5 Warmup & Recovery Tools for Tennis I Can’t Live Without
And How I Use Them
We hope you love this article. Just so you know, TennisCompanion may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page to help keep this site running. Learn more.
Warming up your body before hitting the court and spending adequate time recovering after is essential to feeling your best, performing at the highest level, and reducing the likelihood of injury.
However, pre- and post-tennis routines are often inadequate to ensure our bodies are in tip-top shape, so it can be helpful to enlist the support of specialized equipment for the best results.
In this article, I’ll share why I use warmup and recovery tools and the five that I can’t live without. I’ll also explain how each piece of equipment works and discuss how I use it so you can decide if any are worthwhile exploring further to enhance your performance.
Here’s a preview of my favorite tools:
Keep scrolling to learn how and why I use each.
Video Overview
Check out my video below for a more visual walkthrough of my favorite warmup and recovery tools for tennis.
Why I Use These Tools
When I head to the court to play tennis, I want to feel loose, release any tension or stiffness that might hold me back, and have excellent range of motion so that I can push my body to the limit without injury.
Similarly, after I finish playing and beating myself up on the court, I want to give my body the attention it needs to reduce muscle soreness and recover faster with the least downtime so I can do it again tomorrow.
The tools I cover in this guide are a handful I use daily to enhance my warmup and cool-down routines so I can train harder, play my best tennis, and have the most fun on the court.
Lacrosse Ball
When parts of my body hold tension, one of the best ways I’ve found to ease and release it is to use a lacrosse ball. I’m not partial to any brand for working my body, so whatever you find online should do the trick.
Lacrosse balls are made from hard rubber, perfect for targeting deep muscles that carry tension. I’ll apply one to various parts of my body where I sense discomfort with some light pressure for an excellent massage that loosens up my muscles and restores my range of motion. I use a lacrosse ball most often around my hips, throughout my back, and in my glutes.
For my hips and glutes, I’ll gently lower myself onto a ball until the pressure feels adequate. Then, I’ll roll to the point where I feel tension, pause for 15-30 seconds, and release for roughly the same time, repeating once or twice if I could use the extra work.
For my back, I’ll do the same on the ground for a deeper massage or place the ball behind my back against a wall and lean into it.
When using a lacrosse ball, I’m cautious about going too deep for too long as I’ve found I can overdo it, which can be counterproductive.
Foot Log
Your feet absorb immense shock and pressure while playing tennis, especially on hard courts, so it pays to give them the attention they deserve to avoid pain and injury.
One of the best pieces of equipment I’ve found for the task is The Foot Log, which is straightforward to use and perfectly designed to give your feet an amazing massage before or after playing tennis.
To use the Foot Log, I place it on the ground and roll one foot at a time over the top, applying any amount of pressure that feels good. You can also point your foot up to target your heel, which feels great, too.
For the most comfortable massage, I prefer to use it while wearing socks. However, the smooth middle part of the device works great without socks. Ultimately, it’s a personal preference, so do what feels right.
Like a lacrosse ball, I’ve found too much pressure to be counterproductive, so I take it easy and slowly increase pressure to avoid overdoing it.
The Original Stick
I was first introduced to The Original Stick leg massager while doing the Susan G. Komen 3-Day with my wife. This 60-mile walk, spread over three consecutive days, put a solid beating on our legs, and the stick was a lifesaver. Since then, it’s become a go-to for my tennis.
The Original Stick is a flexible plastic stick with handles at both ends and free-rolling spindles that glide smoothly over any body part where you can roll it. I use it primarily for my legs, the side of my abdomen or external obliques, and my lower back.
Simply grab one end of the stick with each hand, then roll it over the top of a muscle group, applying pressure that feels adequate. I like to roll back and forth over the muscle several times at varying angles for a thorough massage before moving on to another body part.
I own the Little Stick and the Travel Stick. The former is smaller and more flexible, which I always keep in my tennis bag. Meanwhile, the Travel Stick is still a great size for a tennis bag, but I’ve found it firmer, so I typically use it at home when I want a deeper muscle massage.
Once again, less is often more. I apply sufficient pressure but won’t go overboard to avoid hurting myself more than helping.
