Why warm-up really counts in padel
We’ve all seen the scene. The two pairs arrive on the court, take out their rackets, exchange three balls from the back and off they go. Five minutes later, the first point is played, and already the feeling that nothing comes out the way you want it to. It’s rarely a coincidence. The warm-up is probably the most neglected part of amateur padel, even though it’s what determines the first half-hour of the game.
Padel is an explosive sport. Short starts, changes in direction, overhead shots and end-of-stroke defense all require warm muscles, mobile joints and an alert nervous system. Without preparation, the shoulder, elbow, hamstrings and calves will take a beating from the very first points. And beyond the risk of injury, there’s an obvious technical cost: a cold body plays late, hits less accurately and reads the ball less well. In short, skipping the warm-up means starting the match a set behind.
A routine in three parts: body, joints, ball
It doesn’t have to take an hour. A good padel warm-up routine takes 10 to 15 minutes, provided you follow a simple logic: promote temperature, mobilize, then activate with the padel racket. Here’s how to structure it.
1. Cardio activation (3 to 4 minutes). The idea is to gently promote the heart tempo and muscle temperature. A few minutes of light jogging around the courts, knee promotions, heel-and-butt and side steps are all it takes. If the club is small, a little skipping rope or jumping jacks goes a long way. The benchmark is simple: at the end, you should be slightly warm, not out of breath.
2. Joint mobility (3 to 4 minutes). This is the phase that prepares the areas most used for padel:
- Shoulder circles front and back, arms outstretched.
- Trunk rotations, hands on hips, to awaken rotational gainage.
- Mobility of wrists and elbows (slow rotations), often overlooked in the prevention of epicondylitis.
- Forward lunges while walking to open the hips and activate the ischios and quadriceps.
- Ankle rotations and small jumps on the spot for the calves.
The goal is not deep stretching, but movement. Stay dynamic, don’t hold positions for too long. Sports science is quite clear about static stretching at the start of a session: it can even reduce explosiveness in the first few minutes of the game.
Ball warm-up: the phase that changes everything
This is where many players sabotage their start of the match. Three strong exchanges from the back, and off you go. Except that the body needs to find the gesture, not the winner. For the first few strokes to be of any real use, it’s best to follow a progression:
- Short mini-exchanges at mid-court for 1 to 2 minutes, soft ball, to regain contact and timing.
- Exchanges from the bottom, remaining steady, without seeking power, favouring high, deep balls.
- Volleys at the net, alternating with your partner at the back, to awaken reflexes and trajectory reading.
- A few bandejas and viboras with progressive intensity: you don’t hit hard right away, but first look for the right contact point.
- Three or four serves each, starting at 60% intensity and promoting to 80%. Never start at full intensity.
This sequence takes five or six minutes in total and radically changes the quality of the first few games. The body is ready, the gesture is set, and you enter the match with a clear head rather than in survival mode. It’s also a precious moment to exchange a few words with your partner: who’s covering what, what level you’re up against, what your starting strategy is. These thirty seconds of communication are often worth more than a winning point at the start of a set.
A final useful reflex: adapt your warm-up to the conditions. In winter, in a cool room, it’s better to lengthen the cardio and mobility phase. Away from home in midsummer, you can shorten the cardio phase, but remember to keep well hydrated before and during. And if you’re stringing together several matches in a tournament, there’s no need to redo everything between matches: a few minutes of mobility and match points are enough to keep you warm.
To remember:
- A good padel warm-up takes 10 to 15 minutes and structures the start of the match.
- Three phases: cardio activation, joint mobility, progressive ball warm-up.
- Prioritize dynamic exercises over static stretching before playing.
- Adapt duration and intensity according to weather, season and string together matches.
