Pickleball has a sneaky way of becoming more of a workout than expected.

You show up thinking you'll casually hit the ball around for an hour. Then you're chasing a dink, sprinting toward the baseline, arguing about whether that ball was definitely out, and wondering when it got so hot.

Playing outside means heat, direct sun, and sweat can become part of the game quickly.

You can't eliminate sweat entirely, nor should you try. Sweating helps your body regulate temperature.

What you can do is make hot, sweaty court days more manageable.

Here are seven practical places to start.

1. Play Around the Heat When You Can

If the forecast says the afternoon will be brutal, don't make 2 p.m. your first choice simply because the court is available.

When possible, schedule outdoor games earlier in the morning or later in the day.

The CDC recommends limiting outdoor activity during the middle of hot days when possible and moving workouts or practices to cooler times.

Of course, pickleball schedules don't always cooperate.

If you do play when it's hot, adjust accordingly. Take more breaks, use shade when available, drink water regularly, and pay attention to how you feel instead of treating the weather as another opponent you need to defeat.

The sun does not care about your win-loss record.

2. Bring More Water Than You Think You’ll Need

Don't make hydration the thing you remember halfway through the second game.

Bring a reusable water bottle and start drinking before you're desperately thirsty.

The CDC advises athletes exercising in hot weather to drink more water than usual and not wait until thirst kicks in.

If you're going to be at the courts for several hours, make sure you have enough water for the full session or know where you can refill your bottle.

A reusable insulated bottle such as a Hydro Flask can also help keep your drink cold while it sits courtside.

More importantly, actually drink from it.

The world's nicest water bottle is mostly decorative if it spends the entire match untouched beside your bag.

3. Give Sweat Somewhere to Go

On a hot court, sweat can quickly move from “proof I’m exercising” to “why is everything slippery?”

Your face, forehead, neck, and hands are the obvious places you’ll notice it. That’s where having an actual sweat towel nearby helps.

For outdoor activities like pickleball, DRYKI makes a 15x15-inch sweat towel with a built-in carabiner that can clip onto your court bag or other gear, keeping it easy to grab between games. The larger size also gives you more surface area for blotting sweat from your face, neck, and hands during a long or particularly hot session.

Dry your hands before picking your paddle back up, or blot your face and forehead before sweat starts becoming another distraction.

It’s a small thing, but dealing with sweat periodically is much easier than waiting until you’re drenched and trying to solve everything during the next break.

For players who prefer something small enough to keep directly in a pocket, DRYKI also makes its pocket-sized sweat-absorbing handkerchiefs.

4. Dress for the Match, Not the Drive There

Your pickleball outfit might feel perfectly comfortable while you're standing in an air-conditioned house.

The court is a different test.

For hot-weather activity, the CDC recommends loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.

Choose clothes that allow you to move comfortably and make sense for the conditions you'll actually be playing in. Lightweight athletic fabrics can be more comfortable than heavy layers that trap heat and moisture.

Don't forget your feet either.

Comfortable athletic shoes and socks matter when you're repeatedly moving forward, backward, and side to side across the court.

And if you know you're a heavy sweater, throwing a clean shirt and pair of socks into your bag can make the trip home considerably nicer.

5. Don't Ignore Your Hands and Paddle Grip

Face sweat gets most of the attention, but sweaty hands can become particularly annoying in a racquet or paddle sport.

If your palm is damp, your paddle can start feeling less secure.

Rather than simply squeezing the handle harder, use breaks between games to dry your hand and wipe away excess sweat.

Keeping your DRYKI sweat-absorbing handkerchief accessible gives you an easy way to blot your palm before picking the paddle back up.

Also check the condition of your grip periodically.

A worn, dirty, or slick grip isn't doing you any favors. Replace grips according to the product manufacturer's recommendations and your own level of use.

If you're constantly adjusting your paddle because the handle feels slippery, don't automatically blame your technique. Your grip may simply need some attention.

6. Treat Breaks as Part of the Game

It's easy to stand around chatting between games and technically call that a “break.”

On a hot day, make the break useful.

Move into shade if it's available. Drink water. Dry off. Give yourself a few minutes before jumping straight into another game.

CDC heat guidance recommends taking breaks and using shade when you're outside for long periods in hot conditions.

This is also a good time to reapply sunscreen according to the directions on the product you're using.

If you're particularly heat-sensitive, consider choosing courts with nearby shade or planning sessions around facilities where you can cool down between games.

A five-minute break is better than spending the next hour wishing you'd taken one.

7. Know When “I’m Just Hot” Is Becoming Something More Serious

There is a point where staying cool stops being about comfort and becomes about safety.

Exercising in hot weather increases the risk of dehydration and heat-related illness.

Pay attention to what your body is telling you.

The CDC says athletes who feel faint or weak should stop activity and get to a cool place. Heat-related illness can also involve symptoms such as headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, cramping, or unusually heavy sweating.

You can review the CDC's heat guidance for athletes before playing during particularly hot weather.

A close pickleball game is not important enough to “push through” signs that you're becoming ill.

There will be another match.

Build a Better Pickleball Bag

You don't need to bring your entire house to the court.

For an ordinary hot-weather session, a few well-chosen items can cover most of what you'll actually use:

• Plenty of water
• Sunscreen
• Hat and/or sunglasses
• A pocket-sized sweat towel
• Spare shirt or socks for longer sessions
• Any personal essentials you normally need

Keeping those basics together also means you're less likely to arrive at the court and discover your sweat-management strategy is “hope for the best.”

Sometimes staying comfortable when you sweat really does come down to having the right small things within reach.

Stay Cool Enough to Enjoy the Game

Pickleball is supposed to be fun.

A little preparation can keep heat and sweat from becoming the main event.

Choose cooler playing times when you can. Bring enough water. Dress for the conditions. Manage sweat before it starts interfering with your hands or eyes. Take actual breaks.

And most importantly, know when the heat is telling you to stop.

Do all that, and you can save your energy for the truly important pickleball problems.

Like whether that last ball was in.