Let's talk today about warming up padel. After spending a week with the best players in the world at Marbella, it seemed interesting to broach the subject.

Paquito Navarro, Juan Martin Díaz, Coki Nieto, Marta Ortega or Ari Sánchez to name a few. All these players regaled us during this week of European Championships in Marbella.

Besides the fact that they are very good on the track, they are also very “professional” during their warm-up phase.

And for us, Marta Ortega is certainly the most strict player with the preparation of her body.

First of all, it is important to know your body, by doing identical movements before the matches. The hits of balls, the changes of direction, the resumptions of support, all this at slow speed, and you will learn to place yourself according to each situation. This process is slow but it will allow you to be efficient on each movement made.

Rise in temperature

This is the purpose of the warm-up. Get your body at the right temperature for a game or training.

Take it little by little. The joints of the lower part of the body then go up to the neck. This routine will allow you to detect a tension, a contracture, which you can make disappear or attenuate in order to avoid a possible injury.

Then get started by jogging and performing wider movements of the legs, with front and side balances, and arms with the shoulders.

Many players use rubber bands. It is an effective material which allows, in a small space, to prepare your body for the effort.

The match situation

This is the last step of your warm-up before taking the pala.

Make the trips you will have to make without material. Forward-backward strokes, sideways movements, rotations, volleys, bandejas… All this at regular speed at the beginning and then at high speed. These movements will also allow you to better manage your technique and especially learn to position your body.

Finally, take the pala and do these same movements. This will be the final point before hitting the ball.

Warm-up with ball

With your partner or a sparring partner, warm up by doing scales. Forehand against forehand, backhand-backhand, window exits, volleys, bandejas… all those shots that you just warmed up “empty” and that you are going to achieve during your match. Start slow and then accelerate your legs to finish at full speed.

On track

That's it, you're hot! Your body is ready for the effort. These 5 minutes of getting to know your opponents are neither a test of power to show who will be the strongest, nor a moment on which you will be able to rely for a perfect warm-up.

It's just taking your bearings with the track, your opponents, the balls, and the weather conditions.

Conclusion

We are well aware that this type of warm-up is not easy to achieve and sometimes we just don't want to… But do you think that professionals like Marta Ortega do this type of warm-up every time, and this several times a day if necessary.

A good warm-up coupled with a well-groomed lifestyle, wouldn't that be the key to success?

Julien Bondia

Julien Bondia is a teacher of padel in Tenerife (Spain). Columnist and advisor, he helps you play better through his tutorials and tactical/technical articles padel.