Michael Holmstrup, a Slippery Rock University professor of exercise science, is a pioneer in training regimens in one of America’s fastest growing sports: pickleball. Holmstrup, in partnership with retired employee and pickleball pro, Gino Cicconi, created an exercise science-backed fitness program, published in a book titled FITTER Pickleball, that is designed to improve player performance, and most importantly, keep players safe from injury.
The goal of the product is simple: equip pickleball players, especially older adults, with the proper strength and conditioning to stay safe and remain on the court with confidence. By pulling from Holmstrup’s expertise in exercise science and Cicconi’s professional-level pickleball skills, the pair developed a program with exercises mimicking dynamic movements that are used on a pickleball court.
“We knew if we started a program, the goal would be to keep people healthy and able to play pickleball with their friends,” Holmstrup said. “Being on a resistance program is a bonus for longevity, but we also know from studies the social and community aspects are important for overall health.”
Cicconi worked as an administrator SRU’s Information and Administrative Technology Services department for 35 years before retiring in 2018. He has been playing pickleball for more than a decade, where his initial interest was sparked while observing matches in SRU’s Aebersold Recreation Center. Cicconi plays at a minimum 5.0 rating, the professional threshold for pickleball’s rating system, and secured a bronze medal in his age group at the 2024 USA Pickleball National Championships.
“Michael specifically designed this program to keep players injury-free and on the court,” Cicconi said. “All the exercises build on movements we do in every match, from reaching, to squatting or staying upright, and it especially helps older players stay safe.”
Holmstrup and Cicconi’s FITTER Pickleball program was first conceived after Holmstrup developed a personal training regimen while watching his wife play pickleball. Nearly two years later years ago, Cicconi became Holmstrup guinea pig for the program. Playing and coaching weekly at 63 years old, Cicconi has yet to sustain an injury since starting the program. In addition to his championship bronze medal, he won an additional five gold medals in various tournaments across the United States in 2025.
“Gino’s our model for how your game can improve and you can stay healthy on a court with what’s morphed into our program,” Holmstrup said. “He feels more comfortable to go for the ball because he’s trained these movements and ranges off the court.”
The duo is also involving SRU students in the process, an aspect Holmstrup hopes will inspire others to pursue similar exercise science entrepreneurial endeavors.
“I’ve really been able to tap into the fact we have a varied group of colleagues and students with varied interests,” Holmstrup said. “This became a way to look into the side of exercise marketing and we wanted to involve students as much as we can, because ultimately that is who will take the most away from this. I’m confident I’m learning something that could be valuable to our students in an exercise science world with marketable niches like this.”
Each spiral-bound or digital book of FITTER Pickleball contains pickleball tips, instructions on each movement and reasons for practical application in pickleball. Each purchase includes more than 125 instructional videos produced by SRU students. The duo is also donating at least 10% of their earnings to charity.
“One of the things for me is I didn’t start this project because I want to strike it rich,” Holmstrup said. “The wider this goes, the better it will be for the pickleball community. I’m confident that they’ll be just like Gino, be safer on the court and have a greater time with their communities.”
More information about the FITTER Pickleball product is available online. More information about exercise science programs is available on the University website.
