Scottie Scheffler is a Pickleball athlete, and he also plays some golf on the side.

Actually, he’s the best golfer in the world by a mile - a true two sport athlete. You probably know the story by now, but last Friday, Scottie was accidentally arrested and placed in a jail cell a few hours before his second round of the PGA Championship. What happened next is a testament to how committed the best athletes in the world are at their craft.

He started warming up. In his jail cell.

If we can learn one thing from this, it’s that a warmup is an absolutely essential part of performing your best. You should NEVER skip your warmup routine.

But it gets crazier… after Scottie was released, he rushed to the course and proceeded to shoot a 66, one of the best rounds of the day.

How’d he do it? He works on his mental fitness… every. single. day.

Breathwork, mindfulness, and visualization helped him compartmentalize his nightmare of a morning. He was able to focus all of his attention back on the task at hand.

Mental fitness training makes you more resilient so you can place your focus where you intend to.

Did You Know? You burn over 600 calories per hour playing a Pickleball match.

Yes, you read that right. That’s as many cal/min as you’d burn running a 10k, playing a basketball game, or surviving one of those brutal HIIT classes.

Why should you care?

1. Playing Pickleball is extremely good for your health, fitness, and longevity.

2. Pre and post match Hydration & Nutrition are critical.

3. It’s time everyone admits it - even the tennis purists… Pickleball is a SPORT.

If you want to know exactly how much water you need, the AIM7 app will calculate that for you.

1️⃣ Caffeine: A central nervous system stimulant

Benefits:
• Enhance cognitive function
• Delay fatigue

Dose: 0.9 mg/lb. If you are 150 lbs, 135 mg of caffeine is ideal

Sources:
• Coffee
• Tea
• Caffeine Supplements

2️⃣ Creatine: An animo acid compound

Benefits:
• Enhance athletic & physical performance
• Improve bioenergetics of exercise training
• Improve body composition and lean mass
• Enhance muscle strength/fiber size
• Reduce muscular atrophy & recovery from injury
• Reduce exercise induced muscle damage
• Enhance cognitive function
• Act as a neuroprotective agent

Dose: 3-5 g/day, taken either before or after activity. No need to load up or cycle off

Sources:
• Creatine monohydrate
• Creapure creatine monohydrate

3️⃣ Whey Protein: High quality, easily digested protein source derived from dairy 

Benefits:
• Increase muscle mass
• Increase strength
• Improve body composition

Dose: 0.2 g/lb. If you are 150 lbs, 30g is ideal before/after training

Sources:
• Concentrated Whey
• Isolate Whey
• Hydrolyzed Whey

Where in the world is AIM7?

Last weekend, we were in Chicago for the exciting kickoff of the 2024 National Pickleball League at Pickle Haus! AIM7’s Dr. Erik Korem led the Houston Hammers through a pre-match breathwork and warmup routine.

Was it like training soldiers for battle? No. Warming up for Pickleball is easy, you just have to know what to do.

Hiring an elite performance coach to travel with you is unrealistic. That’s why the Houston Hammers downloaded the AIM7 app… now they have access to guided Pickleball warmup sessions built by elite performance coaches. This gives them the edge they were looking for in early games, and reduces their injury risk.

Want to warmup for your next match like the Houston Hammers?

Created by and for the pickleball community, DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) is the most accurate and only global pickleball rating system. Trusted by the world’s premier pickleball clubs, professional tours, and recreational players alike.