At tournaments, your warm-up can decide how your match starts. A good warm-up gets your body ready and your mind focused. A rushed or skipped warm-up leaves you tight, nervous, and making mistakes early.
Many junior players either hurry through their warm-up or skip important parts. They might jog for 30 seconds and think they’re ready, or they spend all their time hitting balls without preparing their body to move.
This post explains why warm-ups matter for junior tournament play, gives you a step-by-step routine that works, and shows how to adjust your warm-up for different situations.
Why a Proper Warm-Up Routine Matters for Junior Players
- Injury Prevention – Cold muscles are more likely to get injured. A good warm-up raises your body temperature and gets blood flowing to your muscles. This makes them more flexible and ready for the quick movements tennis requires.
- Better Performance from the Start – Without a proper warm-up, you’re basically using the first few games of your match to get ready. This means you might lose your serve or fall behind early while your timing and movement catch up.
- Mental Preparation – Warm-up time isn’t just about your body. A consistent warm-up routine gives you something familiar to focus on, which helps settle your nerves. You’re reminding your body how to play tennis and priming it for the match.
Step-by-Step Tennis Warm-Up Routine (20-30 Minutes Total)
Note: You don’t need to do every drill listed below. Pick 2-3 exercises from each section that work best for you and the time you have available.
A. Dynamic Movement & Mobility (5-8 Minutes)
Light Jogging: Jog around the court or along the fence for 2-3 minutes. This gets your heart rate up and starts warming your muscles. Don’t sprint – keep it easy and comfortable.
High Knees and Butt Kicks: Do these for 30-45 seconds each. High knees wake up your hip flexors, and butt kicks loosen your hamstrings. Both movements prepare your legs for quick direction changes.
Side Shuffles: Shuffle sideways along the baseline for 45 seconds each direction. This activates the muscles you use for lateral movement during points.
Arm Circles and Trunk Twists: Do 15-20 arm circles forward and backward to loosen your shoulders. Add 20 trunk twists to prepare your core for rotation during strokes.
Walking Lunges: Do 12-15 lunges with a gentle torso rotation. This opens up your hips and prepares your legs for the wide stances you’ll need during play.
Keep everything moving. The goal is to raise your heart rate and loosen your joints through movement.
B. Tennis-Specific Exercises (15-20 Minutes)
Shadow Strokes: Go through your forehand, backhand, and serve motions without a ball. Focus on smooth rhythm and proper footwork. Do 15-20 of each stroke, gradually increasing your speed.
Mini-Tennis: Start close to the net and rally gently with short swings. This helps you find your timing and feel for the ball. Rally for 3-4 minutes from close range before moving back.
Baseline Rally: Move back to the baseline and rally at about 60-70% speed. Focus on getting your timing right and finding your rhythm. Rally for 4-5 minutes. Get comfortable with the ball.
Volleys and Overheads: Spend 2-3 minutes at the net practicing volleys and a few overheads.
Serving Practice: Hit 10-15 serves at about 70% speed. Focus on your motion and accuracy rather than power. This takes about 2-3 minutes. Save the hard serves for the actual match.
C. Mental Preparation (2-5 Minutes)
Visualization: Picture yourself playing the first few points of the match. Imagine hitting good shots and moving well. This mental rehearsal helps your brain prepare for what’s coming.
Breathing Routine: Take 5-10 deep breaths to calm your nerves and center your focus. In through your nose, out through your mouth, nice and slow.
Key Reminders: Go over your main goals for the match – things like “keep my first serve in” or “move my feet early.” Keep it simple and positive. If you have specific words or routines that help you feel confident, use them now. This might be bouncing the ball a certain way or telling yourself “I’m ready.”
Adapting the Warm-Up to Tournament Settings
When Courts Aren’t Available
Sometimes you can’t get on a court for warm-up. Do your dynamic movements in the parking lot or behind the fence. Shadow stroke without a ball. You can still prepare your body and mind even without hitting.
Early Morning Matches
If your match starts at 8 AM, extend your warm-up by 5 minutes. Your body needs more time to wake up and get moving. Start with extra light jogging and gentle movements.
Back-to-Back Matches
When you have multiple matches in one day, you don’t need the full routine between matches. Focus on staying loose with light movement and a few practice swings. Don’t let your body stiffen up during breaks.
Nervous Players
If you get very nervous before matches, spend extra time on breathing and mental preparation. Start your calming routines earlier in the warm-up, not just at the end.
Hot Weather
In hot conditions, don’t overdo the warm-up. You want to be ready but not exhausted. Drink water throughout and find shade when possible.
Cold Weather
When it’s cold, extend the dynamic movement phase. Your muscles need more time to warm up properly. Consider wearing layers you can remove as you heat up.
Making It Work
Your warm-up routine should feel natural and prepare you for your best tennis. It’s not a rigid checklist – it’s a framework you can adjust based on conditions and how you’re feeling.
The key is consistency. Use the same basic routine for practice matches, local tournaments, and big competitions. This gives you something familiar to rely on when nerves kick in.
Don’t rush through your warm-up to save time. Those 15-20 minutes can save you from losing the first set because you weren’t ready. Treat your warm-up as part of your game plan, not something extra you do if you have time.
Want help building your junior’s pre-match routine? Athletes Untapped connects families with private tennis coaches who teach warm-up structure, match prep, and mental focus. Find the right local coach here and give your player the tools to start strong in every tournament.
