PADEL1969 reveals some shocking data about padel tennis, with a +159% growth of padel courts in Western Europe between 2016 to 2021.
Even more, the numbers are increasing faster as another report recorded 25 million+ active padel players in 51 National federations and 300.000 federated players throughout the globe.
On one side, where such higher stats showcase how popular padel tennis is becoming lately, they also worry new players with tough competition. Of course, the journey from a novice to an expert is filled with struggle, hard work, and practice out of your comfort zone.
But what if there were some tips and tricks that could help you outsmart the competition more efficiently than just practicing the same moves every day?
The good thing is that we have compiled five top tips to play padel for beginners and win more matches in the following guide.
Our primary focus is to cover every aspect of a padel player, from knowledge, action, physical and mental fitness, and growth to help you become the best padel player version of yourself.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into this padel beginner guide and explore how you can beat the competition by following these top five padel player tips!
1. Dive into the Expert World
Regardless of how much information on Padel tennis you read every day, “experience” comes with practice. But practice alone is not enough to shape your skills, for you’d always need a mentor to guide and shape your moves.
You can play with professional players, take lessons from coaches, or be a part of a team to sharpen your Padel skills.
Play With Professional Players
The person you play with decides how fast you will learn; better players will level up your gaming skills, while poor players will take it down. Of course, you can always play with beginners too, yet having a game with experts in the field will always give you more to learn.
If you cannot find any expert to play with, watching their game as an audience and observing their moves also allows for better padel learning.
Take Lessons From Coaches
Another way to improve your padel skills is to invest in a personal coach. They can help you a lot with mastering the correct technique, becoming consistent at the game, and fixing where you lack.
Though you can choose a coach with 2-4 fellow players, investing in a 1:1 coaching session will allow more room to learn and grow.
Be a Part of a Team
Lastly, remember that padel tennis requires a team of two. So, you should try to team up with someone (again, an expert is better) to learn not just padel tennis but also skills besides the game.
These skills include teamwork, the importance of effective communication, and quick mutual decision-making.
2. Increase Your Knowledge
With enough practice, you should also take some time from your daily routine to increase your knowledge about the basics of Padel tennis. The more you know, the better you can perform on the court.
So, start by mastering the walls and learning basic gripping, positioning, and shots techniques.
Mastering the Walls
The walls on the tennis court can make or break your padel career, so it’s better to befriend and understand their science as soon as possible.
The three factors to make the most of the court walls are a relaxed mind, a compact position, and early preparation. That means you should not hurry to run back with the ball. Instead, judge the ball’s pace and depth and whether it is played with topspin or slice technique.
A lighter ball will bounce smaller and vice versa. Similarly, the topspin will make the ball rise off the wall, while the slice technique will cause the ball to go down after the ball.
Learning Basic Positioning, Hitting, and Gripping Techniques
Remember the following essential positioning and hitting tips:
- Recognize the moments to stay near the net and run towards it at the right time instead of playing at the back of the court. A few best times to run towards the net are after hitting the ball past the white line, after the serve, and after lobbing the opponent players.
- Do not stand in the “No Man’s Land” because it’s hard to hit the ball from there, and most of the time, you can give your shot only when the ball is at your toes.
As for gripping, make sure you master the continental grip, as this technique can be used for various strokes in every situation. It’s the most player-friendly gripping technique and makes hitting the ball easy.
Learning the continental grip may take a few weeks, but it’s worth the time and practice.
3. Selecting the Right Gear
It is equally important to wear the right gear when playing padel tennis to perform your best. An unfit, unsuitable racket, pair of shoes, and other equipment will only disturb your balance and make it harder to focus on the game.
So, remember the following tips when selecting the right padel gear for you!
Select the Right Padel Racket
You can choose from three padel racket shapes:
- Round: offers the lowest balance and biggest sweet spot (the “sweet spot” is the optimum point/region to hit the ball)
- Teardrop: offers a middle balance and medium sweet spot
- Diamond: offers the higher balance and smallest sweet spot
The best option for a beginner is a round racket, as it offers a softer core and higher chances of hitting the ball correctly.
Select the Right Shoes
Standard training shoes are a no-go for a sport like padel that requires quick movements, sharp turns, and jumps.
We recommend you try different pairs of padel shoes and select the correct type of sole (omni, plug, mixed) for the best grip on the sand.
Here’s a brief description of all sole types:
- Omni: offers rapid and quick, short movements; anti-slip sole
- Plug: durable, offer higher resistance to abrasion, and has superior adhesion on the synthetic carpet; impeccable sliding sole
- Mixed: a combination of omni (internal front part for better grip) and plug soles (external part for impeccable sliding on the field)
Other Necessary Gear Needed
Besides the racket and the shoes, you should also invest in:
- Comfortable, lightweight, breathable clothing (short sleeves)
- A good padel bag that is not bulky
- Shorts with pockets
- Leg warmers to avoid joint pain
- A hat with a visor for better vision on sunny days
- Anti-sweat cuffs and bands
4. Make Health a Priority
You cannot become a good player unless you care enough for your body and physical fitness. It is always important to make a steady schedule with the room for the following:
Work Out/Exercise
Exercising is mandatory for any sport as much of your energy is spent on the court. Working out will strengthen your bones and muscles and help you perform better in the game.
You should try to focus on these areas when working out:
- Exercises to improve defense
- Exercises to improve precision
- Exercises to avoid unwanted errors
- Exercises to improve the forehand (flat, slice, and topspin)
Moreover, always remember to do a light warm-up before entering the tennis court. It will help activate your shoulders, neck, and legs for the big game and avoid the risks of injuries.
Take Adequate Rest
As much as exercising is important, enough rest balances a player’s routine. It is always better to take adequate sleep from the very start of your padel career as your body needs an equal ratio of movement and rest.
Stay Hydrated
Hydration plays a crucial role in maintaining your physical health, yet the players often neglect it. Always carry a water bottle so that enough exercises/practicing on the court don’t dehydrate your body.
5. Grow Peacefully
Along with physical health, your mental health matters too. Most players dive too deep into practicing that they forget their mental well-being is equally important.
We recommend you to:
Play Consistently With Consistency
The concept of becoming an overnight professional is delusional. Give your body enough time to grow with consistent yet uniform efforts. Mistakes are inevitable, so learn to accept them and sharpen your skills with time. Be patient.
Develop Your Own Padel Style
Every player has an idol, but don’t fall into the trap of replicating your idol player. You should always learn from your seniors, but at the same time, don’t burden yourself by forcing the style of others.
Let yourself grow and develop your own padel style eventually!
Destress Occasionally
In any sport, there will be good and hard days. Make sure to celebrate good days and comfort yourself on hard days. If things become too exhausting, make time to destress.
You can try different relaxing ways such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, music, art therapy, or aromatherapy.
Take Away
Hopefully, our Padel Guide has provided you with all the necessary information for your journey from beginner to expert in padel tennis.
Make sure to incorporate these tips and tricks in your playing career, especially prioritizing your physical and mental health and consistent learning and practicing.
Always learn from your seniors whenever possible and invest in the right gear to outperform others on the field. As long as you put your efforts consistently, no one can stop you from becoming your best version as a padel player!
Thank you for reading. Please share our article with your friends and the Padel community.
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