padel is a sport that can be the best way to prove our determination, will and physical condition. Although it may not seem like it, practice in padel involves much more than hitting the ball correctly and requires good preparation from multiple perspectives.

Practice makes perfect any padel player and by far the best way to become a good player is to start at the beginning.

Does it seem obvious? It is. Will you start swimming by throwing yourself into the open sea?

To learn how to play padel and develop as quickly as possible, you have to not only play in tournaments and with friends, but also train. But in addition to that, it is possible to improve our game by following some tips that will lead us to be better padel players, and for that reason I would like to dedicate this article to identifying the aspects that we should consider in order to become more than acceptable padel players.

Basic training.
As with any training process, padel requires us to master some basic prerequisites, in the case of this sport they focus on four essential aspects: good technique, tactics used, psychology and of course physical fitness.

Technical aspects of the game of Padel.
Learning the technical aspects is almost like learning padel game theory, basic aspects that will help us improve our games later. The technical factor is a gradual process, initially we have to learn the right ways to hit the ball depending on the game, dominate the serve, different strokes on the ball, etc.

Although our experience allows us to perform these actions easily, we will move on to more complex moves such as effects or strategic plays. We should also keep in mind that as we gain experience, our technique improves and personalises, each padel player has their own technique and practice to help us improve.

At this stage you have to be patient and consistent, no one is born as an expert and we all learn at our own pace and ability, but hours of training make the difference between an amateur and a professional padel game.

Tactics..
Not only good technique will be key in game of Padel, we must also plan these unexpected matches that make the opponent unprepared and add winning points. This tactic requires analysis and action, knowing when to act or stop doing it, evaluating our opponent and taking his weaknesses as an area of advantage. This may seem like a challenge, but as we gain experience and master good technique on padel training, we also learn to predict moves on the opposing side and determine the best answers in ours.

The tactics become more complicated when we play padel as a pair. Communication and rapport with our partner should be such that without saying a word we can figure out the next move to be made, but it doesn’t seem easy, however when we have found our ideal partner for game of padel, the results can be simply unique. The most successful pairs in the game of padel are those who have practiced together and planned their moves together over a long period of time to get to know each other well and improve their skills in padel.

Physical fitness.
Padel can be a demanding sport. Although just about anyone can play padel, the truth is that when we are trying to improve ourselves in the game, it is best to prepare physically. Being in good physical condition will help us move better on the court and avoid injuries when playing padel.

It is important to do a good workout and warm-up before any padel game by focusing on every muscle in our body, especially our legs and arms. Proper hydration can also reduce the risk of injury or other health problems during the game. Before any game, it is important to eat and rest properly.

If we want to take the game of padel seriously, it is important that we take care of our bodies in the right way, just like any athlete.

Psychology of the game of padel.
Apart from the talent we can develop for the sport, the psychological factor becomes fundamental when we want to move from the amateur line to the professionals. Talent is nothing without perseverance, and this is where our mind plays a big role. Overcoming the physical pain, fatigue and wear and tear of long hours of training is the true test of our determination.

Practicing playing padel at a more professional level will require some sacrifices, like finding time to practice in the midst of how difficult everyday life is, taking care of your physical condition, facing situations that can arise while playing padel, such as feeling defeated. What a difference it makes if you put your face up and keep playing, even when we have a score against the final overcoming of the game.

Working on our minds and being passionate about the sport is just as important as buying the right equipment or learning the moves well.

While playing the game.
Now that we’ve talked about the four main aspects that will lead us to excellence in playing padel from the start, we also need to talk about some tips that will lead us to improve our padel game once we master the previous points:

Warm-up.
We’ve talked about this before, but it’s worth emphasising this point. A good warm-up will help you prepare your body before any sudden movement you have to do when playing padel. Take the time to do some good warm-ups before the game and remember to stretch your muscles after the game, this will help you stay away from a lot of injuries.

Use your logic.
Part of the tactical factor of playing padel that we talked about is learning to use our logic to determine our ability to play padel. Step away from those risky and impressive moves that, even if they give a good show, can leave you unresolved or without the ability to recover. If you are not fully confident in the action you are about to take, it is better to stay in a risk-free zone that allows you to analyze your opponent and be able to surprise him before he surprises you.

Maintain a positive attitude.
Stress in the game, losing the ball or even if we are already a little tired, can lead to a loss of kindness. Don’t make gestures, signs or direct words that may offend your opponent or worse, your partner, the time to analyse the correct response to play the game of padel is very short and mistakes can happen at any time, don’t blame your partner for this.
Likewise in the case of a doubtful ball, if you are not fully convinced to try and reach an agreement that supports your sporting behaviour at all times.

Your partner plays the same way.
Teamwork is essential if we want the paired Padel game to be successful. If you see that your partner is going to have difficulty hitting the ball, you should try to help them, even if it’s not your side padel courts. At this point there is a lot of communication and planning that used to be paired about how they will cover each other, but remember that there are two people in the game and you need cooperation and action from both sides to win the game of padel.

Improve your pitching.
During padel practice, try to practice well and execute your pitches well. It is always better to play with the first serve, as it tends to be stronger and more assertive than the second, in which the pressure to play and the player increases. By taking advantage of the first serve when playing padel, you can also determine the best strategy to surprise your opponent from the start.

Ballooning.
The so-called balloon stroke, the balloon is probably one of the most important points of the game of padel, as it will allow you to perform numerous tasks, from getting time to get out of a game that has left you in a bad position on the court, reducing the match speed slightly, taking position at the net, etc.
Many players miss the opportunity offered by the balloon simply because they think they can’t execute the game or that it won’t work. The key is to understand how to get the balloon right, to what height to raise the ball, where to point it and at what speed. As always, practice is the best way to handle this technique.

A positive attitude until the last minute.
A mistake that some players in padel comment on is giving up the game when there is still hope of winning. There are many instances where players have managed to win a game when it seemed lost. The key is to maintain an attitude, even if the score isn’t in our favour, don’t give up and play every ball with all your potential and feel good about your strategies.
As in any competitive sport, we will always strive to win, and there is no doubt that the feeling of winning is very satisfying; despite this, we should always remember that, apart from losing or winning, game of padel is a sport to be enjoyed from the start to the end of the game. Keep a positive and energetic attitude at every moment of the match, and you will find that regardless of the final result playing padel will become a real passion.