Her approach to athletics and fitness off the court is equally as focused as her approach to recovery. Parenteau regularly practices resistance training with a functional coach—a staple in her routine for the last two years. “I used to get tired on the court,” she says. “I just felt a little bit weak, and I would get very sore. I really wanted to make sure that I was going to go up to the next level and, in order for me to do that, I really had to hit the gym.” She is keen to underline that the resistance training has dramatically improved both her strength and stamina as a player.

Bearing this in mind, it’s not surprising that the pickleball programming being offered on Apple Fitness+—which Parenteau developed with mainstay Fitness+ instructors Kim Ngo and Bakari Williams—is inspired by the Canadian athlete’s training experience and her insights as a player. It focuses on building strength, endurance, and agility. Ngo, who joined Parenteau on our call, emphasizes that the workouts are designed to help both new and experienced players play longer and avoid injury, helping them to get familiar with the speedy and repetitive lateral movements that are specific to pickleball. “The program is definitely for anyone who has been pickling for a while, has been thinking about taking up pickleball or just doesn’t have a clue what pickleball is,” says Ngo, adding that, like most Fitness+ programs, each workout also suggests modifications to allow people to customize the routine based on their experience, comfort and energy levels. 

As a coach, I am constantly being asked what people should be doing, what kind of training they should prioritize, what they should eat, etc. The truth is that we should work to identify the activities that bring us joy and embrace the sport-specific training and habits that allow us to enjoy them, injury-free, for as long as possible. Our long-term motivation and our vision for the future should be powered by a desire to achieve a daily life filled with playfulness, connection with others, and health. These are the commitments to ourselves that will truly last a lifetime and go well beyond our resolutions for the year to come.