Padel is a very addictive game you get completely hooked on - fast rallies and explosive movements - endless fun! But if you are over 30 years old, you might be struggling with it taking longer to bounce back between sessions. Soreness, stiff joints and fatigue can affect your next game if you do not recover properly.

Thankfully there are plenty of options available to improve your recovery time and be able to play more padel, even into your 40s and 50s.

The tips in this guide is mostly geared towards players of 30 years and above but can also be good tips for younger players to keep the rate of injury low and be able to play more as they get older as well.

Why recovery is more important after 30

• Slower muscle repair: As we age our bodies produce less growth hormone and collagen, which will slow down rebuilding of muscles and connective tissue after intense exercise.
• Reduced mobility: More than a decade of working, training or a desk job can create tight hips, stiff shoulders and limited range of motion
• Joint health: Cartilage and tendons become less elastic with age

This sounds depressing but there is an upside; By paying closer attention to recovery through sleep, nutrition, mobility and recovery tools you can both keep playing frequently and actually extend your padel career.

Cool-down and active recovery

Immediately after your game there is a few things you can do to better your recovery:

• Light movement: Walk a few minutes or cool down with some low intensity cardio like on a bike
• Stretching: Focus on hips, hamstrings, calves and shoulders (key padel areas)
• Foam rolling: Use a foam roller on your quads, glutes and back to reduce muscle tension

Heat / cold therapy (sauna, ice bath)

In my experience doing infrared sauna sessions at home has helped me tremendously in recovery from padel and being able to play every day even into my forties. We have one of those silly looking tents which you sit inside. After 15 minutes you are drenched in sweat but you will feel great and sleep like a baby.

In general saunas improve blood circulation, helps relax muscles and aids deep recovery.

Lets not forget the opposite side of the spectrum - ice baths, cold showers. These can be great for reducing inflammation and muscle soreness.

I unfortunately don't have an ice bath at home but everytime I visit a gym or spa with one I keep going between the sauna and ice bath. Feels absolutely amazing after.

Sleep and nutrition

Everybody knows that sleep is important but very few actually prioritize it properly. Being an adult (usually) means having more responsibilities, maybe tending to children while juggling a demanding job. Often sleep will get less priority. Getting at least 7-8 hours of high quality sleep is detrimental to faster recovery times.

Nutrition is also a key element to recovery - make sure to get some high quality nutrition after playing padel to restock your body with energy (carbs) and proteins to help repair your muscles for the next padel session.

Also don't forget refueling with a lot of water and consider also adding some electrolytes that you sweat out during the session.

Strength and mobility

Older athletes recover faster when they are strong. Padel puts stress on knees, shoulders and your core, so strengthening these areas will pay off in terms of recovery.

We recommend doing strength training 2-3 times per week involving these muscles.

Also doing mobility work like stretches and mobility drills will help you prepare for the next padel session.

Equipment for recovery

You don't need to buy a ton of equipment in order to aid your recovery but a few things can be worth trying out.

• Massage gun: Helps increase circulation
• Foam roller: Release tight muscles
• Compression clothing: Wear after games to support circulation

Sample recovery plan

Here is a simple routine you can follow to optimize your padel recovery:

After your match (same day)

1. Walk 10-15 minutes or low intensity cardio on a bike
2. Stretch major muscle groups (20-30 second holds)
3. Drink water and eat protein and carbs to resupply hydration, energy and stimulate muscle repair
4. Evening: Sauna and/or cold plunge
5. Sleep 7-9 hours

Next day

• Light mobility session or yoga
• Foam rolling or massage gun
• Keep well hydrated and eat well

Weekly routine

• 2-3 strength training sessions
• 1 sauna and/or cold therapy session
• 1 massage or physio session

Conclusion

Recovering well after padel is not only about being able to play more often or even daily - it is just as much about extending your padel career for years to come. By cooling down properly, both directly after the game and also with heat/cold therapy, keeping your body strong and mobile and eating and sleeping well you will recover faster and also perform better in your matches.

Take recovery seriously and enjoy the game for decades to come!

Have any tips that I missed in this guide? Please let me know in the comments below :)