Foam Roller
I’m a huge fan of foam rollers, and their ubiquitous presence in gyms these days speaks volumes about their practicality.
Your basic high-density black foam rollers are sufficient for the task, so you don’t need anything fancy to get great results. If you’ve never used one, I’d recommend this type for the most comfort and best results.
However, I’ve found that the more I use a foam roller, the less firm it feels, leaving a bit to be desired when working a muscle group, so I eventually upgraded to a RumbleRoller for a deeper massage.
Although I can use a foam roller for most body parts, my favorite use cases are my glutes, back, and legs.
Glutes
To use a foam roller for my glutes, I’ll place it on the ground, sit on top of it, cross my left leg over my right to work my right side, and then cross my right leg over my left to work on my left side.
Back
For my back, I’ll start sitting on top of the foam roller, then slowly roll forward until I reach my upper back. From there, I’ll slowly rock back and forth up the length of my back. For a bit more pressure, you can angle to one side for a deeper massage.
Upper Legs
I’ll start in the same position for my legs, sitting on top of the foam roller. Then, I’ll turn to my right and cross my left leg over my right, placing my weight on my hands out in front of the roller as I extend my legs to work my hamstrings. From there, I’ll slowly rotate my body as I work back and forth across the length of my legs until I hit my quads, flipping back around to sit back on top of the roller to finish.
Just flip the above instructions for your left leg.
Lower Legs
For the lower portion of my legs, I’ll sit on the ground, place the foam roller under my knees, and position it under my right calf. Next, I’ll put my hands on the ground at my sides and cross my left leg over my right before slowly raising my body off the ground to apply pressure, rocking back and forth, and adjusting the angle to hit all the muscles.
Finally, I’ll repeat the same process for my left leg.
When I started using a foam roller, some body parts were super sensitive, so I’d take it slow and apply less pressure. Eventually, my body acclimated with consistent usage, and it became easier, so be patient and go at your own pace using a gentle pressure that feels good.
Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro
I held off on buying a massage gun for a long time, mainly because they were expensive, and I had plenty of other tools at my disposal.
When I finally took the plunge, I purchased a cheaper knock-off from Amazon because I was concerned I’d buy it and not use it as much as I hoped.
However, it didn’t take long for me to realize the power of this pricier piece of equipment for prepping my body to play tennis and recover. In short, massage guns are super effective, incredibly easy to use, and apply targeted percussive massage to reduce muscle tension and soreness.
After burning out one, getting a free replacement, and using it for over two years, I eventually sprung for the Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro with the heated head attachment, and it was worth every penny.
It’s quieter, delivers a deeper, more robust massage, and offers excellent battery life. However, the heated head is what really sets it apart from my original knock-off, significantly enhancing its performance and my relief.
To use it, I’ll select a head, turn the Hypervolt on, adjust the intensity, and apply it to any muscle group that needs attention with some pressure. I’ll slowly move it around the muscle group until it’s loose and then transition to another part of my body.
Before and after playing tennis, I’ll work my body from top to bottom, starting with my feet, legs, glutes, back, abdomen, chest, arms, and shoulders. By the end, I feel like a new person, and it’s the closest thing I’ve found to an expensive massage, which is one of the easiest ways to justify its higher cost.
Having started with a cheaper model, I assure you that any massage gun will deliver benefits. However, options from Hyperice and Theragun, two leaders in the space, offer a step-up in performance that I’ve found worthy of the investment as I use it daily.
Wrapping Up
For years, I neglected my body with inadequate warmups and lackluster recovery techniques, which undoubtedly suffocated my ability to perform my best and contributed to the back issues I suffered for years.
Now a little older and wiser, I spend just as much time prepping my body and working on its recovery as I do playing tennis. It’s become an essential investment of time that ensures I feel great on and off the court.
The equipment I discussed in this article has been instrumental in getting the best results, and at this stage, I’d have a rough time without them, so I hope you find something I’ve shared to help enhance your performance.
If you have a minute, I’d love to know if you have any favorite warmup and recovery tools that you regularly use. Drop a comment below, and as always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
5-Point Friday
A brief recap of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about in tennis.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!