Sports training
Racket sport warm-up
No warm-up has been shown to prevent injuries in racket sports, but warming up helps you play. This follows our warm-up guide and the structure of the tennis warm-ups that have been studied: get warm, move through your range, wake up your shoulders and forearms, then rehearse court movement. Finish with a few minutes of mini-tennis before full shots.
Raise
- Skipping2 min of court widthsBeginner · Calves, Hip flexors, Quads · 3D demoMix skips, side-steps and easy joggingHarder: Alternate-leg bounding
Move
- Front-to-back leg swings8 swings each legBeginner · Hamstrings, Hip flexors · 3D demoHold the net post or fenceHarder: Contract-relax hamstring stretch (PNF)
- World's Greatest Stretch3 each sideIntermediate · Hamstrings, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoReach up as you turnEasier: Supine hamstring stretch with a strap
- Wrist & forearm flow10 slow reps each directionBeginner · Forearms · 3D demoCircles, then palm up and palm downHarder: Wrist flexor stretch
Shoulders
- Standing band external rotation10 to 12 each armBeginner · Shoulders, Back · 3D demoA light band, elbow by your sideHarder: Side-lying external rotation
- Intermediate · Shoulders, Back · 3D demoSlowly, shoulders downEasier: Prone Y-T-W raisesHarder: Barbell rear-delt row
Footwork and landing
- Side-stepping (sideways walking)2 × 20 s each wayBeginner · Hip abductors, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoLow and wide, quick feetHarder: Lateral band walk
- Shuttle runs2 to 3 short shuttlesAdvanced · Quads, Glutes, Calves · 3D demoTouch the line, turn and run back; start with wide, easy turnsEasier: Treadmill jogging
- Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoLand quietly, knees over your toesHarder: Box drop landing
Tips
- Then play mini-tennis inside the service boxes for at least 2 minutes, then groundstrokes, volleys and overheads, with serves last. In padel, start the overheads gently.
- In padel and squash, wear eyewear made to a recognised sports standard: ordinary glasses can make an eye injury worse.
- Over 60 or new to court sports? Leave out the landings and keep the shuttles easy: falls are the commonest cause of racket-sport injuries treated in emergency departments.
- In hot weather, follow the heat advice of the UK's National Health Service (NHS), and stop if you feel dizzy, sick or confused.
The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.
Guides that recommend it
Find more moves like these
More sports training
Injury prevention exercises for runners
Foot, calf, balance and hop exercises taken from the running trials with positive results, in a 25-minute home routine for 3 or 4 days a week.
25 minBeginner11 movesOther / check instructions, A bench or box
Plyometrics for runners
A 20-minute hop and bound session for runners: ankle bounces to pogo hops, one-leg hops and bounding, building foot contacts slowly over 10 weeks.
20 minIntermediate8 movesCardio machine
Strength workout for cyclists (gym)
A 50-minute gym session for cyclists: heavy squats, one-leg presses, hip flexion and calf raises as in the cycling trials, plus jumps for bone.
50 minIntermediate13 movesCardio machine, A barbellQuestions people ask
How long does the racket sport warm-up take?
About 12 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.
What equipment do I need?
You need: A wall, A band, An anchor point. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.
Is it suitable for beginners?
It is written for beginners. 3 of its 10 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.
How do I make it easier or harder?
Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.