Quick Feet, Quick Hands: What the C2 Kit Does for Your Game
Imagine finishing a two-hour grind and not waking up with hip flexors as tight as your paddle grip in a tiebreak. That’s the promise behind the C2 Pickleball Speed & Performance Kit: warm up smarter, move faster, and give your joints some love before the chaos starts with this pickleball warm-up kit. It’s a compact, band-based system designed by Curt Carbaugh—an acceleration guru who has spent decades building faster feet and sharper first steps for thousands of athletes.
What’s in the Box
The kit centers on short resistance bands plus cuffs for ankles and wrists. It’s built for proper warm-up, speed training, and conditioning, with an eye toward reducing lower-body injury risk (think ACL injuries) and getting key muscles “online” before play.
Translation: you can activate hips and core, prep those hip flexors and glutes for lateral shuffles and stops, and even add light wrist/forearm resistance to wake up your hands—so your first hand-battle doesn’t feel like a pop quiz. C2’s design goals emphasize full-body activation, balance, stability, foot speed, and ACL prevention.
Who’s the Brain Behind It?
Curt Carbaugh runs Acceleration in Minnesota and created the C2 system. He’s the guy teams call when they want to get quicker, not just “fitter.” The Minnesota Wind Chill (pro ultimate) have partnered with his facility for team speed and conditioning; local elite programs also tap him for mechanics, stride, and speed work. Call him what he is: an acceleration specialist.
And if you’re wondering whether this is just “bands in a bag,” note that Curt’s training pedigree spans sports—from track to hockey to motorsports—and includes a long list of competitive athletes he’s prepped over the years (there’s even a roll of standout snocross racers). The man lives in first-step quickness.
On-Court Benefits
Hip flexor & glute activation: Ankle-cuff marches, lateral band walks, and mini-shuffle series prime the tissues you rely on for split-steps, pushes, and sudden stops—exactly where many nagging pickleball overuse issues start.
Footwork & first-step pop: Short, resisted shuffles + unresisted “contrast” reps turn sticky feet into quick feet. You’ll feel it when you chase a drop or spring into a speed-up.
Hand speed & paddle readiness: Light wrist-cuff activation—micro punches, quick taps, short arcs—wakes up forearm muscles so your first volley doesn’t arrive with sleepy hands.
Injury-risk reduction mindset: You’re not buying a guarantee (no tool can do that), but you are building warm-up habits that target common knee/hip stressors before you go full send. C2 explicitly calls out ACL risk reduction as an objective of their speed/conditioning approach.
A 6-Minute “Pre-Match” We Actually Like
Band marches (ankle cuffs): 2×20 steps each side
Lateral mini-shuffles + stick: 3×10 yards out/back
Open/close the gate (hip mobility): 2×10 each
Wrist-cuff quick taps: 2×20 seconds
Contrast burst (no bands): 3×5-meter accelerations
You’ll feel warmer, looser, and snappier—without turning your warm-up into a second workout. (Bonus: this travels in a sling bag.)
What We’d Tell You Courtside
Pros: Portable; fast setup; hits the exact muscles pickleball hammers; good bridge between “I stretch sometimes” and “I train like a pro.” The coach-friendly layout makes group warm-ups easy.
Cons: You still need a plan—bands don’t coach themselves. And no, it won’t make your third-shot drop automatic (we asked), however, C2 has a ton of video resources for guidance.
Best for: League players who feel tight turning the corner, women coming back from long play days who want structured activation, and coaches who need a repeatable warm-up flow.
The Verdict
The C2 Pickleball Kit is like bringing a strength coach to the courts—minus the whistle and existential dread. If you want fewer “why does my hip hate me” mornings and more quick feet + quick hands, this checks a lot of boxes in a small, durable pickleball training package. It’s not flashy. It’s an effective pickleball speed and performance tool.
Where to look: C2’s Pickleball Kit page outlines the system, components, and intent (activation, speed/conditioning, ACL-risk focus). If you’re curious about Curt’s broader work with teams, the Minnesota Wind Chill partnership write-ups are a nice window into the training DNA.
If you’re looking to purchase your C2 Pickleball Kit, you can use the code EMPOWER20 at checkout for 20%.
We’re not your medical team. Use smart progressions and talk with a clinician or PT if you’ve got pain or a history of injury.
