Smart 10‑Minute Warm‑Up for Padel

Arriving “cold” to the court is like gifting the first two games. With this 10‑minute express plan you will activate joints, muscles, and focus to be locked in from the very first point.

Structure (10 minutes)

1. Dynamic mobility — 3 min
2. Progressive cardio — 2 min
3. Specific activation — 3 min
4. Racket and balls: timing and reflexes — 2 min

1) Dynamic mobility — 3 min

Do 6–8 reps per exercise, no bouncing.

• Neck and shoulders: shoulder circles forward/back; gentle neck tilts
• Thoracic spine: trunk rotations with arms outstretched (controlled)
• Hips: circles, open/close hips with side steps
• Knees and ankles: half squat + ankle circles with foot supported
• Hamstrings and adductors: dynamic good mornings; lateral sway with short lunge

Keys: comfortable range, steady breathing, progressive amplitude.

2) Progressive cardio — 2 min

Raise heart rate without fatiguing.

• 30” easy jog around the court
• 30” lateral shuffles (low and stable), change of direction
• 30” medium skipping + 2–3 accelerations of 5 m
• 30” light reactive hops (imaginary rope)

Keys: athletic posture, active feet, eyes forward.

3) Specific activation — 3 min

Prioritize glute, core, and shoulder (crucial for bandeja/vibora).

• Glute medius: mini squat with band + lateral steps (2×10 m)
• Core: plank 20” + 6 controlled rotations with racket in front
• Shoulders: “Y‑T‑W” moves 6–8 reps (with band or no load)
• Short accelerations: 3×5 m from split‑step stance

Keys: constant elastic tension, clean technique, breathing.

4) Racket and balls — 2 min

Don’t “hammer” the ball; look for feel and timing.

• Racket taps: 15–20 short taps, stable height
• Soft cross volleys with your partner: 10–12 each side, to the feet
• Controlled lob: 3–4 high, deep lobs per player
• Control bandeja: 3–4 bandejas to deep zones (no forcing)

Keys: contact in front of the body, light feet, split step before the hit.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping mobility and jumping straight into hard rallying
• Long static stretching before playing (save for afterwards)
• Over‑hitting smashes/bandejas already in the warm‑up
• Forgetting shoulders and glutes: increases injury risk

Adaptations by context

• Cold outdoors: add 1–2 min of cardio and keep a hoodie on; delay overheads
• Fast indoor court: more focus on low receives and split step
• Returning from injury (shoulder/lumbar): reduce ranges, increase control, more isometric activation work

Useful gear (optional)

• Short elastic band (glute/shoulder)
• Extra ball and light rope
• Breathable hoodie for the initial block

Start measuring performance from the first point: log your matches in padellog. “If it’s not in padellog, it doesn’t count.”