Stepping onto the court cold is like trying to sprint with your shoelaces tied together. You’re setting yourself up for a disadvantage.
A proper tennis warm up routine isn’t just a formality. It’s the difference between feeling sluggish and moving like a pro.
If you’ve ever found yourself struggling with slow starts, stiff movements, or frustrating unforced errors in the opening games, your warm-up could be the culprit.
The solution? A dynamic, strategic tennis warm up routine that fires up your muscles, sharpens your reflexes, and primes your mind for battle.
Why you need a warm up routine
Warming up isn’t just about getting your body moving. It’s about priming your muscles, joints, and nervous system for the dynamic nature of tennis.
A structured warm up enhances your reaction time, optimises coordination, and prepares your mind to execute precise shots under pressure.
Without a proper warm-up, you risk:
- Stiff movements that slow down your footwork.
- Reduced shot accuracy due to cold muscles.
- Increased injury risk, especially in the shoulders, knees, and lower back.
- Slow starts that allow your opponent to gain an early advantage.
A well-designed tennis warm up routine can prevent these issues and help you step onto the court with confidence.
Phase 1: Dynamic movement preparation
Here are some basic warm up exercises to get your mind and body working together and prepared for your tennis match.
Jogging and Side Shuffles (3-5 minutes)
Begin with light jogging around the court or in place to elevate your heart rate. Incorporate side shuffles to activate the lateral movement needed for tennis.
High Knees and Butt Kicks (2 minutes)
These exercises improve lower-body mobility, increase blood flow, and prepare your legs for quick direction changes.
Carioca Drills (2 minutes)
Use carioca drills to enhance hip mobility and coordination. These are essential for lateral and diagonal movements during rallies.
Phase 2: Stretching
Next in our tennis warm up routine is stretching. You only need 5 or 6 minutes of stretching to ensure your body is beginning to loosen up, ensuring you can easily move around the court.
Arm Circles and Shoulder Rotations (2 minutes)
Warming up the shoulders is crucial, especially for serves and overhead shots. Perform small and large arm circles, followed by shoulder rotations to loosen up.
Leg Swings (2 minutes)
Hold onto a net post or fence and swing your legs forward and back, then side to side. This enhances hip flexibility and helps with explosive movements.
Torso Twists (1-2 minutes)
Tennis demands rotational power. Torso twists prepare your core and lower back for powerful strokes.
Phase 3: Tennis specific drills
We’ve yet to pick up a racket but you can now! With your racket in hand, we can move on to the next stage of our tennis warm up routine.
Shadow Swings (3-5 minutes)
Practice forehand, backhand, and serve motions without the ball. Focus on technique, fluidity, and rhythm.
Mini-Tennis Rallies (5 minutes)
Start with short-court rallies near the service line to ease into ball control and touch.
Split-Step and Reaction Drills (3 minutes)
Practising the split-step prepares your body for explosive movement and quick reactions.
Phase 4: Mental activation
The final phrase of our tennis warm up routine is about getting your mindset right! Again, it doesn’t take long but does require your complete focus to get your mind, match ready.
Visualization and Controlled Breathing (2-3 minutes)
Mental preparedness is just as vital as physical readiness. Visualise key points, deep-breathe, and establish a focused mindset before the match.
Get match ready in under 20 minutes
This structured 20-minute warm-up primes your body and mind for competition, helping you move freely, strike clean shots, and stay injury-free. If you’re looking to take your tennis game to the next level, mastering strategic warm-ups is just the beginning.
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