40% of amateur tennis injuries come from an insufficient or non-existent warm-up. The good news? You can avoid them in 10 minutes.

The 4-phase protocol

Phase 1: Cardio activation (3 min)

• Jog in place or around the court
• Heel flicks for 30 seconds
• High knees for 30 seconds
• The goal: raise your heart rate to 100-120 bpm

Phase 2: Joint mobility (3 min)

The joints that suffer most in tennis:

• Shoulders: wide arm circles, arms straight, 10 each way
• Hips: front-to-back and lateral swings
• Ankles: rotations + rises onto the toes
• Wrist: gentle flexion/extension

Phase 3: Dynamic stretching (2 min)

No static stretching before the match (it's proven to lower performance).

• Alternating lunges + torso rotation
• Light squats (10x)
• Lateral side-steps

Phase 4: Racquet warm-up (2 min)

• 20 forehands without moving
• 20 backhands without moving
• 10 serves at 50% power

The 3 mistakes to avoid

1. Arriving exactly 5 minutes early: you'll skip the warm-up
2. Static stretching beforehand: counterproductive
3. Serving hard from the start: guaranteed shoulder tendinitis

After the match (5 min)

That's when you do your static stretching:

• Quads (30s each leg)
• Calves (30s)
• Outer shoulder (30s each)
• Cross wrist stretch

🏥 If you play more than twice a week, add a strengthening session (core, lunges, resistance bands) once a week. It multiplies your longevity.