A proper padel warm-up takes 10-15 minutes and has three phases: general movement (3-5 min of light cardio and dynamic stretches), sport-specific mobility (3-5 min of arm circles, hip rotations and lunge variations), and on-court rallies (5 min starting with baseline groundstrokes and building up to volleys and overheads). Skipping warm-up is the leading cause of first-set mistakes and increases injury risk significantly.
Why warming up actually matters
Muscles warm up; they do not start warm. Cold muscles are less elastic, less responsive and more prone to tears. Joints work better once the synovial fluid (joint lubricant) has been activated by movement. Tendons adapt to load gradually, not instantly.
Practical consequences of skipping warm-up:
- First set performance is noticeably worse - reaction time slower, shots less crisp
- Risk of acute muscle strains (hamstring, calf, shoulder) is significantly higher in the first 5-10 minutes
- Long-term cumulative damage to tendons and joints builds up over months and years
- Feeling "tight" and needing to "play yourself in" is actually warming up while competing - not ideal
Phase 1: general movement (3-5 minutes)
Start off-court with general body activation. Goal: raise heart rate slightly and get major muscle groups moving.
- Light jogging in place - 1-2 minutes, getting blood flowing
- High knees - 30 seconds
- Butt kicks - 30 seconds
- Jumping jacks - 30 seconds
- Walking lunges - 10 per leg
- Leg swings - holding a wall for balance, swing each leg forward/back and side-to-side, 10 per direction
If you have to skip everything else, at least do this. 3 minutes of general movement is better than walking straight onto the court cold.
Phase 2: padel-specific mobility (3-5 minutes)
Focus on the joints that take the most load in padel: shoulders, hips, spine.
Shoulders
- Arm circles - 20 forward, 20 backward, both arms
- Cross-body stretches - each arm across chest, 20 seconds hold
- Overhead reaches - stretch both arms overhead and lean side to side, 20 seconds each side
- Shoulder blade squeezes - pull shoulder blades together, hold 2 seconds, 15 reps
Hips and core
- Standing hip circles - 10 in each direction
- Torso twists - arms extended, rotate through your spine, 20 total
- Bodyweight squats - 10-15 reps
- Side-to-side lunges - 10 per side
Phase 3: on-court warm-up (5 minutes)
Once you step on court, warm up progressively. Do not start with smashes; build up to them.
1. Baseline rally (1-2 minutes)
Gentle forehand and backhand rallies from the baseline. Light pace. Goal is grooving the swing, not winning anything.
2. Cross-court rally (1 minute)
Cross-court forehand to forehand, then backhand to backhand. Slightly more pace. Start getting court awareness.
3. Volley exchange (1 minute)
One player at net, one at baseline. Rally gentle volleys and groundstrokes for 30 seconds, then switch.
4. Overhead practice (1 minute)
One player feeds easy lobs; the other practices bandeja and light smashes. NOT full power on the first overhead - start at 50-60% intensity, build up over 5-6 reps before hitting anything at match speed.
5. Serve practice (1 minute)
Each player serves 4-5 balls to get into rhythm. First serves of the match should already feel consistent, not experimental.
Special cases
Cold weather play
Double the warm-up time. Cold muscles take longer to activate. Include extra mobility work for shoulders and hips specifically. Keep warm clothes on for the first part of warm-up if possible.
Early morning play
Your body has been still all night. Do 10 minutes of mobility work at home before leaving for the club. A walk or short jog on the way helps. Do not try to warm up in 3 minutes on court at 7am.
Post-injury return
Extend warm-up by 50%. Include whatever specific exercises your physio recommended. Monitor the previously injured area closely during the first few games.
Tournament play
Full warm-up 30-45 minutes before match start. Keep warm with movement between warm-up and court time. Re-warm (2-3 minutes of light movement) just before stepping on court.
Common warm-up mistakes
- Static stretching as warm-up - research shows static stretches before sport reduce power and do not prevent injury. Use static stretches after play, not before
- Starting with smashes - cold shoulders + full-power overhead = injury
- Skipping warm-up because you are "running late" - a 2-minute warm-up is still far better than no warm-up. Do the basics
- Only warming up the dominant side - both sides should move equally during warm-up, even though one side hits the ball