As the nights close in, a lot of our members are about to play more padel over the next few months than they did all summer.

It's brilliant for your game, for course, but make sure to give your body a little more attention to match.

Warm Up Like You Mean It

As we head towards winter (sorry), you're walking in from the cold with tighter muscles and stiffer joints — so that quick knock-up isn't quite enough anymore.

Give yourself 5–10 minutes before you play: some hip circles, shoulder rolls, ankle mobility, a few lunges to open up the legs. Padel is full of sharp lateral movement and quick direction changes, and your body will thank you for waking it up properly before you ask it to do that.

Stretch — Before and After

Two short stretching windows, not one long one:

• Before you play: dynamic stretches — leg swings, walking lunges, arm circles. Keep it moving, not static.
• After you play: static stretches — hold each one for 20–30 seconds. Calves, hamstrings, hip flexors and shoulders take the most strain in padel, so give those the extra minute.

Neither has to be complicated. A few minutes courtside before and after is enough to make a real difference over a winter of regular games.

Don't Underestimate Hydration

It's easy to assume you don't need to think about hydration in winter — you're not sweating in the sun, after all. But an hour on court is still an hour on court. You're working just as hard indoors in December as you were when we were melting here in July, even if you don't feel as thirsty. Bring the water bottle regardless of the season.

Let the Recovery Suite Do the Heavy Lifting

If you're playing twice or three times a week through winter instead of once a fortnight in summer, recovery stops being a nice-to-have and becomes the thing that actually lets you keep it up.

That's exactly what the Recovery Suite is there for:

• Ice bath to bring down inflammation and muscle soreness after a hard session
• Sauna to loosen up tired muscles and help you switch off before heading back out into the cold
• Contrast therapy — alternating between the two — for a proper reset if you've just played a competitive match

Think of it less as a treat and more as part of the routine that keeps you playing through the whole winter, injury-free.

Your Winter Padel Routine

Play your match → stretch it out → hit the Recovery Suite → refuel at Padel Zero Café. Simple, repeatable, and it means winter becomes your most consistent padel season yet, not your quietest.

Book your next session — and your Recovery Suite slot — on the Padel LK app.