Most people rock up to the court, hit two balls, and start their match. Then they spend the first three games playing catch up, wonder why their shoulder twinges on the first smash, and roll an ankle chasing a wide ball. A short warm up fixes all of that, and it takes less time than finding a parking space.
Padel is a stop start game. You stand still, then sprint, then stretch for a low volley, then jump for an overhead. That mix of sudden movements is exactly what cold muscles and joints do not like. Eight to ten minutes of preparation gets your body ready for it and gets your eye in before the score starts to matter.
Here is a routine you can genuinely follow, no gym kit required.
Why warming up matters for padel
The quick changes of direction, the twisting for shots off the glass, and the overhead smashes all load your joints and muscles hard and without warning. A cold shoulder asked to smash at full pace is a classic way to strain something. Cold ankles on a sudden sideways lunge are how twists happen. Warming up raises your muscle temperature, wakes up the joints, and lets you move freely from the first point. It also sharpens your timing, so you are not gifting away easy errors early on.
The routine, step by step
1. Get moving (about 2 minutes). Start with a light jog on the spot or a few laps of the court, then add some side steps in both directions. The aim is simply to raise your heart rate and get a little warmth into your legs. You should feel loose, not puffed out.
2. Mobility (about 2 minutes). Now move the joints through their range while you are already a bit warm. Arm circles forwards and backwards, hip circles, gentle trunk twists to each side, and some leg swings holding the fence for balance. Keep everything controlled and comfortable. This is not the time for long static stretches, which are better saved for after you play.
3. Ankles and wrists (about 1 minute). These two get overlooked and are among the most commonly tweaked in padel. Roll each ankle in circles both ways, and do a few gentle calf raises. For the wrists, circle them and give them a light stretch, since they take the load on every volley and off the glass.
4. Shoulder prep for overheads (about 2 minutes). Before you smash or play a bandeja, the shoulder needs waking up properly. Do slow arm circles that get gradually bigger, then mime a few overhead swings with no ball, starting soft and slowly building the range. Reach up and across your body a couple of times. By the time you play your first real overhead, the shoulder should already have moved through that pattern several times.
5. Gentle rallies (about 2 to 3 minutes). Finally, get on court and knock the ball back and forth softly. Start close to the net with easy volleys, then drift back to the baseline for some relaxed ground strokes. Play a few balls off the back glass so your eye adjusts to the bounce. Then hit two or three easy overheads at half pace before anyone serves. Build up gradually rather than smashing your first ball flat out.
That is the whole thing, and it comes in comfortably under ten minutes. If you have longer, stretch out the rallies and add a few more overheads.
A few extra pointers
Warm up with your partner if you can, so you both start the match ready rather than one of you playing into form while the other is already sharp. On a cold Manchester evening, add a couple of minutes and keep a layer on until you feel properly warm. And save the long, held stretches for the end of your session, when they help you recover, rather than the start, when they can leave you feeling slack.
If injury prevention is on your mind more broadly, our fuller guide to warming up for padel and avoiding injury goes deeper into looking after your body over a season. And if you want to turn a warm up into a proper practice, our two player drills pick up neatly from the gentle rally stage.
Build the habit and it becomes automatic, the same as tying your shoes before you leave the house. You will play better from the first point and give yourself the best chance of finishing the session in one piece. For more on getting the most from your time on court, browse the tools on our tools page.
FAQ
How long should a padel warm up be?
Eight to ten minutes is plenty for most club sessions. On a cold day or before a competitive match, stretch it to twelve or fifteen and spend a little longer on the shoulder and the gentle rallies.
Should I stretch before playing padel?
Do gentle moving stretches and mobility before you play, not long held static ones. Save the longer stretches for after your session, when they help you recover and stay flexible.
What part of the body gets injured most in padel?
Shoulders from overheads, wrists and elbows from the repeated impact, and ankles from sudden changes of direction. A warm up that prepares all three, as above, meaningfully lowers the risk.