). Internal report on pickleball training methods and student performance. [Unpublished internal document].

Haff, G. G., & Triplett, N. T. (2015). Essentials of strength training and conditioning (4th ed.). Human Kinetics.

Heyward, V. H. (2010). Advanced fitness assessment and exercise prescription (6th ed.). Human Kinetics.

Hoffman, J. R., Kraemer, W. J., Bhasin, S., Storer, T. W., Ratamess, N. A., & Willoughby, D. S. (2009). Position stands on androgen and human growth hormone use. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(5), S1–S59.

Joshi, A., Kale, S., Chandel, S., & Pal, D. K. (2015). Likert scale: Explored and explained. British Journal of Applied Science & Technology, 7(4), 396–403.

Kelso, J. A. S. (1995). Dynamic patterns: The self-organization of brain and behavior. MIT Press.

Kovacs, M. S., & Ellenbecker, T. S. (2008). An 8-stage model for evaluating the tennis serve: Implications for performance enhancement and injury prevention. Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach, 1(3), 222–231. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738108327485

Lloyd, R. S., & Oliver, J. L. (2012). The youth physical development model: A new approach to long-term athletic development. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 34(3), 61–72.

Magill, R. A., & Hall, K. G. (1990). A review of the contextual interference effect in motor skill acquisition. Human Movement Science, 9(3–5), 241–289.

Meylan, C., & Malatesta, D. (2009). Effects of in-season plyometric training within soccer practice on explosive actions of young players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(9), 2605–2613.

Myer, G. D., Faigenbaum, A. D., Ford, K. R., Best, T. M., Bergeron, M. F., & Hewett, T. E. (2011). When to initiate integrative neuromuscular training to reduce sports-related injuries and enhance performance? Current Sports Medicine Reports, 10(3), 155–166.

Ramírez-Campillo, R., Meylan, C., Álvarez, C., Henríquez-Olguín, C., Martínez, C., Cañas-Jamett, R., Andrade, D. C., & Izquierdo, M. (2014). Effects of in-season low-volume high-intensity plyometric training on explosive actions and endurance of young soccer players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(5), 1335–1342.

Schmidt, R. A., & Lee, T. D. (2019). Motor learning and performance: From principles to application (6th ed.). Human Kinetics.

Semenick, D. (1990). Tests and measurements: The T-test. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 12(1), 36–37.

Sheppard, J. M., & Young, W. B. (2006). Agility literature review: Classifications, training, and testing. Journal of Sports Sciences, 24(9), 919–932.

USA Pickleball. (2023). Pickleball rules summary. https://www.usapickleball.org/docs/USA-Pickleball-Rules-Summary.pdf

Zhang, Y., Wang, L., & Li, J. (2018). Development and promotion of emerging sports in China: A case study of pickleball. Beijing Sports University Press.