Padel Warm-Up Routine
15 minutes of the right preparation before every session. Most padel injuries happen in the first 10 minutes of play — all of them are preventable with a proper warm-up.
The 15-minute structure
2 min
Pulse raiser
Light jog + side shuffle
5 min
Dynamic stretches
Leg swings, arm circles, lunges
3 min
Activation
Split-step + shoulder rotation
5 min
On-court rally
Mid-court → volleys → glass → serve
1. Pulse raiser (2 min)
Light jog
60 secEasy jog around the court perimeter. Get the heart rate above resting — you should be able to talk comfortably.
High knees
20 secDrive your knees up to hip height with a slight forward lean. Arms pump alternately.
Heel flicks
20 secKick your heels toward your glutes while moving forward. Activates the hamstrings and calf muscles.
Side shuffle
20 sec (each direction)Lateral shuffle across the court width. Mimics the dominant movement pattern in padel.
2. Dynamic stretches (5 min)
Hip circles
10 reps each wayHands on hips, large slow circles. Loosens the hip flexors and lower back that tighten from sitting.
Leg swings (front-back)
10 reps each legHold the fence or wall for balance. Swing each leg forward and back through full range. Warm up hip flexors and hamstrings.
Leg swings (side-side)
10 reps each legSwing each leg across your body and out to the side. Activates the hip abductors essential for lateral movement.
Arm circles
10 reps each directionLarge slow circles forward and backward. Progresses to smaller fast circles. Warms shoulder joint and rotator cuff.
Trunk rotations
10 reps each wayArms out at shoulder height, rotate through the torso — not just the arms. Activates the obliques used in every groundstroke.
Wrist and forearm circles
10 sec eachRotate wrists in both directions, then flex and extend the wrists with fingers spread. Prevents tennis elbow onset.
Lunge with rotation
8 reps alternatingStep into a lunge, rotate your torso toward the front knee. Warms hip flexors, glutes, and thoracic spine simultaneously.
3. Activation (3 min)
Split-step practice
10 repsStanding on the court, perform the padel split-step: small jump, land with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. This engages the fast-twitch muscle fibers before actual play.
Quick feet (ladder pattern)
3 × 10 secFast feet in place — imagine a small agility ladder. Engages ankle stability and gets the nervous system ready for explosive movement.
Shoulder internal/external rotation
8 reps eachElbow at 90°, rotate the forearm inward and outward against a slight resistance (use a resistance band or just bodyweight). Critical for rotator cuff warm-up before overhead shots.
On-court warm-up progression
The 5-minute on-court phase builds from gentle to game-pace systematically — don't skip ahead.
Step 1 — Gentle baseline rally (3 min)
Start from mid-court, not the baseline. Hit soft, high-bouncing balls cross-court with your partner. No pace — the goal is ball feel and timing. Gradually take one step back each minute until you're at the baseline by the end.
Coach note
Resist the temptation to hit hard from the first ball. The purpose is neurological calibration — your hands and eyes need 3–5 minutes to sync.
Step 2 — Net volleys (2 min)
Both players at the net, gentle cooperative volley-to-volley cross-court. Continental grip only. Focus on racket feel, not placement. Switch to straight-ahead volleys after 60 seconds.
Coach note
This is also the best time to check your grip — every padel session should start with a conscious continental grip check.
Step 3 — Back glass feeds (2 min)
One player feeds a soft, high ball to the back corner. Partner lets it bounce off the glass and returns a controlled lob. Alternate after 60 seconds. This activates the specific glass-reading skill that doesn't warm up from rallying alone.
Coach note
Most back-glass injuries happen in the first 10 minutes of play — players aren't warmed up and rush the glass ball. These 2 minutes fix that.
Step 4 — Serves (1 min)
Each player hits 4–6 practice serves before the match starts. Serve into the correct box at 60% pace, focusing on toss consistency and landing placement. Never serve at full pace as your first 2–3 serves of the session.
Coach note
A cold shoulder + first serve at full pace is how rotator cuff strains happen.
5 warm-up mistakes that cause injuries
Static stretching before play
Static stretches (hold 20–30 sec) reduce muscle explosive power by up to 8% when done immediately before sport. Save them for the post-session cool-down.
Fix
Use dynamic movement only before play. Static stretches belong after.
Skipping the warm-up when short on time
The first point of a match puts the same demands on your body as the 50th. Cold muscles, tendons, and joints are far more susceptible to tears and sprains.
Fix
Even 5 minutes — just the pulse raiser + 3–4 dynamic stretches + gentle rally — is vastly better than nothing.
Going straight to the baseline
Starting rallies from full court means your first 10+ balls are at high intensity before your muscles are warm.
Fix
Start from the service line and work back gradually. Takes 3 minutes to do correctly.
No shoulder warm-up
Padel overhead shots (bandeja, smash) put significant stress on the rotator cuff. The shoulder is the most commonly injured joint in padel beyond the elbow.
Fix
Arm circles + internal/external rotation exercises must be included before any overhead shots.
Warming up indoors while court is cold
Warming up in a heated changing room then stepping onto a cold outdoor court undoes most of the warm-up within 3–4 minutes.
Fix
Do the off-court warm-up outside near the court, or redo 60–90 seconds of movement after reaching a cold court.
Related guides
Padel Injuries Guide
Common injuries, prevention, and recovery timelines.
ReadPadel Training Guide
Fitness, conditioning & 4-week beginner plan.
ReadPadel Drills
7 structured drills for beginners and intermediates.
ReadPadel Fitness Guide
Strength, endurance, and agility for padel.
ReadPadel Grip Guide
Continental grip, overgrip & grip size.
ReadFind a Coach
A coach will run your warm-up correctly from day one.
Read