Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is a 4th of July tradition, and the pinnacle of competitive eating.

In honor of July 4th, let’s see what this glutenous event can teach us about performance on the Pickleball court!

For 6 years, the great Kobayashi was unbeatable - until American Joey Chestnut finally dethroned him in 2007 and proceeded to win 16 of the next 17 titles. ESPN’s 30-for-30 documentary - The Good, The Bad, The Hungry - gives a behind the scenes look at how Joey became the greatest eater of all time.

Since you probably have better things to do over the 4th of July weekend than watch this documentary, we’ll just tell you Joey’s secret to becoming the best…

He developed a strength training plan for his jaw and neck!

Sounds crazy, but he wasn’t. It gave him the edge he needed to put down a recordshattering 76 dogs & buns in 10 minutes.

While that’s pretty disgusting, let’s give Joey credit for following two simple rules - train with intent for your sport, and adjust your plan daily.

These rules were the foundation for how the AIM7 team trained Olympians, NFL teams, and NCAA champions for decades.

Now, let’s apply these two rules to Pickleball.

1. Identify key muscle groups to train

• Legs: Your foundation. Strong legs mean better footwork and fewer injuries.

• Core: Essential for balance and stability when making quick cuts, twisting, and reaching.

• Hand & Wrist: Key for paddle control, quick reactions, and accuracy.

2. Make daily adjustments to your plan

• Progressive Workload: Start slow and increase your workload by no more than 15% each week to avoid injury and burnout.

• Monitor Readiness: Push harder on days you feel great; ease up when you're tired.

• Recovery Time: Let muscles rest and repair by not training the same muscles on consecutive days.

If you want specific strength training exercises for Pickleball, we’ve got you covered! The AIM7 app creates and adjusts your Pickleball strength training plan based on your health and exercise data.

GAMMA Pickleball is dedicated to providing equipment and accessories designed for players of all skill levels. Their commitment to quality and performance helps pickleball enthusiasts play their best, whether on the local courts or in competitive play.

Save 15% on Gamma products by using the code: AIM7 at checkout!

Did You Know? A recreational player runs anywhere from 0.5 to 1.0 miles in a typical Pickleball game. High level players often exceed 1 mile.

That doesn’t sound like much. But with all of the jumping, cutting and reaching, it’s not your typical mile.. So rather than going for a run, here’s an efficient way to train endurance for your next Pickleball match.

• Side to side slides

• Side to side jumps

• Zig zag slides

• Short sprints (start & stop)

• Backpedaling (start & stop)

Fueling your body like a pro isn't complicated.

Just follow these simple guidelines to create your own nutrition plan based on your body weight and workload:

1-2 Hours Before Match:

• Water: 0.6 ounces per pound

• Protein: 0.2 grams per pound

• Carbs: 0.45 grams per pound

• Fats: Minimal amount

During Match:

• Water: 1/30th of body weight every 15 minutes

  • Use electrolytes

• Carbs: 45 grams per hour of match time

• Protein & Fats: Minimal

1-2 Hours After Match:

• Water: 18 ounces per hour of match time

• Protein: 0.2 grams per pound

• Carbs: 0.45 grams per pound

• Fats: If you eat healthy fats, no limit

Try implementing this nutrition & hydration plan for your next match. You’ll probably perform better and speed up your recovery time!