The 10-Minute Tennis Warm-Up You're Probably Skipping
Quick answer
A 10-minute warm-up before you play lowers your injury risk and means you start the first game ready instead of finding your timing down 0-3. Skip the static stretching. Do a few minutes of dynamic movement to raise your heart rate, then prime your shoulders with a band, then start your hitting warm-up easy and build up.
A quick note
This is general coaching guidance, not medical advice. If you are returning from injury or have specific concerns, check with a physician or physical therapist.
Why a cold start costs you
Walking straight onto the court cold does two bad things: it raises your injury risk, especially in the shoulder and legs, and it means your timing and footwork are not ready, so you donate the first few games while you warm into it. Ten minutes solves both.
The 10-minute routine
- 1Three minutes of dynamic movement: jog, side shuffles, leg swings, lunges, and arm circles to raise your heart rate.
- 2Two minutes of banded shoulder work: external rotations and pull-aparts to prime the rotator cuff before you serve.
- 3Five minutes of progressive hitting: start at the service line with mini-tennis, then move back and build up pace gradually.
Skip the static stretching
Long static stretches before playing do not prevent injury and can briefly reduce power. Save the static stretching for after you play. Before, you want dynamic movement that warms the muscles and rehearses the patterns you are about to use. The shoulder prep especially matters if you have any soreness, which is the start of what to do when your shoulder hurts on the serve.
The short version
Three minutes dynamic movement, two minutes banded shoulder prep, five minutes progressive hitting. Skip static stretching until after. Start ready, not cold.
Frequently asked
How should I warm up before playing tennis?
Do about three minutes of dynamic movement to raise your heart rate, two minutes of banded shoulder work to prime the rotator cuff, then five minutes of progressive hitting from mini-tennis out to full court.
Should I stretch before tennis?
Do dynamic movement, not long static stretches, before you play. Static stretching does not prevent injury beforehand and can briefly reduce power. Save static stretching for after your session.
Why do I start matches slowly?
Usually because you start cold, so your timing and footwork are not ready. A 10-minute dynamic and progressive-hitting warm-up gets you sharp before the first game instead of during it.
Sources and further reading
Written by
Bolor Enkhbayar
Tennis coach and founder of CoachesNote
Bolor coaches serious juniors and adult competitors. She builds every weekly plan, reviews the video and match notes, and decides the next job, in person and remotely through CoachesNote.
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