A word of warning first: you can’t learn technique just by reading. Use this page alongside your classes, so you understand better what your coach is showing you and why.
Which grip should you use in padel?
Most coaches teach the continental grip, also called the hammer grip. Hold the racket like a hammer: with the frame at right angles to the ground, the V between your thumb and index finger sits on the top edge of the handle.
With this grip you can play every shot, from the serve to the smash, without changing grip between shots. That’s a big advantage at the net, where the ball comes at you fast.
Don’t squeeze the handle as hard as you can all the time. A tight grip tires your forearm and makes your shots stiff, so only tighten it at the moment of contact.
What’s the right ready position?
Knees slightly bent, weight on the balls of your feet, racket in front of your body at chest height. As your opponent hits the ball, do a small hop, called a split step, so you can move quickly in any direction.
Move with small steps and turn your shoulders towards the ball early, before the shot. Padel doesn’t leave you time for a long backswing.
How do you hit a forehand and a backhand?
Use a short swing and hit the ball in front of your body. The power comes from your legs and the turn of your body, and your arm only guides the racket. Finish the stroke towards your target.
- You hit the forehand on the side of the hand that holds the racket. Before the shot, turn your shoulders sideways and take the racket back to about shoulder height.
- Most players hit the backhand one-handed. A two-handed backhand is allowed and gives a beginner more stability, but your reach is shorter.
When you’re hitting from the back of the court, aim low over the net at the feet of the players at the net, or play a lob. If you hit hard and the ball bounces into your opponent’s back glass, it comes back to them as an easy ball.
How do you hit a volley?
You hit a volley before the ball bounces, usually close to the net. You don’t need a backswing: keep the racket in front of your body with the racket head above your wrist, and push the ball where you want it with a short movement.
Aim deep or at your opponents’ feet. At the net, control beats speed, and a racket held in front of your face protects you as well.
What is a lob and when do you play it?
A lob is a high ball over opponents who are standing at the net. It forces them to move back and gives you and your partner the chance to move up to the net yourselves, which is why it’s seen as one of the most important shots in padel.
A good lob lands close to the back wall. If it’s too short, your opponent will smash it. If it’s too long, it hits the back wall without bouncing and you lose the point. Play it with a slow, long swing and a slightly open racket face.
What is a bandeja?
A bandeja is a controlled overhead you play when your opponent’s lob isn’t short enough to smash. You don’t usually win the point with a bandeja. Its job is to keep you at the net.
- Turn side-on to the net and raise the racket to head height, with the face pointing up at the sky like a tray (bandeja means “tray” in Spanish).
- Hit the ball in front of your body, with a little slice, deep into your opponents’ half.
- A good bandeja comes back low off the back glass, and your opponent can’t attack from it.
How is a vibora different from a bandeja?
The vibora is faster and more aggressive. The ball gets sidespin and usually lands close to the side glass, then bounces away low and fast. The timing has to be precise, so learn a reliable bandeja first.
When should you smash?
When the lob is short and the ball is high. A hard, flat smash often bounces off the back glass and comes back to your opponent as an easy ball, so pick your shot to suit the situation.
- A flat smash works when you’re close to the net and can hit between your opponents or at their feet.
- The hardest smash bounces so high on your opponents’ side that it flies out of the court over the wall or the wire mesh. In Spanish these shots are called por tres and por cuatro. They take power and precision, and for a beginner the bandeja is the safer choice.
If the court has exits at the sides and playing outside the court is allowed, your opponent may run out after a ball that has left the court and hit it back. The conditions are in our rules guide.
What is a chiquita?
A chiquita is a slow, low ball from the back of the court to the feet of the players at the net. They have to hit it upwards, and you and your partner get the chance to move up to the net. The chiquita and the lob are the two main ways to win the net back.
How do you play a ball that comes off the back wall?
The idea is to let the ball go past you, wait for it to come back off the wall, and hit it as it starts to drop. For players coming from tennis, this is the most unfamiliar part of the game.
- Turn sideways so that your chest faces the side wall, and move back towards the back wall with the ball. Don’t run right up to the wall. Leave yourself some room.
- Watch the ball. You don’t need to look at the wall. The ball comes off the wall at about the same angle as it hit it.
- Move back into the court with the ball and hit it in front of your body.
- A high ball off the back wall is a chance to attack (in Spanish, a bajada). If the ball comes off low, play it safe: a lob or a soft shot down the middle.
If the ball hits two walls before you play it, for example the side wall and then the back wall, the angle changes. The only way to learn this is by repetition.
And what if the ball has already gone past you? Then you can hit it against your own back wall so that it flies over the net. This is called a contrapared. The rules allow it, but only use it as a last resort.
How do you serve and return serve?
In padel, the serve gets the point started and usually isn’t a winner. Aim at the receiver’s backhand or body, low and with slice, and after serving move up to the net, where your partner is already waiting.
As the receiver, you want to push your opponents away from the net or hit at their feet. A lob or a low ball down the middle is the safe choice. The serve rules are on a separate page.
What’s the quickest way to improve your technique?
- Go to classes. A coach spots mistakes you don’t notice yourself (read about the types of training in our training guide).
- Practise one thing at a time, for example a whole session of nothing but balls coming off the back wall.
- Film yourself on your phone. The video shows you straight away if you’re hitting the ball in front of your body and turning your shoulders.
- Play with people slightly stronger than you. Against much stronger players you’ll hardly get to hit the ball.
We’re happy to help you find a class or a coach: send us an enquiry.