Roll, Lunge, Jump: The Anna Bright Method for Warming Up Right

Take a page out of the pro book. Move your spine, lunge deep, and jump a little. Your knees and your win-loss record will thank you.

Ever walked onto a pickleball court feeling like a piece of cold toast? You know the feeling. You have been sitting around for twenty minutes, scrolling TikTok, and suddenly your name is called. You grab your paddle, hit three dinks, and wonder why your legs feel like lead.

Honestly, it's a recipe for a first-game loss. Shame on you.

According to pro star Anna Bright and her trainer Connor Derrickson, most of us are doing it all wrong.

In a recent video from That Pickleball Trainer, the duo explains why a few static stretches are not enough to get you ready for a high-stakes match (not to mention doing nothing at all, like most of us...).

They argue that the "flat" feeling many players experience at the start of a game is actually a choice. And it's time to choose winning over whining.

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The 'Flat' Feeling is a Choice

Anna Bright does not like feeling flat. You know what? Nobody does. But in the chaotic environment of a tournament, where schedules are more of a suggestion than a rule, it is easy to let your body go dormant.

And the same can be said for sitting our just one game in rec play. Go hard for 20 minutes then sit for a bit — your muscles and joints stiffen up quick.

Bright emphasizes that your slow start should never be because you were groggy. It is about "preventing the preventables." Footwork errors? Often preventable. A low heart rate? Definitely preventable.

As Derrickson points out:

You cannot expect to go from zero to sixty in an instant. You need to arrive at the kitchen line already revved up.

Anna’s Big Three

Bright shares three specific movements she uses to wake up her system when she gets that "it is time to play" call.

1. The Spinal Wave
   This is not your average yoga move. Starting in a high plank, Bright moves into what she calls a "turbo downward dog," tucking her chin and lifting her hips before rolling forward. It is a holistic movement that hits the hamstrings and shoulders while literally cracking the spine into place. She usually does about ten of these to get the fluid moving.
2. The Lizard Lunge
   This one is all about the hips. By stepping a foot between the hands and reaching up, you target the back hip flexor and the entire front side of the leg. Bright recommends six to eight reps per side to keep things fluid and dynamic. It gets the blood flowing to the large muscle groups you will need for those deep lunges at the net.
3. The Lateral Bounds
   If you are feeling particularly sluggish, jumping is the answer. Lateral bounds (think ski jumps) get the weight on the outside leg and force a powerful load and jump. It is sport-specific and gets the heart rate climbing fast. Bright often does five reps on each side to shake off the cobwebs.

Priming the Central Nervous System

Derrickson adds a layer of science to the sweat. He talks about "priming the CNS" (Central Nervous System).

He suggests quick, explosive movements like jumping over a line as fast as possible or performing jump squats.

You want your body to remember how to move fast before you actually have to do it on the court.

If you have been sitting for thirty minutes – or even just 10 depending on your age and ability – your nervous system is asleep. You need to flip the switch back to "performance" so your reactions are sharp from the very first serve.

The 10-Minute Full Routine

When you have more than just a five-minute window, Derrickson recommends a longer, ten-minute dynamic flow.

This is perfect for the start of the day or after a long lunch break. Or, you know, before that next match instead of scrolling on your phone.

The routine includes:

• Hamstring scoops: Digging the heel in and scooping down while walking to wake up the back of the legs.
• Quad pulls: Reaching up on the opposite toe for balance and depth.
• Figure fours: A walking stretch that targets the glutes.
• World’s Greatest Stretch: A holistic movement involving a deep lunge and a full thoracic rotation.

The routine finishes with what Derrickson calls "touch and feel" sprints. These are short, two or three-step bursts followed by a controlled deceleration. It is about getting low and staying balanced. You want to practice that "break down" move where you get low and wide before you have to do it during a heavy fire fight.

Don't Be the Player Who Starts at 60 BPM

The takeaway here is simple: your resting heart rate has no business being on a pickleball court.

Whether it is a quick five-minute CNS prime or a full ten-minute dynamic flow, the goal is to enter the match already elevated. As Bright puts it, do not let a slow start be because you were "flat and asleep."

Take a page out of the pro book. Move your spine, lunge deep, and jump a little. Your knees and your win-loss record will thank you. After all, the best way to win a tournament is to make sure you are actually awake for the first game.

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